Terry Gardiner

Originally featured in The Huffington Post:

If you’re a hardworking small business owner who provides health benefits to your employees, there’s a chance your insurance carrier owes you money. And if it does, you can start looking for a check in the mail. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, insurance companies are being held accountable to their customers in a brand new way — which means they’re expected to owe businesses and individuals a whopping $1.3 billion this year, according to a new report from the Kaiser Family Foundation.

The chances your business will get a piece of that are greater than one in four. Twenty-eight percent of small employers offering benefits in 42 states will receive a rebate for part of their 2011 coverage expenses by August 1, thanks to the Medical Loss Ratio (MLR) provision of the health care reform law.

The rule, effective since 2011, requires insurance companies to spend at least 80 percent of small groups’ premium expenses on patient care and quality improvement. That limits what they’re allowed to spend on administrative costs to 20 percent of premium contributions. If carriers exceed that limit, they must make up for it by handing out rebates for the difference.

This provision is meant not only to put hard-earned money back in Americans’ pockets, but to help make the health coverage market more efficient by eliminating superfluous expenses. And a more efficient marketplace means coverage can be offered at more affordable prices. Walt Rowen, owner of Susquehanna Glass Co. in Philadelphia, Penn., has already seen dramatically lower premium increases directly related to the rule’s impact.

As the third-generation owner of his family’s 102-year-old glass decorating business, Walt has experienced a number of huge rate increases to his small group policy. Several years ago he was even quoted a 130 percent increase. But since the passage of health care reform, he has seen savings he’s been able to reinvest in his business. Last year, his insurance company told him that because it had exceeded the Affordable Care Act’s cap on administrative spending, he would only face a 4 percent rate increase. “That was by far the lowest increase we’ve had in years,” Walt said. “In fact, over the past decade, we faced 10 to 15 percent increases each year. Without this provision, health insurance would be out of our grasp, which is unacceptable.”

Walt is right — it is unacceptable that small businesses’ premium costs have spiraled so far out of control over the past decade that more and more of them are being robbed of their ability to afford coverage for deserving employees. It’s a problem of great magnitude, and not just for small businesses, but for the economy at large. Small firms create the majority of net new jobs in the United States. But when health coverage costs are bleeding them dry, how are they going to keep up that trend?

A nationwide average of $76 per enrollee are projected to go to over a quarter of small businesses, with the biggest average refunds in Alaska ($517), Alabama ($203) and Oregon ($172). Insurers in eight states including Hawaii, Minnesota and North Dakota met their spending targets and won’t be issuing rebates.

By holding insurance companies accountable for how they spend Americans’ premium dollars, the Affordable Care Act is improving upon the coverage market as we know it. And that’s something small employers have to be thankful for.

Mary Huttlinger

Originally featured in The Huffington Post:

Across the United States, Main Street small businesses are working to rebuild our economy. These entrepreneurs are doing all they can to hire, grow and move their businesses forward. And they’re doing it largely through innovation — particularly in the clean energy arena.

Across all industries and at both ends of the political spectrum, entrepreneurs overwhelmingly support government investing in renewable energy and creating clean energy policies that will help guide them into a new economic sector where they can do business, according to opinion polling Small Business Majority released last week. The poll found that 71 percent believe government investments in clean energy play an important role in creating jobs now. Even the high-profile bankruptcy of Solyndra, which closed its doors in 2011 after receiving a $535 million loan guarantee from the federal government, doesn’t stop small businesses from supporting energy investments. Fifty-eight percent agree the company’s downfall doesn’t mean government should ditch efforts to invest in renewable technologies.

Michelle Greenfield, CEO of a 25-employee firm called Third Sun Solar in Athens, Ohio, has been part of the clean energy economy for 14 years. As founder of the Midwest’s premier provider of clean energy systems, she believes government investments in energy innovation will make us globally competitive in the renewable sector — “a sector that’s leaving us behind,” she said. “And another driving force behind innovation is allowing the EPA to regulate carbon emissions. It causes a surge of activity in our industry, making solar technology more cost competitive. We get new business, companies like ours expand and startups are launched.”

Michelle is one of many entrepreneurs who support Environmental Protection Agency requirements to ensure air quality. The poll, which surveyed 600 small business owners across Colorado, Michigan, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia, found that 76 percent agree the EPA should determine limits on new power plants’ emissions of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide. Fifty-seven percent say their businesses will be impacted by EPA oversight of such emissions. Nonetheless, support stands: 56 percent support EPA regulation of greenhouse gas emissions even if it would bring an increase in utility prices.

Carbon pollution rules aren’t the only clean air standards small business owners see as beneficial. A vast 82 percent support EPA requirements to reduce emissions of mercury and other toxics from power plants, and the “Good Neighbor Rule,” requiring a reduction of smog and soot crossing state lines, garnered support from three-quarters of respondents.

The poll results also help counter ideological rhetoric pervading discussions about government regulation. Entrepreneurs support EPA standards and believe they’re conducive to job creation and economic growth — in other words, they don’t view regulation as the bee in their small business bonnet. What’s stinging them more is the rising cost of doing business. When asked about their top business concerns, thirty-six percent said high fuel and electricity prices while 34 percent said high material and supply prices. Regulation came in at a distant fifth: only 16 percent said it’s one of their top two concerns.

Entrepreneurs want to be part of the competitive, modern economy renewable technologies and clean air standards can create — but they need help getting there. Running a successful small business is tough, especially during a slow fiscal recovery — there’s just not enough time in the day or money in their pockets for entrepreneurs to innovate their businesses single-handedly. Government investments in renewable technologies and EPA clean air standards can help ensure American entrepreneurs see long-term economic benefits that allow them to retain their status as the backbone of our economy.

