Small Business Majority’s ‘100 Days’ Agenda Asks New Administration to Protect Small Business Ecosystem

Washington, DC–Today, Small Business Majority released “A Small Business Agenda for the First 100 Days,” which outlines policy recommendations for the new administration that would aid entrepreneurs and ensure the well-being of America’s 28 million small businesses.

In its agenda, Small Business Majority says it is crucial that the next administration focus on responsible solutions to problems in areas like healthcare, taxes, infrastructure, access to capital and immigration that will actually help America’s small businesses succeed. After all, small businesses employ about 50 percent of America’s workers and represent 99 percent of employer firms.

“Our nation’s small businesses have a crucial role to play in upcoming policy debates, and Congress and the new administration must keep them top-of-mind when considering significant policy changes,” said John Arensmeyer, Founder & CEO of Small Business Majority. “We are prepared to work in a bipartisan manner to support policies that will create jobs and maintain a strong economy. But, we will not stand by in the face of policies that further reward large multinational corporations and the nation’s wealthiest individuals at the expense of America’s real job creators: small businesses.”

The agenda outlines key policy areas and proposals, including:

Healthcare: We must improve the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) rather than repealing it. While the ACA is not without its flaws, repealing it in full will eradicate hard-won benefits for America’s entrepreneurs, cause a rapid rise in healthcare costs and create tremendous economic instability. The ACA can be improved by supporting the small business marketplaces, expanding the small business tax credit and addressing issues of risk in the insurance market. ​

Taxes: Policymakers need to avoid the pitfall of constructing a tax system that solely benefits the wealthiest Americans and corporations. Our country’s largest companies don’t need a tax break; instead, we must reform our tax system so that it levels the playing field and benefits would-be entrepreneurs and small businesses struggling to make payroll.​

Infrastructure: Lawmakers must recognize that investment in our nation’s infrastructure is an investment in America’s businesses. Investing in the nation’s roads, bridges and other physical infrastructure supports access to customers and services that support business operations, while also creating demand opportunities for the goods and services small businesses have to sell.

Responsible Lending: Small business owners are confronting a credit crunch that policymakers must tackle. Traditional banks and other sources of small business credit have decreased the number of loans they are making, while increasing their minimum loan levels above the amount that most small businesses need.We must address this issue by supporting the Small Business Administration and its loan guarantee program, while also confronting the rise in predatory lending practices that is harming entrepreneurs​​

Immigration: Legal reform is needed to increase small business owners’ hiring pool and support our immigrant entrepreneurs, who start businesses at twice the rate of the rest of the population. Scientific polling conducted for Small Business Majority found most small business owners agree that the best solution for handling our 11 million undocumented immigrants is to create a path toward citizenship.

These are just some of Small Business Majority’s recommendations. For the full report, please visit: http://www.smallbusinessmajority.org/economic-agenda/small-business-agenda-first-100-days

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