Tax credit helps small businesses

To the editor:

Rhoda and I are on the leadership council of the National Federation of Independent Business for the state of Missouri. There are more than 600,000 members nationally and 13,000 members in Missouri. Our membership averages fewer than 25 employees.

Small business accounts for 51 percent of total private sector employment and 68 percent of new hires. We are the engines for growth in our economy. This year our company used our tax credit to purchase a "high tech" piece of equipment. One additional full-time employee with health, dental and other benefits was added to our payroll. If this tax credit was used to hire one additional employee in each small business, this added several hundred thousand new jobs, a large portion of the total created in the past year.

All small business issues are voted on by all NFIB members. We lobby our Congressmen and senators based on the issues our membership approves. If they vote with us, 70 percent or more, our legislators are on the side of small business. Of our 11 Missouri representatives in Washington, seven were 100 percent supporters. Our two senators were 100 percent supporters. Sen. John Kerry, John Edwards and Ted Kennedy, among others had a zero rating. To emphasize this point, these three senators did not vote in favor of any small business issue in the 108th session. Their supporters are trial lawyers, huge government unions, and other massive pressure groups. Small business has a difficult time competing when he have such adversaries.

RHODA AND GLENN REEVES, Cape Girardeau