At least you can’t call this politician a liar.
When a group of movers complained to local politicians at an Oregon town hall meeting about a recently passed law, they got a rough lesson in politics.
The movers were objecting to Senate Bill 2817, which forbids moving companies from using rental trucks to haul household goods.
Intended to crack down on rogue moving companies that don’t have their own trucks, it also penalizes movers who might use rented or leased trucks to meet demand during peak seasons or don’t keep any fleet at all — it’s expensive to keep a fleet of trucks year-round, particularly for the small moving companies that were complaining at the town hall.
Aside from the fairness of the law, the whole episode offers a mirror into how government sometimes works — and why people feel so alienated from it.
According to a report from Southern Oregon Mail Tribune, when the smaller movers asked how they could fight the bill, State Rep. Dennis Richardson was candid:
They probably can’t, because the law has already been passed.
But he did offer some tough-love hindsight.
“You needed a lobbyist,” Richardson said. “You needed someone who was specifically looking out for you.”
Politicians everywhere lament about the plight of small-business owners.
But so often, that voice often goes unheard — because it’s never sought out unless you have the resources to pay someone to be your voice. Which is exactly what small-business people (not to mention much of the general public) often lack the resources to do.
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on Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009 at 8:02 am and is filed under Moving, Moving Industry.
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This post really sums it up well… legislation passed to “protect” consumers really ends up hurting business and labor while creating higher cost for the consumer.
The problem is not that good companies need to rent trucks to meet demand (seems like a very logical practice). Instead, the consumer should make decsions on their own as to who they feel is qualified and shows a track record of reliable business practice. The consumer can also check the business license standing, the BBB, local consumer ratings lists etc…
I’m sure some consumers moving in haste or with little planning settled for unqualified companies. But we need to shift responsibility for these very simple everyday events rather than have the government legislate “winners and losers” without common sense.
As a Realtor, I know any day my city council can pass something that really will affect my business due to over reaction to fraud or other legitimate (or perceived) problems.
I mean, how crazy is it to ban renting a truck to conduct business?! It’s like saying I can’t rent a truck t move staging materials for my listings because I’m a Realtor and not a “moving company”.