Quick Poll: Results Are In!

 

In November, we asked for your opinions in our Speak Out! survey. Below are your responses.

 

1. What is the biggest burden to your business?
Given a choice of five responses, about 31% of the respondents said that taxes are the biggest burden to their businesses. About one-quarter cited health care costs.

 

2. Has the credit crunch affected your company's ability to obtain financing?
About 40% of respondents said that the credit crunch has hurt their ability to access capital. The remaining have not been affected.

 

3. To what extent do you expect your employee health care costs to rise in 2008?
The largest percentage of respondents (36.2%) anticipate health care costs to increase 6% to 10% in 2008. Slightly more than one-fourth of the respondents do not offer health insurance.

 

4. How do you expect your holiday sales to fare in 2007 compared with 2006?
Half of the respondents reported that they anticipate holiday sales in 2007 to decline from the previous year. Nearly 15% said that they expect sales to be about the same, while 9.5% expect an increase from 2006. A quarter of the respondents said that their businesses are not impacted by the holidays.