[DeTomaso] unions and govenrment

[hoppe1 at cox.net]

This is my story.
Managing partner of 29 year Civil Engineering company with 130 people in 2008.
We did 15 million dollars in fees.
In 2009 we spent 1.5 million dollars keeping most of our people and paying bills.
In 2010 we spent 500k dollars keeping as many as we could and paying our bills.
In 2011 we were down to 25 people and Sep 16th we closed the doors and paid our bills.
Looking for a new job
Rich Hoppe
---- Bill Lewis <lotus0005 at hotmail.com> wrote: 
> 
> The sad thing is that this humongous glacier relentlessly going downhill toward the ocean cannot be stopped. Not in America.  Politicians have only one agenda: make the voters happy, even though the voters are not looking past their next Friday paycheck.  I have lots more to say, but....       ---Bill
> 
> 
> 
> > Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2011 07:32:39 -0600
> > From: gow2 at rc-tech.net
> > To: kenn_green at yahoo.com
> > CC: michael at michaelshortt.com; sedond at yahoo.com; detomaso at realbig.com
> > Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] unions and govenrment
> > 
> > 
> > *Subject:* This is the best letter I have read on what's wrong with this 
> > country
> > If you doubt, Google the company and man who wrote this…….
> > *
> > 
> > Michael A. Crowley, PE* is the owner of Crowley & Associates, Inc. And 
> > was President and an owner of Crowley, Crisp & Associates, Inc. And 
> > Michael A. Crowley, PC. As President of Crowley & Associates, Inc., Mike 
> > is a lead designer of water supply, treatment and storage projects, 
> > regional sewage lift station design, and residential and commercial site 
> > development projects and is responsible for the management of the firm. 
> > Mike’s industry background includes over 20 years experience in the 
> > civil engineering field inclusive of executive level responsibilities in 
> > Marketing and Project Management. Prior to founding Michael A. Crowley, 
> > PC, Mike held positions with several engineering firms in North Carolina 
> > and Maine. Mike holds a B.S. Degree in Civil Engineering from University 
> > of Maine and a Master of Business Administration from Boston College. 
> > Mike is a member of the American Water Works Association (AWWA) and 
> > holds professional registrations in North Carolina, South Carolina, 
> > Virginia, Maryland, Arkansas, Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, Indiana, 
> > Maine, Tennessee, Australia, and Trinidad & Tobago, West Indies. Mike is 
> > a native of Norridgewock, Maine. The Crowley family resides in Wake Forest.
> > /To All My Valued Employees,
> > 
> > There have been some rumblings around the office about the future of 
> > this company, and more specifically, your job. As you know, the economy 
> > has changed for the worse and presents many challenges. However, the 
> > good news is this: The economy doesn't pose a threat to your job.
> > 
> > What does threaten your job however, is the changing political landscape 
> > in this country. Of course, as your employer, I am forbidden to tell you 
> > whom to vote for - it is against the law to discriminate based on 
> > political affiliation, race, creed, religion, etc.
> > 
> > Please vote for who you think will serve your interests the best. 
> > However, let me tell you some little tidbits of fact which might help 
> > you decide what is in your best interest. First, while it is easy to 
> > spew rhetoric that casts employers against employees, you have to 
> > understand that for every business owner there is a back story.
> > 
> > This back story is often neglected and overshadowed by what you see and 
> > hear. Sure, you see me park my Mercedes outside. You saw my big home at 
> > last years Christmas party. I'm sure all these flashy icons of luxury 
> > conjure up some idealized thoughts about my life. However, what you 
> > don't see is the back story.
> > 
> > I started this company 12 years ago. At that time, I lived in a 300 
> > square foot studio apartment for 3 years. My entire living space was 
> > converted into an office so I could put forth 100% effort into building 
> > a company, which by the way, would eventually employ you.
> > 
> > My diet consisted of Ramen Pride noodles because every dollar I spent 
> > went back into this company. I drove a rusty Toyota Corolla with a 
> > defective transmission. I didn't have time to date Often times, I stayed 
> > home on weekends, while my friends went out drinking and partying. In 
> > fact, I was married to my business -- hard work, discipline, and sacrifice.
> > 
> > Meanwhile, my friends got jobs. They worked 40 hours a week and made a 
> > modest $50K a year and spent every dime they earned. They drove flashy 
> > cars and lived in expensive homes and wore fancy designer clothes. 
> > Instead of hitting Nordstrom's for the latest hot fashion item, I was 
> > trolling through the Goodwill store extracting any clothing item that 
> > didn't look like it was birthed in the 70's.
> > 
> > My friends refinanced their mortgages and lived a life of luxury. I, 
> > however, did not. I put my time, my money, and my life into a business 
> > --- with a vision that eventually, some day, I too, will be able to 
> > afford these luxuries my friends supposedly had.