Mary Huttlinger

Original statement issued April 24, 2012:

Small business owners support government investments in clean energy and believe such investments have an important role in creating jobs and boosting the economy, according to an opinion poll of 600 small business owners in six states released today by Small Business Majority.

The poll, conducted by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research, found that 71 percent of small business owners agree government has a role in driving our country toward a cleaner, more competitive economy. Small businesses support continued government investment in clean energy technologies, even when asked specifically about Solyndra—a manufacturer of solar cells that went bankrupt after receiving a $535 million federal loan guarantee. The poll also found strong support for new and current Environmental Protection Agency air quality standards that require a reduction in greenhouse gas and other harmful emissions, even if it means a possible increase in utility prices.

Small businesses are eager for pragmatic, innovative energy policies that can help them develop new technologies and increase business opportunities. They understand that to survive in this tough economy they need creative solutions to curb costs and increase their competitive edge. These include continued government investments in clean energy and the enforcement of standards that reduce harmful emissions in their communities. Right now, giving small businesses the incentives and tools needed to drive job creation and increase market competitiveness should be a top priority.

When asked about the biggest problems facing their small business, 70 percent of respondents cited the rising costs of doing business—such as increased fuel and electricity prices (36 percent) and higher material and supply costs (34 percent). Twenty-four percent cited a lack of consumer demand as a top problem, 20 percent said it was taxes and only 16 percent felt government regulations were a primary concern.

Small business owners in all six surveyed states demonstrated strong support for recently released EPA standards that require new power plants to reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases. The vast majority—76 percent—favor the EPA’s federal rule that new power plants reduce previously unlimited emissions of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide.

“The EPA regulations limiting carbon emissions make our solar technology more cost competitive and cause a surge of activity in our industry—new business startups, existing company expansions and a solidifying of this nascent industry,” said Michelle Greenfield, CEO of Third Sun Solar in Athens, Ohio. “It will also make the US more globally competitive in the renewable sector—a sector which is currently leaving us behind.”

Fifty-seven percent of participants reported their businesses will be impacted by EPA oversight of carbon and other emissions—including 1 in 4 who say they will be majorly impacted. Nonetheless, 56 percent still support the EPA regulating greenhouse gas emissions even if it means a possible increase in utility prices.

“EPA regulation of carbon emissions would directly affect my business by increasing awareness of companies that embrace clean alternative energy sources,” said Jonathan Tobias, President of Michigan Green Cabs in Wixom, Michigan. “Any time we see a shift in our industry’s focus there is a surge in consumer consciousness and support for businesses that embrace cleaner technologies.”

Other findings from the poll include:

• 82 percent of respondents support EPA rules to reduce the emissions of mercury, arsenic, chromium, nickel and acid gases from new and existing power plants. Nearly half (48 percent) strongly support it—that’s five times those who strongly oppose it (10 percent).
• A large majority (73 percent) of small business owners favor proposed rules to reduce smog and soot pollution that crosses state lines (the “Good Neighbor Rule”).
• 58 percent of small businesses believe the government should continue investing in renewable energy technologies like solar and wind despite the failure of Solyndra, a manufacturer of solar cells that went bankrupt after receiving a $535 million federal loan guarantee.
• Small business owners polled were politically diverse: 44 percent identified as Republican, 38 percent as Democrat, and 10 percent as independent.

Rhett Buttle

Today, entrepreneurs in Small Business Majority’s network headed to the White House as part of the Champions of Change program. This week’s theme: Innovations in Renewable Energy.

Champions of Change was created to highlight individuals and small business owners each week who have been deeply involved in helping to advance their communities’ place in a competitive, modern economy by creating jobs or aiding economic or social development in some way. The program has covered a broad set of subjects ranging from the Affordable Care Act to rebuilding America’s infrastructure.

By sharing the real life stories of American citizens and entrepreneurs who are playing an important role to move our nation forward in the global economy—by “out-innovating, out-educating and out-building” the rest of the world—the White House hopes to encourage others across the country to follow suit in helping build up their own robust local communities.

Setting an example for her community by attending the Champions of Change event this week was Loretta Caldwell, owner of Caldwell and Associates in Washington, D.C. For more than 20 years, Loretta and her 19 full time employees have been developing, implementing and overseeing various contracting, employment and community awareness compliance programs. Loretta and her team have been responsible for projects that have generated billions of dollars in contracts for local, small, minority and women-owned businesses.

There’s no question that Loretta’s small business has strongly impacted local economic development in her area. It’s entrepreneurs like Loretta—and the rest of the small business owners from our network who are attending the event—that the Champions of Change program highlights each week.

Today’s event can inspire entrepreneurs and individuals across the nation to emulate the small business owners helping spur widespread economic growth through innovations in renewable energy. The owners who attended on behalf of our network couldn’t be more supportive of their fellow entrepreneurs. And who knows—one of them could be nominated as the next Champion of Change.

John Arensmeyer

Original statement issued April 16, 2012:

It was disappointing to see the Paying a Fair Share Act, or the “Buffett Rule,” fail to pass the Senate today. According to national opinion polling, small business owners believe they’re at a disadvantage when it comes to taxes and agree individuals earning more than $1 million should be taxed at a higher rate. The Buffett Rule was in line with their views and could have been an important first step in much-needed comprehensive tax reform.

Some claim raising taxes on the top 1 percent of Americans would hurt small businesses. However, 57 percent of small business owners agree those earning more than $1 million should pay a higher tax rate, and only one small business owner out of 500 polled reported their annual household income to be more than $1 million.

We wish more small business owners were millionaires, but unfortunately it’s just not the case. We hope policymakers continue pushing for comprehensive tax reform and listen to small business owners while they’re crafting legislation.