Maryland Gazette (01/06/12) Shay, Kevin James

With federal budget cuts making private-sector job creation more important than ever, small businesses in Maryland want to see a “do no harm” policy from legislators, says Ellen Valentino, the state director for the National Federation of Independent Business. “The economy is still very unsettled,” she notes. “We may see more measured action with respect to considering laws that could adversely impact businesses.”

Valentino is looking for a “strict” implementation of the federal health insurance reform law to “make sure that Maryland doesn’t go beyond” it. Business are also concerned about a number of tax proposals, such as combined reporting or even imposing a sales tax on certain professional services. The Maryland Chamber of Commerce has specifically warned against proposed legislation that expands the grounds to sue employers or contributes to the company’s legal costs.