Business Lunch with Legislators

While many experts say America is emerging from the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, small businesses aren’t necessarily there yet.

“If you ask a small business owner how they’re feeling, you can get a lot of indicators about the economy,” said Ellen Valentino, Maryland State Director for National Federation of Independent Business. “Unfortunately, we’re not getting the answers you’d expect at this point in time coming out of the recession.”

Valentino shared concerns she’s heard from the small business community with a group that included Councilman Todd Huff and Dels. Dana Stein and Dan Morhaim at on Tuesday.

Small businesses aren’t hiring, people aren’t spending money the way they used to and high gas prices are still keeping many customers out of shops, she said.

Del. Dana Stein gave an overview of this past Maryland General Assembly session, noting that several measures that would have hurt small businesses were defeated, including a proposed five-cent tax on plastic grocery bags.

Del. Dan Morhaim spoke about the complicated process of dealing with a 188-member legislative body, and how not everyone sees things the same.

“We have infinite needs and finite money, so we have to sort out priorities,” he said.

Brad Reter, owner of Reter’s Crab House, voiced several concerns at the meeting about the increase in liquor license fees and a new tax that requires him to quickly shell out money to bring his cash registers under compliance.

Reter suggested a similar lunch happen before the next General Assembly session rather than after, so he and other business owners could share their concerns, and the delegates agreed.