We often here that blue states like New York are a regulatory nightmare for small businesses, but what does that look like in tangible terms? Libertarian journalist John Stossel gives us a very clear picture of how blue states are strangling the little guy who is just trying to get ahead.
A small corner store run by a man named Kamal Saleh was recently fined $2,800 by the city of New York. Most of the 50 states charge a $1,000 fine for a first drunk driving offense, so Mr. Saleh must have done something really bad to be fined $2,800, right? Wrong. Saleh sold three cigars for the price of $8.89 cents. According to New York City regulations, that price is 11 cents too cheap for three cigars.
Big corporate entities like Wal-Mart seem to thrive in New York’s business climate, but small mom and pop stores get hammered by New York City regulations just like this one. The Big Apple’s regulations, by the way, run into the thousands of pages. Good luck make sure you don’t run afoul of breaking some rule if you try to do business there. This is obviously part of the reason why the state of New York is bleeding more millionaires and high wage earners than any other state.
You just have to see the excuses from the regulators and their liberal apologists on why it’s so important for the City of New York to fine an immigrant shop owner $2,800 for doing business. Check out John Stossel’s report on how the very high tax state of New York is crushing the little guy.
