Government on all levels needs revenue that comes from taxes. The more activity in a state, the more taxes that can be collected. Hence, the federal government should support business activity. This seems obvious enough, but when we look at the business climate in Maryland, the picture is alarming.
In 2006, when Robert L. Ehrlich was governor, the Maryland Jacob France Institute (JFI) reported that in a survey, 74 percent of firms rated Maryland as being pro-business. Now the same institute reports an alarming drop in the business outlook across the state, with just 31 percent of businesses rating the state as business-friendly.
The greatest disadvantage of doing business in Maryland is taxes, as cited by 42 percent of survey respondents. Fifteen percent of the several hundred businesses with 10 employees or more said “improving the business environment in Maryland” means shrinking government waste, which would help improve Maryland’s business climate. Not surprisingly, nearly 40 percent of respondents said lowering taxes also would help.
There are two roads to take: The path of higher taxes and fewer jobs - which we follow now - or freeing entrepreneurial spirit and letting people build a better and brighter future. This November, Maryland residents will get their chance to decide when they vote for governor. Maryland needs a proven leader with a legitimate record of moving the state in the right direction.
ANNA YEVROPINA
Silver Spring, Md.
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