It’s not every day that a business group calls on
legislators to resist budget cuts, raise revenue and invest wisely to boost the
economy and fuel consumer demand, but Monday was one of those days.
“We need customers – not
cuts!” a coalition of small-business owners from across the state said in a
letter hand-delivered to Rep. Reuven Carlyle of Seattle in the Legislative
Building. “We believe it’s time to refocus our political debate on generating
revenue to create the investments we need to support small businesses,” the
letter said.
The letter called for
closing tax loopholes for big corporations or adopting new revenue measures in
order to raise money for health care, education and infrastructure. It was
signed by more than 170 members of the Main Street Alliance.
“We believe that an
economy works best when everyone pays their fair share,” the letter said. “When
essential public services are cut, our economy suffers, people lose their jobs
and small businesses lose our customer base.”
The letter was delivered
by Consuelo Gomez of Marty K Comprehensive Facilities Maintenance in Bellevue,
Tiffany Turner of Adrift Hotel and Inn at Discovery Coast in Long Beach
and Don Orange of Hoesly Eco
Automotive in Vancouver.
Carlyle has long
advocated for increased accountability for tax loopholes granted to businesses
and industry sectors. As chair of the House Finance Committee, he is working
this session to make sure that the exemptions are linked to measurable economic
benefits.
Read this story in Spanish.
Read this story in Spanish.
