Money -- That's what we want

The Bend Chamber of Commerce surveyed its members to reveal that a majority of them don't feel the love in Bend.

Boo-hoo.

During this Great Recession, most workers and businesses are struggling, particularly in Bend. It's not surprising that the attitude of small businesses in Bend would be negative. It mirrors their workforce.

Bend has long been described as "poverty with a view." That view now extends to businesses.

The chamber's Executive Director Tim Casey is quoted in the daily newspaper as saying about the chamber's members: "They don't feel like the city is going out of their way to take care of businesses."

Yes, now that they're struggling, it's suddenly the city's fault. It's always convenient to blame someone else when business sours, and the usual whipping boy is government.

But that's garbage. Business is lousy because the housing market collapsed in Bend and Wall Street stole retirement funds of many of Bend's citizens. Banks aren't lending. Credit is tight.

Consequently, people are buying less and eating out less. Business is contracting, not expanding. This has almost nothing to do with government. It's called a "down business cycle." It's a symptom of our economic system.

Business groups believe that government stands in the way of their prosperity. And yet, they're always first in line for handouts from government. Typically, they want it both ways.

Basically, they want what everyone else wants: Money. In this case, government money.

Businesses want "incentives" to stay or expand in Bend. In return for these incentives, the chamber's businesses offer nothing except their incredible wonderfulness of being.

The chamber rails against "regulation" and yet it is precisely the lack of regulation that has brought our economy to its knees.

What the city failed to do during the boom years was improve the city's infrastructure: roads, sewers and storm drains in particular. A citizens' group called Infrastructure First pushed this very issue and now some business owners are belatedly jumping on the bandwagon.

The only incentive the city should ever give business is what it should extend to all of its citizens: good roads, sewers, storm drains, water, parks and schools.

Until businesses realize that a well-run city is good for business , they'll always be whining about government instead of contributing to the solutions of adequate infrastructure.

Twenty years ago, because of Measure 5, the tax burden in Oregon shifted from businesses to residential homeowners. It wasn't enough for businesses and now they're trying to dig deeper into taxpayers' pockets.

Heck, it worked on Wall Street and in Detroit, why not here.

Well, our local government doesn't have deep pockets because taxpayers don't have as much money as they once did.

No one is owed a living and that includes businesses.

Tough, but true.