The Green Party Agenda For Small Business And The Self-Employed

[irishbobcat]

Small Business and the Self-Employed
Greens support a program that counter acts concentration and abuse of economic power.  We support many different initiatives for forming successful, small enterprises that together can become an engine of (and sustainable model for) job creation, prosperity and progress.  Small business is where the jobs are being created.  Over the past decade and a half, all new net job growth has come from the small business sector.

The Green economic model is about true prosperity - Green means prosperity. Our goal is to go beyond the dedicated good work being done by many companies (referred to as "socially responsible business") and to present new ways of seeing how business can help create a sustainable world, while surviving in a competitive business climate.

We believe that conservation should be profitable, and employment should be creative, meaningful and fairly compensated.

Access to capital is often an essential need in growing a business. [See section I. Banking and Insurance Reform]

The present tax system acts to discourage small business as it encourages waste, discourages conservation, and rewards consumption. Big business has used insider access to dominate the federal tax code. The tax system needs a major overhaul to favor the legitimate and critical needs of the small business community. Retention of capital through retained earnings, efficiencies, and savings is central to small business competitiveness. Current tax policies often act to unfairly penalize small business. 

Government should reduce unnecessary restrictions, fees, and bureaucracy. In particular, the Paper Simplification Act should be seen as a way to benefit small business, and it should be improved in response to the needs of small businesses and the self-employed.
Health insurance premiums paid by the self-employed should be fully deductible.
State and local government should encourage businesses that benefit the community especially. Economic development initiatives should include citizen and community input. The type and size of businesses that are given incentives (tax, loans, bonds, etc.) should be the result of local community participation.
Pension funds (the result of workers' investments) should be examined as additional sources of capital for small business. [See section J. Pension Reform]
Insurance costs should be brought down by means of active engagement with the insurance industry. Insurance pools need to be expanded.
One-stop offices should be established by government to assist individuals who want to change careers or go into business for the first time.
Home-based and neighborhood-based businesses should be assisted by forward-looking planning, not hurt by out-of-date zoning ordinances. Telecommuting and home offices should be aided, not hindered, by government.