Fall 2010 Keystone Business Climate Survey

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1. reduced all benefits, will layoff next month
2. Increase employee health care contribution
3. We have been very busy for the last year.
4. take out loans
5. streamline productivity
6. Will be laying off in the NEXT 6 mos due to higher taxes
7. WORK MORE HOURS
8. cut hours of operation
9. Freeze wages & eliminate bonuses
10. Hold pay raises and or bonuses
11. Increased business solicitation activity on internet
12. No longer employee 401K and eliminated medical insurance coverage for employees and families.
13. will not expand
14. one employee passed away in March and we are not replacing him now.
15. Cut Services
16. not hire to replace those who leave
17. Continually cut costs - rebid contracts
18. MORE ADVERTISING
19. cut back on outside services
20. Cut all non essential costs, i.e. training, travel, etc.
21. None of the above. We're doing great.
22. Let go independent contractors and absorb hours myself
23. WORK 3 TIMES HARDER!
24. Terminate office lease
25. cut salaries
26. take no salary

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1. Without work a loan is useless... we need work NOT a loan!!!
2. With the difficulty my business is facing, we wouldn't think of asking for a loan. Theyw ould laugh us out of the bank.
3. lINES OF cREDIT

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1. Tom did a great job even if he is Republican!

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1. 1. Would be unwilling to increase any type of taxes unless there was transparent access to where my money is spent. I am understanding to the fact that we need to pay taxes, but most people fear the unknown, so a little more clairity would be appreciated
2. Gov rendall has spent Pa. to death
3. Government needs to cut spending in all areas rather than raise any taxes. If they tax the marcellus shale gas, they will just become dependent on that income and then when the "boom"is over they will have to find another source of revenue. They are already receiving additional revenue from employment, sales, gas and other taxes and fees from the gas industry. Taxed Enough Already!!!!!!
4. Recommend 6% cut in expenses across the board...including entitlements. All will share equally. Any entitiy can live with 6% less funding. Pay freezes, attrition, etc. It will hardly be no\ticed and individual sectors can't complain because everyone is cut equally.
5. a look at the last and the next 6 months is not a fair measuring tool ... try 18 months ... we have not yet recovered from the blow we took 18 months ago and the next 6 months will most likely be "status quo" ... after that all bets are off
6. Taxes,Regulatory climate are negatives
7. CUT THE DAMN SPENDING, VOTE the idiots out in the U.S. House and Senate (not the good ones though) ... Ham string Obama so he can't do anymore damage to this once proud country ...
8. Democrats all have to go. Republicans have to pay attention to their constituents
9. PA has a bloated legistlature, bloated budget. They need to take steps IMMEDIATELY to change the pension program going forward for state empolyees and legislators (why should we pay taxes for a better retirement than we can afford?) and to decrease the size of the state gov't. They need to eliminate frivolous spending such as the Arlen Spector library, We plan to DECREASE the size of our business b/c of the negative incentives due to higher taxes in 2011 and the impact of the health care legislation which is all increased cost. The latest adoption of the IBC building code which includes among other things the residential sprinkler requirements is a ridiculous infringment on personal rights - due to lobbying by one industry. No one is thinking - we will work less in protest meaning eliminating jobs for employees and sub-contractors since we are a small business. Healthy businesses don't need loans - we need less taxes and less regulation. It now takes MORE time to get permits to build a commercial building than it does to build it - that is a problem!
10. high taxes bad roads to many government unions lack of growth ineffective state government
11. Reduce size of state government and privatize many of the functions. Make PA a right to work State, thereby reducing project costs associated union labor. Allow tax payers the opportunity to choose their childrens school and direct their real estate taxes to the school of their choice. Work with the gas industry and Marcellus Shale devleopers to establish an appropirate gas severance tax that serves the best interests of the State and industry, as this will be a financial boon for the commonwealth, the local communities and their residents.
12. i cover west half of pa&ny my business is conveyors for handling chips from machine tools western pa has held up well especialy the heavy forging and casting business and special metals
    in spite of the government problems. new york on the other hsnd is having great problems and business is almost non existant.
13. what needs to be revamped is the state welfare system!!!!!!!
    as a auto repair shop, I feel it is wrong to give out funds to repair vehichles with out having firm guide lines as to what the state pays for most of those people are better off than I am but I am unable to any help ... also do they pay income tax on benifits they recieve ??????
14. I beleive the Marcellus shale tax should be taxed at the state level, but 1/3 of the tax should be given to the County where it was drilled. Further, this drilling tax should be used to lower Real Estate taxes.
    
