Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Governor Proposes Small Business Relief in Greater Minnesota

In the first of what looks to be a series of 2008 legislative initiatives, Governor Pawlenty today traveled the state to lay out his plans for tax relief and grants to spur small business growth in Greater Minnesota Communities.

SEED (Strategic Entrepreneurial Economic Development) will facilitate business development across Minnesota through 22 new or expanded programs that target several strategic areas, according to a news release from the governor's office in St. Paul.

The proposal is the first major initiative Pawlenty has proposed for the 2008 legislative session. (excerpted from article). (click here for the entire article)


The governor's office issued a release on the program today which reads in part:

“Investing in small business will bring lasting value and economic growth to our entire state and especially rural communities that need it most,” Governor Pawlenty said. “Companies with fewer than 100 employees account for 97 percent of the state’s businesses and generate most new jobs. SEED will help new business, existing companies, and rural communities by providing a wide variety of economic development tools that can be matched to each situation.” (click here to learn more from the governor's office)
Small business often bares the brunt of punitive taxation and over burdensome regulations and mandates. Years of government attacks on our small business community have effectively decimated much of this critical sector in Greater Minnesota.

Today's announcement by the governor signals a significant shift away from attacking the job creators of our state (by our state) towards a much more sympathetic approach. This is on the heals of the governor's highly acclaimed JOBZ program aimed to give significant tax relief in many depressed Greater Minnesota counties by this governor.

Obviously, it would be ideal if our government would choose not to treat job creators as the enemy to start with.

But as we seek to reform this state, providing relief to small business owners is a significant step in the right direction.

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