The painter and the local pizza parlor have a new voice in the Legislature. But do they need one?
Former Republican state Sen. Bob Clegg, of Hudson, a lobbyist for the company Legislative Solutions, recently founded the Small Business and Small Industry Association.
“It’s designed to have a voice in Concord for all the small businesses that now don’t seem to have anyone to speak for them,” Clegg said.
But business advocates say Clegg’s organization is trying to fill a nonexistent need.
“The small-business community is very effectively represented by the Business and Industry Association, local chambers of commerce, trade associations around state,” said Business and Industry Association President Jim Roche.
Clegg said the Small Business and Small Industry Association is not meant to compete with the Business and Industry Association, because they serve different types of businesses.
“You can’t represent Liberty Mutual and Bob’s Painting Contractors, because their interests are not the same,” Clegg said.