2012 Fall Business Climate Survey

* 401Ks are too vulnerable to the market but defined benefit plans are costly and need to be revised, but if retirees just wind up using more public services as a result the savings could be illusory. Still, some combination of pension reform and raising taxes is necessary.

* Cut retirement benefits for those who will start retiring in 10+ years. In other words, plan ahead a little bit for a change.

* Unions are gangs extorting this money

* Stop runaway wasteful spending and bailing out of the crooks

* Increased contribution from State and Feds

* phase out

* Make the business climate pro-business to encourage greater income, hiring so that those working can support the retirement systems.

* Tax Sodas

* cut retirement benefits to people before they retire

* define contribution system for not yet retired, cover existing retirees and those over 60.

* Government benifits should be in line with small-med bisiness

* Eliminate Senate. Reduce size of House of Reps, cut staff to Reps by half.

* Increase tax on gas drilling

* bleed billionaires & redeem international debts

* The answers don’t adequately address the problem as I understand it.

* Reduce the benefit formula for all new entrants into the public pension system, and establish a maximum benefit amount based on average/medium compensation, or SS wage base – something that defines a limitation at a rational level.

* need a blend

* PennDot is the second most corrupt institution in the state and you and i both know it.

* Create incentives for using mass transit and carshares to keep cars off the road.

* Raise tolls and eliminate prevailing wage on projects

* smaller more efficient vehiles

* more user fees

* The PTC used to be one of the richest in STate Govt. What did you do with your money?

* unions make construction ridiculously expensive

* Outsource to private organizations; government cannot run businesses properly

* go to private contracting

* toll other roads

* In general, the people using the transportation should pay for it.

* create tolling opportunities

* Impose mileage tax on electric and propane vehicles

* REDUCE THE SIZE OF THE LEGISLATURE

* cut number of employees and administration

* Privatize road projects

* Unfund mandate for I80 toll road

* REPLACE TURNPIKE COMMISSION

* Raise Marcellus Shale Fees & Taxes

* Raise Mass Transit user fees

* better manage their money like most citizens do

* more toll roads & raise tolls – make users pay for roads/bridges

* Raise Cap on the Oil Company Franchise Tax

* get mfg jobs back from the Chinese

* The answers don’t adequately address the problem as I understand it.

* There is a big difference between real need, and public works jobs programs coming out of a recession – which tends to be political spending of the worst kind. Spend less! Also, with electric vehicles and public transportation in urban areas – fees for licensing, registration, and fuel could be heading lower. People who use public raodways need to contribute, whether or not they own or drive a vehicle.

* Reduce size of Turnpike Commission

* again, needs a blend

* Allow for the projects to be bid as non-union projects

* user fees

* partner

* Govt Rel Mgr

* VP

* Defunding public education as Corbett has done is a stupid economic move. Our people are our best asset and we need to invest in them. It’s also unbelievably irresponsible not to be taxing shale gas and setting up clean-up funds from drillers. We also need to be watching the environmental impact of shale gas drilling closely and planning for the inevitable clean-ups so state funds aren’t used and natural resources aren’t harmed.

* The most effective way for State to retain control and improve performance is to wrest control from the Federal Government. State government should perform more functions closer to home. SO the increase in State tax and spending should come at the reduction of Federal tax and spending.

* Most issues of concern are on a national level concerning the stagnant economy. Survivors are hanging on and at the ready to eliminate workers and do more with less. By now, most of us have decreased costs where we can. A min wage increase, tax increases or increased regulation will tip even more businesses into the abyss. We need to get manufacturers & energy producers producing again! Social issues need to be de-prioritized and government should become smaller.

* Unemployment tax rates are very high businesses and the system is frustrating to use. It recently calculated my UC tax incorrectly and now I have to spend several hours completing forms to get a refund. Customer service is also lacking. The customer service rep told me that the State knows there is a problem with the way it calculates it, but in order to get a refund I have to do all the work…for a KNOWN issue!

