It’s good to see that an old problem is getting a new look.
Secretary of State Matt Brown is working to develop a “single master application” for registering a new business. It is an effort that is long overdue.
“If you’re starting a small business in Rhode Island, you have to fill out 27 applications for licenses and permits with 14 separate agencies just to open your doors,” said Brown.
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That’s too much paperwork, too much time and too much money for a fledgling small-business owner. It is simply a deterrent to doing business here – to growing jobs – and it needs to be addressed.
Brown is working on an initiative with a dozen state agencies that issue permits or licenses to businesses, including the Department of Administration, the Department of Business Regulation and the Department of Labor and Training.
At a roundtable discussion with small-business owners last week, Brown listened to their concerns about the burdens of rising health insurance premiums, the difficulties that they often encounter in seeking financing and the constant challenge of attracting qualified workers.
But the most common complaint – the one generating the most emotion among small-business owners – was the fact that state and municipal agencies make it so difficult to start a business with all the red tape they require.
An entrepreneur working to open a fitness center and spa at Davol Square said the permitting process has delayed his opening by three months. That time translates into money. Others complained about being treated poorly by city and state officials.
Brown’s willingness to listen is a good start. Now we hope that he can make real progress in developing this “single master application” process. It would be an important sign that Rhode Island is trying to make things easier for entrepreneurs, not more difficult.
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