Editor’s Note: The following remarks were made regarding the “Contractor Suggests Fix for Bottom Feeders” editorial, by Kyle Gargaro, published Aug. 31, in The NEWS.

MOONLIGHTING IN MASSACHUSETTS

I’ve been a reader of the ACHR News for more than 20 years and don’t often reply to anything, but when I read the opinion article in the Aug. 31 edition, I had to reply.

I’ve been in business since 1987 in Massachusetts, and, with all due respect to Mr. Hess, his idea of a $7,000 license is well-intentioned, however moonlighters are and will always be a part of this and every other trade. It stinks, but it is what it is — frustrating for sure! Most homeowners know what they’re doing when they hire a moonlighter. If they get taken by this guy, it’s their problem.

Mr. Hess doesn’t want the money to go into the government coffers, but wants it to go to hire enforcement? Who will set up this enforcement? The answer is the government. They’ll set up another bureaucracy and suck more money from him when the new enforcement officers’ insurance benefits go up. And, with a state the size of Texas, that’s a lot of enforcement officers.

He also said manufacturers would benefit? The Internet has changed everything. I was poking around online and saw I can order Goodman units from a company in Florida with no shipping for the same price I pay seven miles from my shop. Manufacturers are out to make as much money as they can. A lot of the units I buy now come from Mexico and the quality has suffered. I have no sympathy for these job-cutting behemoths.

This idea is beyond bad. Adding more to our overhead costs, giving more power to the government (the same folks that brought us the war on drugs) isn’t going to change anything for the better.

Tom Fricker
Tom Fricker Heating & A/C Inc.
Franklin, Massachusetts

Publication date: 9/21/2015 

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