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The article from NHBR that Lucy Weber brought to our attention is filled with quotes of skepticism, fear and outrage from the business community. It turns out that maybe government has an important role in helping businesses after all.
The focus of the demonstrations last week was on cuts to human services and union-busting; it's nice to hear business owners joining the chorus, a mix of outrage, panic and befuddlement.
Just a couple examples taken from the article:
The House budget calls for deep cuts to the state's tourism budget. Hotels and restaurants fear that without the State doing marketing, they will lose business.
Contractors will be hurt by the $30 cut to vehicle registration because there will be $90M less for highway improvements and the long-delayed Route 93 improvement project. Car dealers think the cuts will delay inspections and issuance of titles.
Real estate is unhappy about the inevitable cost shifting to cities and towns and the inevitable rise in property taxes.
Business & Industry Assoc of NH says cuts in Medicaid will increase the cost (to businesses) of private health insurance premiums.
There are many more interesting examples of the apprehension over this budget within the business community
But something else struck me reading this article. Government is actually helping businesses. Government is not just here to deliver services to the "needy" and "get in the way of business." With taxes and fees, government is able to do what small businesses cannot do for themselves. Marketing NH cannot be done effectively by a single restaurant or hotel. Government has done this and business people don't seem to want government to stop doing it. And finding new markets around the world cannot be done effectively by single business.
The complaints and concerns of business over this budget mean that our government has been effective. That while everyone screams about taxes, they are getting something valuable in return. When the taxes are removed, they worry about the benefits they will lose, the benefits they know they cannot provide for themselves.
Businesses don't want to lose the marketing, R&D, education and training the workforce, providing infrastructure, incentives for innovation, incentives for conservation.
We are seeing state and federal government mercilessly and callously stripped of resources. Maybe some of it is necessary. But could it be that in this process of losing so much we have taken for granted, that we will begin to see its value and fight to keep as much of it as we can? Even if it means we pay TAXES!
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