A Letter to My Congressmen

You don't have to watch the news or listen to the radio for more than a minute to know that there is plenty of turmoil with regards to our state and federal financial situations.  This week I took the opportunity to write my state senator and representative to express my concerns with the budget proposed by Governor Dayton. Since this budget has direct implications for my business and therefore my clients, I thought I would share my thoughts with you:

I am a self-employed building and remodeling contractor that lives and works in the district that you represent.  I am writing to you asking you to reject the budget put forth by Governor Mark Dayton.  The budget that he has proposed is not good for the State of Minnesota, and it certainly is not good for the middle class, as he claims. 

Speaking with regards to the construction industry, we are one that is an already heavily regulated and governmentally burdened industry.  We face increasingly restrictive measures that hinder the way we are able to perform our work, run our businesses, and make it nearly impossible for us in the private sector to develop new and better methods with which we can serve our clients.  Many of us in the construction industry strive to do our work with excellence, keeping the safety and well being of our clients and their families as our top priority.  It is our clients and prospects who should be the ones deciding which companies succeed and which ones fail based on the level of excellence that we provide, not who can afford to pay all of the fees, keep up with all of the changing regulations, and keep from being heavily fined for minor details that have no bearing on the quality of services performed. 

Governor Dayton’s proposed budget will make it even more difficult for those of us who own businesses in this already highly taxed and regulated state.  He claims that his budget proposals  “will yield returns in new jobs, private investments, vibrant communities and additional state and local tax revenues; and they will help keep our economy moving forward. They represent my best judgment about what Minnesota needs to grow our economy, expand our middle class, improve our quality of life and take care of those most in need.”  Yet these proposals include businesses like mine having to pay a “business to business” tax.  In an already competitive market with tight margins, the last thing we need is to have to raise our rates to absorb the added tax.  Many of us will already be forced to pay steep fines with the Affordable Care Act because we will not be able to provide health insurance to our workers.  Now Governor Dayton wants to tax us even more under the false pretense that it will help the middle class.

Furthermore, by raising taxes on the top 2% income earners in the state, the proposed budget is putting an increased burden on those who have the greatest ability to hire contractors, such as myself, to build and remodel their homes.  By taxing them at a rate higher than the already high rate that they currently pay, they will have less available funds and will likely have to choose not to invest in many job-creating activities, including building and remodeling their homes.

The construction and housing industry have been the hardest hit by the recession, caused specifically by the collapse of the housing bubble – a bubble made possible by government-mandated sub-prime loans.  We have sacrificed and worked hard to keep our businesses going.  Yet those of you in government insist on taking every opportunity to add more taxes and regulations to those of us who are the real job creators, who build the vibrant communities, and who keep the economy moving forward.  It is in spite of proposals such as Governor Dayton’s budget that we continue to work and provide for our families and communities.  I am asking you as my representative in government to do what is in the best interests of those you represent and reject the proposal put forth by Governor Dayton.

Sincerely,

Nate Basinger

Northfield, MN