Editor,

In the past, I had written about abuse to Twin Brooks Campground, and small business in general. I stated how some groups and citizens enjoy beating up and disrespecting small businesses. Cal Cutter and another writer together proved my point in saying something to the effect that not enough was done against the Twin Brooks Campground owners.

Rather than having Cal Cutter and others proving my point over and over, I’d like to explain some basic lifestyle traits and values of many small business owners, in the hopes this may help some to understand small business owners’ effort, drive, battles and the values they stand for.

I want to say up front that the information I offer is from myself, and other small business owners I have associated with for well over 25 years.

1) Nearly all small businesses exist by their owner’s personal choice. Their values, pride, and deep respect for freedom is the driving force of existence. (Not getting rich – as so many would believe)

2) These business owners are completely independent, without government handouts and without special laws to ensure their existence. (The Small Business Administration does help with some business loans, not handouts.)

3) Many small businesses owners start out not knowing the burdens and struggles they will face later on in business. They “learn as they go,” and before they realize it, ownership becomes their life and their world.

4) Small business owners exist in spite of government mandates, laws, taxes and fees. There is no free health insurance, no paid holidays, no paid vacations, no automatic pay increases, no tenure, no free lawyer service, and no free retirement plan. These are all accomplished by hard work.

5) Small businesses contribute substantially to society, and receive little in return from town, state, and federal government. There is very little burden upon government.

6) All business owners prefer to have less government involved in their business (local, state, and federal) and do the best they can to comply with the constant ever-changing taxes, laws, requirements and mandates in order to keep government intrusion at bay.

7) Nearly all the small businesses owners I have dealt with have a great respect for personal property, our military, those that have died for our country, our Constitution, and our country.

8) The typical small business owner spends evenings doing bookkeeping, paperwork, and associated work for their business. (You might call this a second job.) Weekends quite often are used working their business, and/or repairing equipment, maintenance, and preparing for the next work day. This is how the small business owner attempts to keep ahead financially. (You might call this a third job.)

9) As I stated before, there is no “free lunch” for the small business person, and if they have made a decent living for themselves, every stitch of it has been worked for.

These items are just a portion of the intense work life a small business owner chooses to do. Small business is the backbone of commerce and the economy of Maine. To make false accusations, lies, and harass a small business owner (or anyone) for any reason is a slap in the face of freedom, our constitutional rights, and our liberty.

Geoff Foster

Gray business owner