> > 
> > So, while you physically arrive at the office at 9 am, mentally check in 
> > at about noon, and then leave at 5 PM, I don't. There is no "off" button 
> > for me. When you leave the office, you are done and you have a weekend 
> > all to yourself. I unfortunately do not have the freedom. I eat, ****, 
> > and breathe this company every minute of the day. There is no rest. 
> > There is no weekend. There is no happy hour. Every day this business is 
> > attached to me like a 1 day old baby.
> > 
> > You, of course, only see the fruits of that garden -- the nice house, 
> > the Mercedes, the vacations... You never realize the back story and the 
> > sacrifices I've made. Now, the economy is falling apart and I, the guy 
> > that made all the right decisions and saved his money, have to bail out 
> > all the people who didn't.
> > 
> > The people that overspent their paychecks suddenly feel entitled to the 
> > same luxuries that I earned and sacrificed a decade of my life for. Yes, 
> > business ownership has its benefits but the price I've paid is steep and 
> > not without wounds. Unfortunately, the cost of running this business, 
> > and employing you, is starting to eclipse the threshold of marginal 
> > benefit and let me tell you why:
> > 
> > I am being taxed to death and the government thinks I don't pay enough. 
> > I have state taxes. Federal taxes. Property taxes. Sales and use taxes. 
> > Payroll taxes. Workers compensation taxes. Unemployment taxes. Taxes on 
> > taxes. I have to hire a tax man to manage all these taxes and then guess 
> > what? I have to pay taxes for employing him. Government mandates and 
> > regulations and all the accounting that goes with it, now occupy most of 
> > my time. On Oct 15th, I wrote a check to the US Treasury for $288,000 
> > for quarterly taxes. You know what my "stimulus" check was? Zero. Nada. 
> > Zilch.
> > 
> > The question I have is this: Who is stimulating the economy? Me, the guy 
> > who has provided 14 people good paying jobs and serves over 2,200,000 
> > people per year with a flourishing business? Or, the single mother 
> > sitting at home pregnant with her fourth child waiting for her next 
> > welfare check?
> > 
> > Obviously, government feels the latter is the economic stimulus of this 
> > country. The fact is, if I deducted (Read: Stole) 50% of your paycheck 
> > you'd quit and you wouldn't work here. I mean, why should you? That's 
> > nuts. Who wants to get rewarded only 50% of their hard work? Well, I 
> > agree which is why your job is in jeopardy. Here is what many of you 
> > don't understand .. to stimulate the economy you need to stimulate what 
> > runs the economy. Had suddenly government mandated to me that I didn't 
> > need to pay taxes, guess what? Instead of depositing that $288,000 into 
> > the Washington black-hole, I would have spent it, hired more employees, 
> > and generated substantial economic growth. My employees would have 
> > enjoyed the wealth of that tax cut in the form of promotions and better 
> > salaries. But you can forget it now.
> > 
> > When you have a comatose man on the verge of death, you don't 
> > defibrillate and shock his thumb thinking that will bring him back to 
> > life, do you? Or, do you defibrillate his heart? Business is at the 
> > heart of America and always has been. To restart it, you must stimulate 
> > it, not kill it. Suddenly, the power brokers in Washington believe the 
> > mud of America are the essential drivers of the American economic engine.
> > 
> > Nothing could be further from the truth and this is the type of change 
> > you can keep. So where am I going with all this? It's quite simple. If 
> > any new taxes are levied on me, or my company, my reaction will be swift 
> > and simple. I fire you. I fire your co-workers. You can then plead with 
> > the government to pay for your mortgage, your SUV, and your child's 
> > future. Frankly, it isn't my problem any more. Then, I will close this 
> > company down, move to another country, and retire.
> > 
> > You see, I'm done. I'm done with a country that penalizes the productive 
> > and gives to the unproductive. My motivation to work and to provide jobs 
> > will be destroyed, and with it, will be my citizenship.
> > 
> > While tax cuts to 95% of America sounds great on paper, don't forget the 
> > back story: If there is no job, there is no income to tax. A tax cut on 
> > zero dollars is zero. So, when you make decision to vote, ask yourself, 
> > who understands the economics of business ownership and who doesn't? 
> > Whose policies will endanger your job? Answer those questions and you 
> > should know who might be the one capable of saving your job. While the 
> > media wants to tell you "It's the economy Stupid" I'm telling you it isn't.
> > 
> > If you lose your job, it won't be at the hands of the economy; it will 
> > be at the hands of a political hurricane that swept through this 
> > country, steamrolled the Constitution, and will have changed its 
> > landscape forever. If that happens, you can find me in the South 
> > Caribbeansitting on a beach, retired, and with no employees to worry about.
> > 
> > Signed, Your boss,/
> > /Michael A. Crowley, PE
> > Crowley, Crisp & Associates, Inc.
> > Professional Engineers
> > 1906 South Main Street, Suite 122
> > Wake Forest, NC 27587
> > Phone: 919.562.8860 x22
> > Fax: 919.562.8872/
> > /Location: This is a real letter/
> > 
> > 
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