In response to Sen. Roger Katz’s column (“New Year’s resolution for Legislature: Let’s get along and get some work done”) in the Dec. 31 edition of the newspaper, I have been in business in Maine now for 35 years and I have found it to be a great place to do business.

I do not know what criteria Forbes Magazine used to rank Maine dead last among the 50 states in which to do business, but knowing Forbes’ extreme right-wing ideology, I would bet that it is extremely biased.

On the contrary, the availability of a dedicated and intelligent workforce, fair rates of taxation, a good workers’ compensation system and reasonable regulations with a lack of red tape create a fine business climate for our medium-sized firm.

If anything, corporate taxes could be raised a bit to give state government adequate revenue to maintain its safety net programs for low-income persons and seniors, and the minimum wage increased sufficiently so that those with low-paying jobs have a better chance to make ends meet.

Paul “CR” N. Lawn

Waterville