And Rendell's own Democratic Party also is far from offering even lukewarm support.

That's unfortunate. It's another failure of the state's parochial business community to see beyond the next valley on an issue of obvious benefit to their neighbors.

Yes, the governor's plan would levy a payroll tax on businesses not currently insuring workers. And yes, nobody likes new taxes.

But the plan enables those businesses to buy insurance at a discount for low-wage workers who now find any form of health insurance out of reach.

To cover such care for those folks, we all pay the price in increased health-care costs in the form of higher insurance and skyrocketing hospital and medical procedure fees.

Other parts of Rendell's health-care initiative, including expanding the removal of barriers to the practice of nurse midwives and practitioners and increased hospital cost-containment, aren't meeting the same level of resistance as the payroll tax.

The business lobby, including the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry and the National Federation of Independent Business, are screaming outrage -- over what, if enacted as proposed, would amount to a 3 percent tax per year per employee for three years, rising to 3.5 percent the following year. A vast majority of small businesses -- those with fewer than 50 employees, would not be affected for the first year.

But the "fair share" aspect of Rendell's tax plan isn't winning supporters out of the gate.

That's a shame. It's time for Pennsylvania businesses, large and small, to meet the challenge on health-care expenses. Clearly the advantage is to pay less now than to have medical costs bankrupt the system down the road.