I hear and see in corners of our community a growing hostility to the idea of capitalism and profit. Sometimes exhibited in different ways, such as calls to support only small local enterprises and mom-and-pops, when you explore deeper, it often reveals a generalized antipathy for business, especially economic development. The motivations of individuals can be and are varied, such as concern about the environment, proximity to one’s home or dislike of certain kinds of business. None of those individual concerns are new. However, today a growing and vocal sentiment displays a hostility to business and the concept of profit. And while I understand the frustrations of today’s at-times-maddening world, I believe a robust and energetic business sector is essential to everything from jobs and careers, a solid tax base and, for many, a sense of purpose.

Local small businesses sometimes feel the heat of this frustration. Public claims that all landlords, including small ones, are greedy; cavalier calls to raise taxes on local business, such as the hospitality industry; denouncements of restaurants for not paying staff enough or charging customers too much; and a growing sense of entitlement to micromanage private businesses (the Yelp! effect). While resentment, especially towards corporations and non-taxpaying billionaires, is understood as a matter of fairness, today’s sentiments often don’t distinguish between small and medium business and mega-corporations.

While inflation is all around us, too many proclaim that inflation is due to greedy profit-driven capitalists. Whether it’s housing, food, electricity, groceries, gas or dinner at a restaurant, there is a vague notion that greedy businesses are busy counting their money. This resentment drives more populist ideas of placing entire sectors of our economy under direct government control, such as energy, housing, telecom, food and, of course, healthcare. A lighter-touch solution is to have the government impose price controls, such as rent freezes (like they do in Cuba and Venezuela and now Kingston). Some business skeptics say the alternative to business is a cooperative model (such as Kingston’s promised food co-op), or programs funded by mega-wealthy donors. However, these alternatives can’t replace Ulster’s $9 billion economy.

I definitely appreciate the frustration with rising costs. I too wince every time I go shopping, pay the cable bill or just go out for dinner. And yes, some companies are making substantial profit today and behaving badly. But that is not true of most businesses. They are struggling with prices like you and I.

As a small business owner, I am driven, in part, by profit. It’s a motivator. It’s compensation for what can be a lot of hard work and sacrifice with no guarantee of success. Up to 95 percent of startup businesses fail. Having my own business enables me to be self-employed, hire others, help people and do what I love. Success via profit is also validating — that what I do is both useful and gives me a sense of purpose.

What I see happening now is the painting of all for-profit enterprises as somehow illegitimate. When reading comments from local online gadflies, you can see how the word “profit” is seen as a four-letter word. “They shouldn’t be making money off us,” they proclaim. This is having an impact on public policy and services.

There is noticeably a diminished amount of attention the business sector receives from local governments, especially since COVID. Some politicians haven’t even attended any of the friendly Chamber of Commerce events. And aside from efforts of a few government officials and agencies, the main levers of local economic development and business services have been substantially low-energy, such as the county IDA, EDA and Office of Economic Development. Since towns in Ulster generally don’t have dedicated departments for economic development of their own, the issue falls mainly on the county, which has been somnolescent on the subject.

For example, as the local housing crisis rages on, the Ulster County Industrial Development Agency (IDA) has mostly sidelined itself on the issue because of prior complaints on tax abatements for housing developers. As such, the agency mostly sits by as housing developers pass on Ulster because the costs to build are too high, whatever you may believe. The EDA (Economic Development Alliance), which in the past aggressively sought out new business to locate in Ulster with marketing and promotional campaigns and initiatives, is practically moribund — it still uses 10-year-old brochures. And the Office of Economic Development? It’s been very quiet.

These government departments and agencies are closely monitored by watchful eyes, and as such they can barely function out of a concern that their actions may be deemed not equitable, fair or environmentally correct. And while local business groups are invaluable in keeping the public apprised of local business activity, they are not set up to fill the widening inattention by local government to address the needs of the commercial sector. For local businesses, the situation is truly frustrating.

With the current backdrop, all economic engines on the part of local government are now deployed as agents of a welfare state to assist those most in need. It’s a nice sentiment for sure, and it’s politically hard to oppose. But in the long run, without rebalancing, our region’s business sector diminishes because the needed resources, consultation, information and investment are missing.

Today, we must ask ourselves if our community can be business-friendly at the same time as attending to environmental and social issues. While no one is calling to muffle local individuals to express their genuine concerns on issues, can we be more mindful not to play into angry demagogic interests and consequently, if inadvertently, suffocate a needed, vibrant local economy? To avoid historical business swings between feast and famine, we need to encourage a local economy that is resilient for the long term. That starts by being welcoming, friendly and interested in seeking out businesses, with a strategy for strengthening our communities in the face of change.

Let’s not wait until the next recession to support local business. By then, it may be too late for too many.