Rep. Randy Hultgren talks taxes, obstacles with small-business owners

McHENRY – U.S. Rep. Randy Hultgren teamed up with a national pro-business group to talk about the importance of small businesses in McHenry County.

About 40 people from the small business community attended the Tuesday forum at the Shah Center for Corporate Training and the Illinois Small Business Development Center. The forum, “Fighting for Opportunity: Unleashing the Power of Small Business," aimed to provide tips and solutions on how to help small businesses grow.

Hultgren, R-Plano, co-hosted the forum with CEO Alfredo Ortiz of the Job Creators Network, a national organization that seeks to promote job-friendly legislation by educating business employees about government policy.

Hultgren started off the forum recognizing the challenges small businesses face every day. Some obstacles small business owners in McHenry County are dealing with include high taxes and government regulations, he said. According to a national poll of small business owners provided by the Job Creators Network, 66 percent believe taxes threaten the viability of their businesses.

Other issues brought up included uncertainty over the future, high property taxes, competition from large corporations and the struggle to hire new employees. High taxes are making it harder for small business owners to be able to afford new workers, Hultgren and Ortiz said.

While Hultgren said he believes the nation needs huge corporations, he stressed the importance of small business, which he called the "true heartbeat of our country." He introduced a bill on May 27 to lower small businesses' tax rate for the first $150,000 of income to 10 percent and to 20 percent for their first $1 million of income. The bill also would let small businesses immediately expense all equipment investments.

Shelly Hyland, co-owner of Paul Hyland Salon and Day Spa in Crystal Lake, expressed her support for the proposed bills.

"I thought the bills that they introduced are going to be very helpful on a national level and also on a local level," Hyland said.

After Hultgren's speech, Ortiz gave a presentation about his company and how it can help local businesses. The Job Creators Network wants to keep owners of small businesses well-informed and allow them to teach their employees about government policies that have a major impact on their businesses.

Ortiz and Hultgren highly encouraged small business owners to use the informational tools that Job Creators Network provides.