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 Caribbean sitting 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
