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One of my top priorities in Congress is to represent and
support the small business owners in my district. As an essential part of the local and
national economy, small business owners provide much needed foundations for
their communities, through both goods and services and through job
opportunities. My office is here to help
small business owners - including women, minorities and veterans -learn about
the federal programs that offer the financial and information needed to help to
businesses grow and thrive.
Already during the 110th Congress, we have
provided many of the tools and funding that will help small business owners,
including:
$4.84 billion in small business tax relief plan that:
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Extends Section 179 deductions, which allow small
business owners to write off equipment, machinery, furniture, and other
property in a single tax year
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Ensures married couples both receive credit for paying
Social Security and Medicare taxes for a jointly owned small business
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Includes an enhanced credit to ensure employers do not
lose current tax benefits when the minimum wage goes up
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Contains "S-corp" provisions to ensure small businesses
keep the tax benefits of being a small business, even as they grow and expand
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Extends through April 2011 the Work Opportunity Tax Credit
(WOTC) which supports businesses who hire economically disadvantaged workers,
such as disabled veterans
$682 million for small businesses including:
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Nearly $600 million for the Small Business
Administration (SBA) for:
- Small
Business 7(a) Loans to help small businesses start-up and grow
- Small
Business Development Center Grants, the highest ever funding for this
program
- Micro-loan
program for very small loans to start-up, newly established, or growing
small business concerns
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$100 million for the Community Development Financial
Institutions Fund to:
o Support
economic development and financial services in disadvantaged and rural
communities
o Funding
for housing loans, micro-business loans, community development banks and credit
unions aimed at economic development and the expansion of low-cost financial
services.
The Small Business Administration has a district office in San Antonio,
which offers a variety of resources and advice about everything from how to
choose the right lender to how to obtain a license to how to find investors. Their
website
also offers a wealth of useful information to help your business at every
stage. Counseling is also available from SCORE, as well as at various Small
Business Development Center locations. You can also feel free to
contact our office with any concerns you may have.
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