New Jersey small business owner and former U.S. Senate candidate Curtis Bashaw has called for increased support for small businesses in the region. In a Memorial Day op-ed published in the New York Post, Bashaw expressed concerns about the challenges faced by entrepreneurs today.
Bashaw, who owns Cape Resorts and opened Cape May’s Virginia Hotel in 1989, highlighted the difficulties that young people encounter when trying to find entrepreneurial opportunities similar to those he experienced. He stated, "Simply put, regulations and red tape are strangling small businesses," pointing out that inflation is driving up costs while the number of licenses required continues to grow.
He noted that these hurdles discourage new ventures and even affect generational businesses, as parents hesitate to pass on their enterprises due to stress or children seek easier paths. Bashaw remarked, "New Jersey is an especially difficult place to do business," citing overregulation, high taxes, and living expenses as reasons why entrepreneurs might look elsewhere.
In his op-ed, Bashaw referenced NJBIA’s 2025 Regional Business Climate Analysis which ranks New Jersey last in cost competitiveness and business taxes for seven consecutive years. Despite these challenges, he remains hopeful: "It’s not too late to reenergize our great Garden State." He urged for less regulation and more affordability across energy, housing, and taxes.
For those interested in reading more of Bashaw's insights, his full op-ed can be accessed online.
