Sometimes it's the smaller things that make life bearable. And in southeastern Massachusetts, nearly 80 percent of the viable businesses employ 10 or fewer people. For those businesses to survive, local, state and federal governments must ease up on regulations that handcuff small business, one area business advocate contends. Regulations which force employers to pay high unemployment taxes, high utility rates, high real estate taxes and not have the benefit of incentives. Mr. Casella visits with those owners constantly, and he repeatedly hears what he has heard for years.
Government needs to be more business friendly, in particular to small business owners.
The fishing industry is contesting Amendment 7, saying there is no sound science behind it, while the apparel industry is being attacked by the Department of Labor. Overzealous regulators from government at all levels are making it impossible to do business. Mr. Casella said to survive, attitudes in the community need to change toward small business owners. Everybody thinks just because you own a business that you are rich. You are villified.