If small business is the engine of economic recovery and if...

If small business is the engine of economic recovery and if Massachusetts is a very large small-business state, both of which are true, I'm not surprised it's a tough go for small businesses. To me it's pretty obvious. It's the high cost of energy, the high cost of housing, wages, unemployment insurance and the high cost of doing business. Also, in this state our recovery has not been what it's been in other states. But businesses remain confident. Sometimes I wonder if they know what's going on out there.