* Reform of the tort system and the judicial selection system would go along way to helping business. In addition, elected officials and candidates should quit wasting time on irrelevant "social issues" and focus exclusively on the economy and business environmnet.

* Union pensions have caused taxes to be too high

* I’m adamantly against the government running things that are better off in the hands of those better trained/prepared (i.e. private businesses). The liquor stores is a high profile example, but there are many others. In addition, the taxes to do business in the City of Philadelphia are stifling and will eventually drive more businesses away.

* The whole system needs redone. Government is out of touch with reality.

* Too much bureaucratic overhead for small businesses — it is interesting that the state has so many nonprofits (and I am willing to support many) that do not pay taxes but a business with the same revenue number pays taxes and does not get the benefits that many of the small nonprofits do — for example for a business to be successful they need technology — so does a nonprofit — technology is expense and is taxable. A nonprofit not only gets the technology at a reduced rate but does not pay tax. PA is behind in their thought process — they need to make it easier for smaller businesses. Also there are too many special interest groups that help businesses but they also hurt businesses — a special interest group that gets funding from the state so that they can provide services at a lower rate is hurting the person that has been out of work that can’t provide the service at the "reduced" rate. Level the playing field — again PA is behind the eight ball.

* This look like a push poll for Tom Corbett….yes?

* Harrisburg is bankrupt what does that tell us about the rest of the state? Taxes are too high but as long as we are going to overpay school teachers and gov workers it can’t be fixed.

* We have held on through a terrible recession. If things don’t markedly improve in 2013 we will lose our business.

* Reduce state spending and privatize the liquor stores.

* Spending in all levels of government are too high; increased regulations are also an extreme burden (federal worse, state is getting a bit better)

* The climate is anti- black business. The support and contracts to Black owned businesses has went down under Mr. Corbet, the MWDBE program is of no help. The bundling of contracts has been very harmful to Black owned service business. Letters to Mr. Corbet results in unproductive calls and meetings. There is no follow up from the administration. The online system has not resulted in work for our company. The COSTAR system was to help small business. One year we paid $500 to register and setup meeting thru out the area with no results. We set up many meetings with organizations in the system that did not see the need to comply. The money and hours spent traveling all over the region was a waste. Presently we are being sent request to sub from prime’s that have no attention of doing business but are meeting a requirement to make an attempt. The system does not work because the prime contractor knows that the minority participation clause has no teeth. This administration has no concern for black owned business even though the black community has an unemployment rate for above all other groups. The need is not for new government laws or new programs but for a concentrated effort and enforcement to make sure that Black owned businesses receive contracts directly from the State and that they are paid in a timely manner. The buck stops at the top and at this point what I have seen is that the top does not care. Our business started in 1985 and has not received a measurable amount of work since Bob Casey was in office. His administration was involved in the process with good oversight, responded to our letters and did not pass the buck. There are no incentives positive or negative to really do business with Black owned service businesses. those incentives come from the heart and mind of the person at the top. Laws and programs are just words on paper or on the internet. It is the day to day actions that count.

* Governor Corbett is significantly hurting this state

* 30/10/2012 2:08 PMView Responses

* Smaller government is always better government.

* 30/10/2012 1:55 PMView Responses

* Question 7 does not allow for my option, raise taxes and continue to cut goverment.

* 30/10/2012 1:39 PMView Responses

* Obama is more of a hindrance to business growth than Pennsylvania is. My opinion is if Romey gets elected, you will see an almost immediate bounce in the economy.

* The federal, state, and local government needs to reduce the guaranteed benefits to its employees, demand greater performance of its workers, and eliminate early retirement based on years of service.

* Think about your audience and the various types of businesses. Some of these questions don’t apply to a professional service business.

