Small Business Owners Rally Against Proposed Tax Hikes
By: Bryna Stankiewicz
4/10/2009
Local business owners say some of the bills being considered by state lawmakers will hurt the economy and cause more people to lose their jobs.
They rallied at the State Capitol to voice their objections.
There were only about a hundred people there but they represented just about every business sector in the state: agriculture, tourism, and retail, just to name a few.
"People are concerned and they're scared and they're hoping that the community and the legislators will be supportive of trying to keep us alive," restaurant owner, Monica Toguchi said.
They broke up in groups and visited lawmakers to get some help.
There's great concern over what's called a card check bill, which eliminates the secret ballot for workers voting on whether they want to unionize.
The agriculture industry says this could allow labor unions to intimidate workers.
"So if you come to me and say Alicia come on I'm your friend let me sign, sign it for me, we go join the union. I'm gonna do that cause you're my friend," said Alicia Maluafiti of the Hawaii Crop Improvement Association.
Business owners also object to the successor employer bill, which would force an employer taking over a company to hire all non-supervisory employees.
The intent of the bill is to keep the workers employed, but business owners here say it will have the opposite effect because it will discourage people to take over the business that's struggling.
James Tollefson of the Hawaii Chamber of Commerce says, "Our concern is if a company cannot sell itself because a buyer will not buy them they will be forced into bankruptcy laying off all the employees."
Business owners just found out that insurance rates could go up as HMSA is proposing a nearly 13 percent hike.
Folks here say that and some proposed tax hikes by the legislature could force more of them out of business.
"We're all struggling, unemployment rate through the roof, the tourism industry is down, people are going bankrupt left and right," said Maluafiti.
Many who showed up to this rally say it hasn't been easy taking the time off to be here.
But it was too important to miss.
By KHON News
Story Created: Apr 9, 2009
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