Ho! Ho! Ho! I'm looking toward the start of a new year; here are some things that most businesses would like to have in order to make it to the end of 2013, while making a profit too.
I know the Teacher's Union doesn't get it, but somebody needs to "educate" them on basic economics. Raising taxes in a bad economy doesn't make things better, it makes them worse. So here's my No. 1 wish list item for businesses in 2013: do not pass the "Education Initiative."
Coming in a close second, stop thinking of businesses as the "enemy". They are the job creators, not government. Employees, tell your boss thanks for giving you a job. If anybody out there is jealous of how much "profit" a business makes, remember, those profits make their way into your retirement accounts, help pay for community infrastructure, are spent on other local businesses products and services, etc. Repeat after me, "Profits are good! Profits are good!"
Third, I wish that folks would stop filing frivolous lawsuits. They waste time, run up costs and drain hard working, decent folks of the energy they need to go out and succeed. When they succeed in making a profit, it helps the local economy. If you buy a hot cup of coffee and put it in your lap, then it spills and burns you, it's your fault, not the coffee company's. Take some responsibility for your actions instead of trying to find the "golden ticket" in suing others.
Fourth, employees should work hard for their employers. No slacking off! Know that you are being paid to work, not goof off. A job is a trade of your labor for a share of your employer's profits. If your labor doesn't make your employers a profit, then they have no incentive to keep you around. Remember, the point of business is to make a profit. Non-profitable activities eventually will be seen and cut. This is a tough economy. Not much wiggle room for keeping slacking employees around.
Fifth, trust businesses to exercise common sense. Governments should drop meaningless, time-wasting, interfering, redundant and stupid regulations. How many of you are "liking" the new hands-free cell phone law? Has it been shown to save many lives? (Hint: No!) Yet, now when the phone rings, you have to start fiddling around with your hands-free devices, actually making you more distracted and more dangerous as a driver. Imagine those kind of interfering laws/regulations in the business world, multiplied by 100. Businesses have to put up with more and more of such frustrating time-wasters, which bring down profits. Remember the new mantra for 2013? "Profits are good! Profits are good!"
Well, these wishes would make a good start for 2013. It would be a wonderful Christmas for the whole economy if they were all received this coming year. Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!
• Kelly Bullis is a Certified Public Accountant in Carson City. Contact him at 882-4459. On the web at BullisAndCo.com.
