Posted by Kristin Oberlander - Kristie Arslan, Executive Director of the National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE), released the following statement after the President delivered supportive comments on small business priorities at a press conference earlier today:
“NASE is encouraged that President Obama is focused on two priority policy issues that need to be addressed to help the nation’s 23 million self-employed and micro-business owners drive economic growth. The IRS Form 1099 provisions passed under the health care law would increase paperwork for a self-employed business owner by more than a thousand percent, a burden that could affect a business’ very survival. He’s right to suggest that it’s “counterproductive.” He also pledged to extend tax cuts to help middle-class families, many of whom are supported by a self-employed business owner. NASE looks forward to working with the Administration and Congress to get these priorities in place for our small businesses.”
Relevant quotes from the President’s remarks:
I know one of the things that’s come up is that the 1099 provision in the health care bill appears to be too burdensome for small businesses. It just involves too much paperwork, too much filing. It’s probably counterproductive. It was designed to make sure that revenue was raised to help pay for some of the other provisions, but if it ends up just being so much trouble that small businesses find it difficult to manage, that's something that we should take a look at.
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With respect to the [expiring Bush-era] tax cut issue, my goal is to make sure that we don’t have a huge spike in taxes for middle-class families. Not only would that be a terrible burden on families who are already going through tough times, it would be bad for our economy. It is very important that we’re not taking a whole bunch of money out of the system from people who are most likely to spend that money on goods, services, groceries, buying a new winter coat for the kids.
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So my goal is to sit down with Speaker-elect Boehner and Mitch McConnell and Harry and Nancy sometime in the next few weeks and see where we can move forward in a way that, first of all, does no harm; that extends those tax cuts that are very important for middle-class families; also extends those provisions that are important to encourage businesses to invest, and provide businesses some certainty over the next year or two.