In the 18 years I’ve lived in Montgomery County, I’ve seen a lot of businesses, both big and small. leave the area. The pundits say our area has unfriendly business policies and I’ve no doubt that is part of the reason.
Earlier this week the Washington Examiner ran an article* about how Montgomery County needs to mend its ways to attract as well as maintain businesses critical to supporting our local economies. The president of the Greater Bethesda-Chevy Chase Camber of Congress noted big government hassles of “zoning and permit processes”. Another example of big government noted by the president of Baltimore-based SPG Trend Advisors id burdensome state taxes and regulations.
A recent example of Montgomery County’s business and consumer unfriendly policies is the bag tax. This tax goes too far including paper bags. At least DC is pretending to save the environment. From a practical perspective, reusable bags quickly become unsanitary and the cost of cleaning them is an additional burden on consumers and when they outlived their usefulness add more bulk to land fills. Financially, the bag tax adds unnecessary burdens on those with lower incomes. It adds tactical burdens on those can afford it – scurrying to find a bag or dropping all one’s purchases because you decided to skip the bag.
It’s the same big government officials making and maintaining other business and consumer unfriendly policies. Will they really learn to do better?
The other part of attracting and maintaining businesses is Montgomery County’s incentives shouldn’t harm consumers in the process. In 2003, Doug Duncan enacted the Fuel-energy tax to close a loophole excluding some businesses. Instead of just fixing the loophole, the tax over penalizes residential customers. For those who forgot, this tax was only supposed end after two-years but every month, my utility bills show it’s still alive and kicking!
Ike Leggett is "not sure privatizing development is in the best interest of the county." It's the residents' interest that is suffering. Montgomery County officials consistently show they know nothing about business or lower-income constituents. Let’s get them out of our pockets.
Let me know what you think.
* http://washingtonexaminer.com/local/maryland/2012/01/montgomery-county-seeks-more-business-friendly-reputation/2057581#ixzz1in8BfJjl
Earlier this week the Washington Examiner ran an article* about how Montgomery County needs to mend its ways to attract as well as maintain businesses critical to supporting our local economies. The president of the Greater Bethesda-Chevy Chase Camber of Congress noted big government hassles of “zoning and permit processes”. Another example of big government noted by the president of Baltimore-based SPG Trend Advisors id burdensome state taxes and regulations.
A recent example of Montgomery County’s business and consumer unfriendly policies is the bag tax. This tax goes too far including paper bags. At least DC is pretending to save the environment. From a practical perspective, reusable bags quickly become unsanitary and the cost of cleaning them is an additional burden on consumers and when they outlived their usefulness add more bulk to land fills. Financially, the bag tax adds unnecessary burdens on those with lower incomes. It adds tactical burdens on those can afford it – scurrying to find a bag or dropping all one’s purchases because you decided to skip the bag.
It’s the same big government officials making and maintaining other business and consumer unfriendly policies. Will they really learn to do better?
The other part of attracting and maintaining businesses is Montgomery County’s incentives shouldn’t harm consumers in the process. In 2003, Doug Duncan enacted the Fuel-energy tax to close a loophole excluding some businesses. Instead of just fixing the loophole, the tax over penalizes residential customers. For those who forgot, this tax was only supposed end after two-years but every month, my utility bills show it’s still alive and kicking!
Ike Leggett is "not sure privatizing development is in the best interest of the county." It's the residents' interest that is suffering. Montgomery County officials consistently show they know nothing about business or lower-income constituents. Let’s get them out of our pockets.
Let me know what you think.
* http://washingtonexaminer.com/local/maryland/2012/01/montgomery-county-seeks-more-business-friendly-reputation/2057581#ixzz1in8BfJjl
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