* the size of gov’t and interference by gov’t needs to be reduced drastically. There is a good chance that i will close down next yr due to all the taxes (corrupt gov’t). If i were younger i would move my business out of Pa. Now i just might retire. I fdeel some obligation to my employees but not at my expense any longer.

* Get the intitlements out of my pockets, and Polititians, Goverment employees, need to have there benifits reduced more in line with the public sector.

* civil employees have no idea that there is a recession. They have not felt its effects at all for 4 full years. Particularly in washington

* CONTINUING TO TOLERATE THE GROSS INCOMPETENCE OF THE LIQUOR CONTROL BOARD AND THE PA TURNPIKE COMMISSION IS GUTLESS DERELICTION OF DUTY.

* Decrease as many regulations and regulatory agencies as we can. They create uncertainty and unexpected costs which make it next to impossible to budget accordingly. We must also lower taxes. I just had people from Ireland offer to move my whole company there, re-train workers and offer me a 10 year tax abaitment. That is attractive and pro-business. I have already moved 2 divisions overseas and will not put more burden on myself to build here unless more pro-business moves are taken. Don’t assume your current companies will stay here. Why does our government offer incentives to outside our state companies but not companies with 20 plus years here? Actually, I don’t want any incentive or any other handout just stop creating an unlevel playing field. Good luck with making the necessary changes to bring more opportunity to this region…too many takers; not enough givers anymore. Good bye, An Exhausted entrepreneur

* Two thoughts: 1) I just came back from a business trip to Ohio. It was good to see folks manufacturing useable goods vs pushing paper around, which is more of what I see in PA. 2) Wealthy investors need to keep investment capital here in the PA Region, not sending it to Silicon Valley. 3) I am being advised that as my company grows, move it out of the U.S.

* Cities are especially pushed to the limit of what services they support and the businesses which employ people in suburbs and other communities without having the ability to get income from those people, thus creating ghettos surrounded by upperclass neighborhoods. Many young talented folks like vibrant city lifestyles but PA offers only homogenous suburbs, ghetto-ized cities and retirement communities. Finding qualified people (who have talent and good attitudes) is almost impossible. One employee relocated back to NY City after 8 months in Harrisburg. Out of 500 resumes to replace an entry level designer, ONLY TWO were even worth interviewing.

* High corporate taxes discourage profits

* the inability to deduct losses from prior periods is ridiculous. Even NJ allows loss carryforwards. For new businesses, this is a killer. We had real losses and now are taxed on profits that only exist in a fiscal year.

* I hear people complain about the number of taxes and regulations that businesses face. I don’t find that to be the case with my business. I think the criticism is overblown.

* spending on education need to be increased

* Generally I think there is too mucha favoritism and politicing. PA could be a top 10 state in jobs, education, quality of life and we just get in our own way. I think that there is disregard fort hte environment, education and the state is not innovative when it comes to healthcare, energy or education.

* The General Assembly can be reduced in size. Grants to companies to sdave energy cost are a give away and a waste of tax payer money. If energy taxes increase paybacks on energy saving improvements will make sense on their own and not need subsidized. Also, natural gas production should be taxed at rates other energy producing states charge–this is OUR oil and gas and we are giving it away. Fianlly, public sector employees should not be allowed to unionize and unfairly benefit at the expense of their neighbors.

* We need to become a right to work state ifwe hope to attract business to pa from overseas. We need to cut regulation to make it easier to build.

* I am more concerned over the real truth coming out regarding Penn State and the Sandusky affair.

* its kind of like the climate on mars. There’s business here?

* I believe in SMALLER GOVT. Less intrusive govt.

* Too many receiving benefits; too few paying for the cost of those benefits.

* Raise taxes on energy companies, fix our bad roads and bridges and increase funding on K-12 education.

* Reduce government interference in our business. Increase Medicaid healthcare reimbursement to cover the cost of providing the services so that we don’t have to force private payors to pay more.

* The State legislature needs to be reduced in size. Benefits to state legislatures needs to be reduced.