February 8, 2005

The rantings and ravings of a misguided socialist

Writing a monthly column for a publication like the Blair Business Mirror should be piece of cake. After all, most newspaper columnists churn-out four or five columns a week. How much imagination does someone have to muster to craft a column like this one every thirty days?

More imagination, evidently, than I have at my disposal right now. So rather than attempting to develop a concept just to fill space, I’ve decided to clear my head of some random thoughts that have been rattling around for, say, the past twenty minutes. Once they’re gone and my head is empty again, I’ll write next month’s column.

• Last month’s column, which dealt with my belief that businesses have an obligation to give back to the community, generated more response than any I have written in quite some time. Most letters and E-mails encouraged me to identify whom the businesses are that are taking money out of the community without giving back so that they could discontinue their patronage. It was not my intention when I wrote the column to “bring these rascals to justice.” I was more interested in determining ways to make these businesses better understand how much can be accomplished when everyone is willing to grab onto the rope.
• I also received an E-mail about that same column from someone in the education community who called me a Socialist and suggested that if I was truly into giving back, that I should give my job back to someone who was able to do it. Usually it’s my mother who offers that type of constructive criticism.
• I spent three days in Harrisburg last week, much of it at the capitol, learning some of the specifics of legislation affecting the business community. I have often wondered how Pennsylvania earned its reputation as being unfriendly to business. I no longer wonder about that.
• One piece of non-business legislation that I learned about that shed some additional light on how government “works” was a debate on a bill tightening the restrictions of “flying under the influence” of alcohol. That would seem like a no-brainer. Evidently it was not. Governor Rendell vetoed it. I guess the Drunken Pilots Lobby must have a lot of influence.
• Under the category of “Don’t Take Anything for Granted” was a recent conversation that I had with a Chamber director from eastern Pennsylvania who told me how lucky I was that almost all the elected officials in Blair County belonged to the same political party. “I wish we had that type of harmony in our county,” she lamented. Gulp.
• As membership in The Chamber’s Growth & Relationships of Young Professional (GRYP) increases steadily, it is intriguing to hear some of the reasons that young professionals are reluctant to join GRYP. Number one reason: Being married. Somehow a perception has been created that labels GRYP as being for singles-only. Get married and you lose your status as a young professional. Perhaps we need to take a closer look at our marketing materials.
• Once again, Hoss’s Steak & Sea House led an impressive array of local businesses who stepped-up to aid tsunami survivors. While a six-figure contribution to anything may lead some to question the genuine intent of the effort, there are always exceptions. And Hoss’s is one of those exceptions. Blair County is fortunate, in fact, to have a number of businesses on that list.
• The Chamber’s Transportation Committee will have a full plate over the next few months prioritizing projects for the upcoming State Transportation Hearings. The pressure to make the right choices will be somewhat diminished by the fact that there appears to be no money available to do anything beyond what is already funded. There is truly a transportation funding crisis that will impact Pennsylvania in numerous ways during the next few years. Blair County, with so many essential projects on the horizon, will be among the hardest-hit.

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