Joe Visits Small Businesses in Montgomery and Bucks Counties

Meets with Small Business Owners in Norristown and Bristol, Discusses Plan to Create Jobs

BRISTOL, Pa. – U.S. Senate candidate Joe Sestak visited with small business owners in Montgomery and Bucks counties today to discuss the challenges they face amidst the recession. Visiting a number of small stores, with a critical role in boosting the local economy, Joe listened to the needs and concerns of the owners and local residents, explaining his plan to increase small business assistance and provide incentives for increased hiring. Here Joe is pictured with Rich Vallejo, owner of Another Time Antiques in Bristol.

Joe has worked to reverse the damage caused by policies supported by his opponent, Congressman Toomey. During Toomey’s tenure in Congress, he slashed funding for the Small Business Administration and voted to increase fees and eliminate funding for the SBA’s most popular loan program, denying access to the credit which would have allowed many small business to stay afloat in a difficult economic climate, moves Joe said are just one part of his extremist agenda.

Congressman Toomey even wants to “eliminate corporate taxes altogether,” claiming in his book, The Road to Prosperity, that doing so would make America “by far the most tax advantaged country in the world” [CNBC, 7/20/02; p. 206].

“How can you think that corporations should pay zero taxes, and that we should privatize Social Security to benefit the big banks on Wall Street?” Joe asked as he visited Another Time Antiques in Bristol. “I’m working to give the breaks to small businesses where the majority of working families are employed.”

“Joe making a personal appearance here in Bristol today shows that he truly cares about what happens in small town American and with small businesses,” said Another Time Antiques owner Rich Vallejo. “He truly wants to help and is willing to help. We have to elect him to the U.S. Senate.”

During his tour along Norristown’s E. Main Street business corridor, Admiral Sestak visited with the owner of Norristown Glass Co., who talked about the struggles their company faced during the recession. Several business owners said getting access to capital remains one of the biggest obstacles the face during the recession.

“Small businesses like these create a more robust economy. I plan to encourage their development so they can provide additional employment opportunities and continue to contribute to the unique character of the communities that they serve,” Joe said. “Without them, jobs and low-cost, local options for goods are lost. Small business owners must have access to the resources they need or our Commonwealth risks jeopardizing our future economic prosperity.”

To address this issue, Joe Sestak’s plan for small businesses includes increased funding for Small Business Administration loans, accelerated tax write-offs, as well as tax credits for investments in start-ups. Business growth depends upon access to credit and capital for continued expansion and additions to their staff.

“The 15 percent tax credit that I have proposed for small businesses to hire more employees is designed to help small business owners, while simultaneously stimulating our economy,” said Joe. “This recession dealt a major financial blow to Pennsylvania small business owners and the employees that they couldn’t afford to keep on the payroll. The only way for our economy to rebound is for lawmakers to focus on the development of small businesses, responsible for 80 percent of all job creation. A tax credit for jobs created has been proven to boost small businesses – and jumpstart the engine of our economy – with the potential to create five million jobs in two years.”