In this very difficult economic situation most small businesses are doing everything they can to stay open.  New licensing requirements for our industry from DPOR will add several thousand dollars a year to our cost of doing business.  Adding in these increases will hurt us and all small businesses in Virginia. 

This is not the time to increase fees on businesses.  Our government should be doing all it can to help us, not make it more difficult for us to continue to work.  This IS the time for all government agencies to be looking to their own budgets and reducing their expenses in any way they can.  With the slowdown in building and all related trades, the work load on this agency should be greatly reduced.  Please look to your own house before you dip into our pockets again.