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FBN’s small business panel on what they are hoping to get out of a fiscal cliff deal.
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Thought we -- would start the ball -- with our -- small business -- right here here to discuss their biggest concerns and find out what they think needs to be done John O'Connor.
Owner of shade tree garage Kevin Maloney owner of northeast express transportation -- Patricia -- -- A 7-Eleven store owner good to have you all here pat I wanna go to you first.
What first of -- how big is is your company how many employees do you do you have I have.
Twelve to fourteen depending on the time of the year what is your biggest concern right now.
As the economy in general.
It's been flat and it's in fact producing.
Enough jobs.
Out there people are just afraid discretionary spending this week down.
You know this just been the way it's been four years of just downplayed that you know and -- the regulations are also.
The concern.
Okay we'll get to regulations in a moment but John you overall concern is if you share the concerns of pat does -- affected the demand just isn't there.
Yeah -- they when the problem we have is that customers are concerned there are concerned about their financial condition.
Which then when I call on the -- in the tell many tires or brakes were very reticent present spend my maintenance business.
Has been nonexistent we're just fixing course we're not maintaining -- Kevin what about you what are your biggest concerns right now.
I I agree with.
I have my two friends -- You're only as good as your customers are spending and -- and I think most of our customers are.
Staying on the side with their hands in their pockets because they really don't know what's coming down the pipe.
So John how are you addressing these concerns I I guess you're not doing a lot of hiring right now the demands are not there were actually down in 2008 nine employees and on the sex and I don't plan on hiring until I see.
Literally more customers more traffic coming in the door now -- you mentioned regulations what regulations are most bothersome in fact what regulations might.
Be preventing you from hiring more people right now.
-- all the regulations on the energy industry.
With us not being able to.
In general produce more oil produce more -- -- it's the high cost of energy is affected.
Everybody around us -- your -- -- and other business owner.
I'm also I'm concerned about this administration coming out with card check.
That would cost -- reduce my employees again as you know without an anymore.
This is something that would make it easier for unions to unionize businesses that do -- why is that if you're you're 7-Eleven owner wise and here for you.
Well because then I would be forced to negotiate with unions and provide contracts to employees that turnover.
You know.
Rather quickly I mean my full time employees have been with me a long time were like family I have people there are twelve years fifteen years ten years my full timers are.
We're family.
Now -- was forced to negotiate contracts with them.
Or provide them more benefits I would.
-- the bottom you know -- hit bottom the tank.
Now John another thing that bothers folks who have a few number of workers is is Obama care whether or not they would be forced to.
To pay more in insurance costs is that a concern of yours as well.
The other health care is a huge concern I wanna do what's right for my guys -- to -- require employees.
Right now I don't know why make a business decision from into the -- or keep paying increasing health -- course.
I just don't know what to do but I wanna do what's right for my guys so Kevin when he is seen the president meeting with these big corporate bigwigs -- -- concern you that.
He's not as aware of the concerns of small businesses you'd like.
They're very much so.
In the small business sector as I think you mentioned creates six out of every ten jobs are we responsible for.
About half of the nation's GDP and we're not at that table.
With everyone else discussing.
-- to improve the economy and and what to do going forward that's as a very disappointing.
And I think you still recovering from his -- bill that remark I think that.
Upset an awful lot of small business owners who know that's factually not correct.
Pat did that -- -- that that the remark does that sort of -- stick in your garden.
Fraud -- the remark that you didn't build that.
Not -- nothing at this administration has been positive for small business -- nothing that we've -- what about let it let me press you on that what about the tax incentives because the president is big on saying.
He's developed a whole lot of small business tax incentives that would help folks like you.
I as I would say Mr.
President we need tax credit instantly we tax -- what we need tax cuts instantly tax credit.
Take time and the paperwork.
Behind it.
I you have to hire someone to fill out of the paperwork to get tax credits tax cuts are what we need -- what -- hiring people.
-- for -- the tax cuts to.
Help us with with purchasing equipment immediately not so.
So John we gotta we gotta wrap this but China is right now -- -- negotiating inside the beltway.
About taxes and whether or not tax rates are gonna go up.
The president says that they have to go up how would that affect your business if they do go up.
As the taxes go up in his crippling to small business could you take that money out of people's pockets they don't have -- to spend.
Let's hope the president is listening John O'Connor Kevin Maloney Patricia horizontal.
But a great start to the small business -- will try to do more of these as time goes on thank you very much for coming -- folks appreciate it.
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