A letter to the editor published in today's Albany Times Union reflects some misunderstandings about the Fair Share for Health Care legislation.
First, the letter writer, the CEO of Hannay Reels, a manufacturer of fire-fighting and fueling equipment, will be pleased to know that his firm would not be covered by the bill. Manufacturing firms are exempted from the scope of A10583/S7090.
Second, virtually no businesses would be subject to any form of tax or fee under the legislation. Only a business that voluntarily chooses to make a payment to the state instead of providing benefits to its workers would make any payment. Stop me when you find a business that would rather give money to the state rather than invest in workforce retention and productivity.
Third, the legislation only applies to 100 or more employees.
Mr. Hannay's concerns are genuine, I'm sure, but, he'll be glad to know, unfounded.
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2 comments:
I'm a resident of Westerlo, and I've driven past Hannany Reels dozens of times. He's the only real manufacturing business in town, and provides jobs especially to people a bit farther away from the city (Albany) then I am.
'm not surpised about Hannany's perspectives on the issue. He's a pretty stalwart Republican, underwriting both local campaigns and state campaigns. AFAIK, he's mostly a fiscal conservative more then a social conservative.
His fears on unfunded mandates make sense, though not for this bill when it comes to his business. As you point out, manufacturing and ag is exempted from this proposed bill, as is all small business (less then 100 workers).
This legislation might actually benefit him, by pushing down healthcare costs and reducing the number of uninsured. That is different then some kind of bureaucratic filing report on some relatively useless thing.
I don't want government telling me how to live my life, nor whether or not I can have a junk car on my property, or anything else. Yet, I don't see how a mandate on big business effects us as individuals -- and certainly would benifit all of us without health insurance.
You make sense, Cowboy. And thans for the local Westerlo perspective.
ASN
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