At least that's the opinion of some HVAC contractors who recently gathered in downtown Portland, Maine for a seaside dinner roundtable discussion. Five contractors, representing 175 years of HVAC experience, spoke with The NEWS about the business climate and what they are doing to stay busy and profitable.
Paul Dupuis, a semi-retired contractor who used to run an eight-person shop, said that taxation and insurance costs make Maine a very unfriendly place to start a business. That's too bad, since he said that 85 percent of Maine's businesses have fewer than 15 employees. "A new businessperson may decide to leave Maine after only three to six weeks," said Dupuis. "Small businesses have a hard time succeeding. The cost of everything is so high."