Letters to the Editor

NULLSmall businesses slammed again

There’s a certain irony that smacks me when our governor tries to justify yet another slam to small-business owners (“Income tax surprise: Hike is retroactive,” July 20).

On the heels of the Unemployment Insurance hike, this latest insult hits everyone’s blood pressure, since we must be even more vigilant managing our budgets, financial projections and expenses, while our leadership continues to demonstrate their refusal or inability to do just that. Their lack of restraint and financial integrity is infuriating, while their hubris continues unabated.

We stay in New Jersey because of our many friends, relatives and associates, in spite of our politicians. How about you take a page out of the small-business owner’s manual — you know, the ones you’re financially killing — and make do with only the money you have, and forget asking us for more?

For crying out loud, please manage the state budget.

Frank Wyckoff, president and CEO

Eatontown

Breaking the back of business

Outstanding and informative article on the cover of the July 20 issue of NJBIZ (“Income tax surprise: Hike is retroactive”). Is our state Treasury spokesman, Thomas Vincz, out of his mind?! How arrogant and cocky of him to think that the highest-paid residents of our state — the very people who create jobs — will continue to be assaulted by tax increase after tax increase before they call it a day and move out of state (taking valuable jobs with them), where they can actually keep a greater percentage of the money they earn.

Does our state government want to continue playing this game of “can you break the camel’s back?” How many more businesses and professionals do we have to lose to Pennsylvania and other lower-tax, business-friendly states before our representatives open their eyes? They just don’t get it. It’s sad that our dysfunctional government, at both the state and federal levels, continues to make the same easy choice when confronted with a fiscal challenge, which is to raise taxes on the most successful — and now vilified — individuals and businesses in our society.

David G. Tahan, principal and CFO

Bedminster

‘Outraged’ at insurers’ attitude

I haven’t written to a newspaper in years, but the Corner Office article by Annette Catino in your July 13 edition outraged me to the point where not responding was not a possibility.

In the great conservative tradition, she vilifies the victim. I don’t know of any physicians who stick the insurance carrier with the patient’s deductible, though I am sure some exist. That takes care of the pennies — now what about the dollars? Catino knows the problem is epidemic. She creates numbers out of thin air (or whole cloth) to support her specious arguments. She turns her back on the medical delivery system, which through duplication of highly expensive equipment (which must be used — if needed or not — to justify the investment) drives medical costs up astronomically. She neglects to mention exceptionally poor hospital management at many venues.

And who among us can forget the uncontrolled gouging by drug manufacturers that has gone unquestioned and unchallenged forever? And, while pointing fingers, how about health insurance carriers? Do they overfill their corporate coffers at the expense of businesses providing health coverage and individuals forced to cover their own health insurance costs? You bet they do.

So, Ms. Catino, if you feel an irresistible urge to point fingers, you would do well to first look in the mirror. Once you’ve done that, take a good long look at the other links in the health care chain. What do you say, are they absolutely out of control?

Like the energy producers, the health care community has positioned itself in a cloistered and untouchable position, due, in part, to the enormous amounts of money they put in the hands of state and federal legislators.

I found your utterances mendacious, insensitive and hardly worthy of a professional person.

Richard A. Herman, senior adjuster

Eatontown

Employers feel burn of health care

The problem you discuss is 100 percent correct (“ ‘Free lunch’ mentality prompts rise in health care costs,” Corner Office, July 13). But the real problem is the employee does not care because he/she is not buying it. Somebody, usually their employer, is footing the bill. I don’t blame the employee — don’t look a gift horse in the mouth — but that is the reality.

In fact, some people double dip — both spouses cover themselves and their families in two plans. Look at other insurances, like auto: the end user buys it, there is a lot of competition and there are different plans and rates people can choose from — you don’t see double dipping with auto insurance. In New Jersey, there are two to three insurance companies, and the state has mandated basically five plan types to choose from — and the state will not let associations band together to create buying groups.

The proposals by the current administration will not change anything, they are just looking for someone — the employer — to pay for it.

Mike Malady, vice president – operations

Cherry Hill