10-point plan to jumpstart Cape Cod's economy

Cape Cod's economy is fueled by tourism, retirees, technological and ecological development, health care, and the demands for goods and services related to all of the above.

The 5^th Barnstable District reflects these same characteristics and its business community is a roster comprised, almost exclusively, of small businesses.

Our focus, as a state legislature, must be on the small business owner. Nationwide, approximately 70 percent of all jobs are created by small businesses; on Cape Cod, that figure is even higher.

Rather than repeat the platitudes and talking points that voters seemingly have become immune to, I have compiled a list of specific items that can be embraced and acted on by your state government to improve the overall business climate and expand opportunities for businesses of all sizes across the commonwealth.

These actionable items fall into three categories:

• Adopt a 50-employee exclusion (currently ten) for determining which small businesses must offer health insurance. This is consistent with the new federal Affordable Care Act and would allow small businesses to grow beyond ten employees without triggering a huge expense for mandated insurance.
• Abandon the "creditable coverage" standard, which mandates that everyone carry a blue ribbon, bells and whistles policy. We have to wake up to the fact that not everyone can afford the same insurance plan enjoyed by our legislators.
• Implement other measures to reduce the cost of insurance, such as tort reform, standardized electronic medical records, and interstate competition between insurers (a federal issue), to name a few.
• Allow small businesses to band together to purchase health insurance policies as a group. This is a provision that was included in the Small Business Health Care Cost Relief Bill passed in the most recent legislative session. Unfortunately, that bill also included measures to increase government control in this market which, in the end, will drive away competition and increase costs.

Taxation

• Roll back sales, meals and personal income tax to 5 percent. Our state government's insatiable appetite for spending resulted in $2 billion of new taxes during the most severe economic recession in decades. That ignores the fact that it leaves less spendable income in the pockets of consumers, who are the life blood of small businesses.
• Reduce corporate income tax to 5 percent. At 9.5 percent, Massachusetts is among the highest taxing states in the country; yet another reason for large businesses to not come here or to relocate elsewhere. These large businesses generate big demand for goods and services from our small business community.
• Reduce the short-term capital gains tax rate from 12 percent to 5 percent. As a CPA, I'm always cautioning my small business owners about the state's taxation of capital gains. This puts the brakes on entrepreneurs who would otherwise expand more quickly.

Regulation

• Open public construction projects to all bidders, not just union shops. The governor claims that PLAs (project labor agreements) account for relatively few of the total contracts awarded by the state. What he doesn't say is that those "few" are the largest projects, accounting for the lion's share of project dollars spent.
• Repeal the Pacheco Law, which bars privatization of state services. Small businesses could certainly benefit if allowed to bid on such things as vehicle fleet maintenance, building management and maintenance, and state park maintenance.
• STOP CHANGING THE RULES (at least changes that make things worse.) The unpredictability of what our legislators have in store for businesses from year to year makes Massachusetts a poor choice for new and expanding businesses.

Texas BBQ leftovers

Thank y'all for attending our Texas BBQ at the West Barnstable Deer Club on July 31st. The food was great. The weather was great. Fun was had by all.

We heard Kevin Flannigan, president of the Sandwich Republican Town Committee, sling a few zingers at me. I took them like a cowboy. I lassoed Kevin and tied him to a post for the rest of the afternoon.

Adam Tomasi led the pledge of allegiance and had some sage words to share that were well beyond his early teenage years. Thank you, Adam.

Eric Steinhilber and Tom Keyes, candidates for state senator delivered heartfelt speeches asking for real change on Beacon Hill.

Lisa Perry pinch hit for Jeff, who was in session at the State House. Nice job, Lisa.

Barnstable precinct 11 councilor, Hank Farnham, gave us his straight forward opinions on the problems that Beacon Hill is foisting on our communities and businesses, and introduced me to the speakers' platform.

Randy Hunt on WXTK

Hear Randy's comments on Something More with Chris Boyd. Joined by Dave Vieira, who is running for the 3rd Barnstable District state rep seat, the candidates outline some of their major campaign themes.

Yes, this is me in my dad's radio lab circa 1960.

Why I'm running

I am running for the 5th Barnstable State Representative seat because I will bring a unique perspective to the job with my strong financial background and years of service as a selectman and finance committee member.

The first word I hear from many people I meet is "jobs." What our governor and leaders on Beacon Hill fail to understand is that a good and stable economic environment is necessary for businesses to be successful and to create jobs.

The constantly changing playing field resulting from our governor and legislature tinkering with the rules discourages business development and job growth. When new taxes are invented or business credits evaporate, long range planning becomes impossible.

Even with a less than optimum business environment, we would do ourselves a favor by leaving things alone for awhile. Uncertainty kills business expansion which, in turn, kills jobs.

Providing constituent services, a very important role of a state rep, requires listening, researching, problem solving, communicating and closure. This is what I do for a living as a CPA and it is also an important part of being an effective selectman.

My commitment to Cape Cod is clear. I have invested my personal resources to create my professional practice and to generate four jobs in the Town of Sandwich that did not exist before 2003.

Mary and I have lived in Sandwich for a dozen years and I have spent nine of them serving my town as a finance committee member and selectman.

I ask that you take the time to read and watch the materials on this website and call or email me to let me know what your concerns are. I read and answer all of my own email and pledge to continue to do so.

Lastly, I ask you to vote for me to be your next state rep.

My pledge for openness

As a resident, student, voter, member of the press, or simply an interested party, you arrived at this page to find out more about me and the issues that face the 5th Barnstable District in Massachusetts.

I can assure you that there is more information here and at my blogsite, Randy Hunt's Politics & Humor Blog, than you can read in many sittings. There are more than 170 entries in my blog that I've posted over a year and a half.

I am an open page. You get what you get. And as I said to Mary, "If for some reason during this race for state rep I lose my sense of humor, gently (or not so gently) remind me until I get back to being my old self."

So you can count on me continuing to be open, honest and unafraid of stating my positions. I also take pride in listening to reasoned arguments, especially on emerging issues, and encourage you to engage with me on the issues that matter to you.

Campaign-O-Cycle

Where will it be next?

Sunday, September 5th - W. Barnstable

Hear the horn and more about Campaign-O-Cycle by clicking on the audio icon below.

A vote for the state's budget was a vote against your town

The $27.6 billion fiscal year 2011 state budget is 1.3% less than the year before. That seemed like good news to me. Until I looked a little closer at the numbers.

Before I forget, the commonwealth will actually spend more than $50 billion next year, including all those outside of GAA (general appropriations authorization) expenditures, like MassPort, MBTA, etc.

But for my purposes here, we'll stick to the GAA. Click here for more...