Op-ed: Beacon Hill must stop piling it on small businesses

The nickles and dimes have grown into dollars, and they are draining the life out of small businesses. It’s becoming harder than ever to compete with the big box stores and online retailers. Skeptics argue local businesses should be able to absorb new taxes and policy mandates, but there are 1.5 million small businesses in Massachusetts employing 49% of all the workers in the state, and they are all feeling the pain. Reason must return to Beacon Hill before it’s too late.