Job Creation

I watched the [Chamber’s Governors Summit] on C-SPAN and can’t tell you how impressed I was with the discussion content. I have downloaded the Enterprising States study and shared it with several key members of our community. I am chairman of Centralina Workforce Development, and the content of this document will be discussed at our upcoming retreat. The study is a must read for those of us who are interested in creating jobs in our community.
—Bob VanGorden, Concord/Charlotte, NC

You guys are right on track. Keep up the good work. See what we can do to raise the death tax exemption to $5 million and 35%.
—Darrell McNutt, Roanoke, TX

Standing between the SBA and small business are banks that just don’t get it. Anything off the normal beaten path of retail and restaurants [is considered] too risky. Entrepreneurs create industries and change, and that can often mean big opportunity.
—Doug Swan, Melbourne, FL

Health Care

We really do not know how the health care legislation will impact our businesses. In my company, we have a high deductible [plan] with an HSA. We still pay over $500 per month per employee (that is $2.88 per hour). For companies paying minimum wage, this bill will increase the cost of labor by a job-killing 40%. The tax credits may look appealing, but there is a huge accounting and reporting cost to get the tax break. When so many people are out of work, this seems to be an awkward time to be adding so much expense to struggling employers.
—Tom Sanders, Madisonville, KY

An ill-timed health care bill was rammed down our throats with little or no voter input. It has wide-ranging implications for my business. The cost to my employees, the general public, and the government is staggering. ... I, for one, can’t wait to make my feelings known at the ballot box this year.
—Steve Holloway, Albany, GA

I think one way around [the health care law] is to reclassify employees and make them all 1099 contractors!
—Tiara Grant, Albuquerque, NM

The point is that we have started making progress toward a health system that is functional, rather than the dysfunction that we have now. Will this bill make my health care costs go up? Probably. But it’s not like the current system hasn’t. This bill will create a mechanism where we can finally hash things out, instead of leaving it to the completely opaque system run by health insurers.
—Andy Makar, Tacoma, WA

This catastrophic legislation is strong encouragement for me to keep my business small and never hire too many employees.
—Daniel Kopf, Phoenix, AZ

Today the U.S. spends more money on medical care per capita than any other free world country. The problem is we spend it on the wrong things. Some hospitals in this country look like resorts, and some medical professionals earn more money in 6 months than the average person earns in a lifetime. Basic health care should be a right in this country and available to all U.S. citizens.
—Anthony Page, Yorba Linda, CA

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