Federal regulatory agencies are doing a better job enforcing regulations without punishing small businesses, according to a report issued by the Small Business Administration.
“It is our hope that federal agencies will use the report as a tool to improve compliance assistance and move further from a `gotcha’ to a `help you’ attitude,” said Michael Barrera, SBA’s national ombudsman. “This report provides some of the best practices by federal agencies in their efforts to improve the overall enforcement environment.”
More than 30 agencies were rated on their handling of complaints about excessive regulatory enforcement. Among other things agencies are evaluated on how quickly they respond to and resolve concerns from small businesses and the quality of the responses.
“Some regulations are necessary, but when enforcement is excessive or unfair, time and money is diverted from employee training, customer service, facility improvements, or health-care benefits,” said Hector Barretto, SBA administrator.
Association, SBA seek tax reforms
The National Federation of Independent Business and the Small Business Administration are marching down a similar path in seek of a tax code that doesn’t hurt small businesses.
The NFIB is seeking such reforms as allowing small-business owners to deduct the full cost of their health insurance and easing requirements for using the home office deduction on the federal income tax.
“Current law allows employees to deduct 100 percent of the costs of employer-provided health care from their income and FICA taxes, but those who pay self-employment taxes do not get this deduction,” Dena Battle, the NFIB’s House legislative affairs manager, told the House Small Business Committee. “This means that small-business owners pay higher taxes simply because they work for themselves and not for large corporations that offer health care.”
On the other hand, the SBA is seeking to eliminate the roller-coaster ride caused by tax code changes. Thomas Sullivan, chief counsel from the SBA’s advocacy office, told the committee that Congress needs to make permanent provisions that now are allowing businesses to claim a higher deduction for business expenses.
Federal agency plans bash, expo
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Registration has begun for the Small Business Administration’s annual National Entrepreneurial Conference & Expo to be held in Washington in September in conjunction with the agency’s 50th anniversary.
The SBA will use the conference to name its National Small Business Person of the Year, along with introducing a “Hall of Fame” to honor achievements in entrepreneurism.
For more information go to www.sba.gov/50.