    I believe the Bush Tax cuts should be extended for those earning less than $1 million, but raised to the higher level over $1 million.
15. IN MY BUSINESS MY COSTUMER WANT TO SAVE OR THE SHOPPE OROUND WHY THE STATE LOWER THE TAX TO LET MORE COMPANY TAKE LOOK IN PA AS GOOD OPPORTUNITY CHANCE TO GET MORE PEOPLE TO DO BUSINESS HERE THANK YOU
16. Pennsylvania's roads are terrible. They could be improved with little or no extra funds. Penndot needs to be run more efficiently. Send an undercover camera crew to follow a crew and it would be very easy to determine that it seems to take twice as many employees to complete the job as are actually needed. I have seen too many jobs where there are 2 men working and 4 watching them. I am completely opposed to spending increases in Pennsylvania. It's time to become more efficient and that wouldn't be that difficult to do.
17. Government needs to cut spending and get out of the way! Leave businesses alone and they might have some time to get some real work done.
18. We need more production style businesses in Pennsylvania, for jobs and taxes.
19. The unemployment rate for my company is 9.6%, last year it was over 9% ... it was .6% 3 years ago. I laid off 1 (one) employee over 3 years ago!!! It's a little tough to hire someone when before anything else you have to pay the State almost 10% of their wages.
    As far as borrowing money ... any business that is dumb enough to borrow money without any means of paying it back is FOOLISH!!! Our Company needs work, NOT a loan!
20. Government should provide essential services. Police, fire, road, safety, seniors, ect. Help manufacturing by lowering taxes, regulations, and protect from overseas manufacturing.
21. CUT TAXES So I Can spend money on improving my busness not sending it to Harrisburg to be wasted
22. Reduce taxes - we will spend the money and decide what services we need/desire.
23. PA needs to cut spending to balance the budget
24. I am concerned about the future. I do not feel comfortable about the increased sales we've seen in 2010 and the economy's ability to sustain that volume in 2011.
25. I think it is ridiculous that as a state we have more revenue from casinos than Vegas and AC, yet we are still looking to raise taxes that will hurt the smaller businesses. We were supposed to get relief from this revenue. Where is all this money going? I haven't seen any positive changes in years. It seems we pay more and more into taxes and get less and less out of it as a state.
26. Government interferes with small business development. We are working on another expansion project. The additional cost of time, and money due to government regulations are ridiculous and make absolutely no sense.
    It's time that lawmakers get in touch in reality!
27. Government pensions need to be addresses. Multiple pensions for same people need to stop
    Govt employees must contribute and take risk
28. It is time to stop big government, and allow people to create their own future, not a future envisioned for them by politicians.
29. It's time to cut back on what government is paying for. If it's not a fixed expense, do what business's do when income can't cover expenses, cut back on spending.Raise taxes and you'll kill the economy.
30. With regard to questions 7 & 8 regarding relocating, we are seriously considering closing our doors. I have spent all of my personal savings, borrowd against my house to keep the business afloat, cashed in all my life insurance and stocks, am facing a divorce from my wife who blames me for everything that went wrong with the business, sold personal items, owe lots of money and am bitter and frustrated with the lack of insight by Washington into the challenges small business owners are facing. Our elected leaders do not understand the plight of small business and furhermore don't seem to care. This applies to both Harrisburg and Washington. I'm looking forward to Nov.2nd.
31. The state is in financial difficulty that will not be easily fixed. Commitments have been made in the past, which cannot be paid for. Without dramatic changes in the states attitude, the situation can only worsen. The changes which are necessary will cause short term distress to many, but is necessary.
    At the federal level, we are focusing on too many projects which have no return on the investment being made. Our lack of production, and retreival of resources, continually eat away at our financial base. Being good stewards of the earth is an admirable persuit, but not at a rate which destroys our economy.
32. workers comp rates are too high. we need interstate competition for benefits. PA legislature is too large and spending on non-essential programs needs cut.
33. reduce pensions..elimate number of legislators..eliminate legislative perks
34. BUSINESS LOANS SHOULD BE 2% BACKED BY THE STATE AND ALL YOU NEED TO QUALIFY IS:
    1. TO HAVE BEEN IN BUSINESS FOR AT LEAST 10 YEARS.
    2. BE CURRENT IN ALL TAXES.
    3. STAY IN PA. TIL LOAN SATISFIED.
    4. BE CURRENT W/BUSINESS BANK LOANS.
    5. VERIFY "ALL" EXPENDITURES TO BE BUSINESS ONLY.
35. Lower taxes on businesses.
36. The government and public employee unions must be stopped or they will bankrupt this state and it's cities!! I could make a a long list of spending cuts!
37. Not one question on budget cuts!
38. Clients are not paying for services we provide. We had lots of work but little or no payments. People barely have money to pay the mortgage let alone other debts.
39. All Government has to get totally out of business. This survey is built around the idea that everything has to led by government spending through additional taxation. That is totally wrong, cut taxes, cut budgets to the point needed to balance the budget.
40. Survey only asks about raising taxes - no questions on reducing spending. Under Rendell local highway construction now done under prevailing wage which gets less repair or reconstruction with more dollars. Totally unnecessary and shows why government is broken.
41. PA should sell the liqiour stores and lease the turnpike.
42. I BELIEVE PA NEEDS TO LOWER OUR TAX AND SPENDING TO ALLOW BUSINESS TO MOVE BACK INTO PA. WE CAN BECOME AN ENERGY CENTER IF WE GER GOVT OFF THE BACKS OF BOTH MARCELLUS SHALE COMPANIES AND ENCOURAGE FEDERAL GOVT TO PROMOTE MORE NUCLEAR PLANTS.
43. Small businesses are over taxed in State College, while PSU pays no taxes, is overstaffed, pays too much for outside services, limits bidding to their own "portal". they employ a lot of people but take a lot of business away from the town.
44. Not very good. Taxes are high, servies are average
45. I believe a small tax on the oil & gas industry is needed to increase revenue, but it needs to be a small one to keep their interest here and creating new jobs.
    Also small business taxes and our real estate taxes are one of the highest in the Nation, something needs to be done to attract new business into this area.
46. Cut spending...this is the only way to balance the budget in a meaningful way. Increasing taxes to balance state or federal budgets is not the answer as it will decrease economic growth in the future.
47. Too hard to work through govt red tape. We have facilities in Indiana and Texas ... much easier to deal with. Taxes and regs in pa are cumbersome.
48. Spend less. Reduce size of state government.

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