Two national business policy groups released a poll showing small business owners strongly oppose corporate tax loopholes. More than four out of five small business owners (85%) oppose a territorial tax system, which would permanently exempt offshore profits from U.S. taxation. See the poll [pdf].
FRANK KNAPP
Knapp is vice chairman of the American Sustainable Business Council and president and CEO of the South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce. He said today: “Through this poll, small business owners are sending a clear signal to Congress and the President. The priority for reforming our nation’s tax code is to stop multinational corporations from using offshore tax havens to avoid paying their fair share of taxes. And these elected leaders are also put on notice to not support any proposal for a territorial tax system for multinational corporations that would lock in what small business owners of all political persuasions view as completely wrong and unfair.”
Knapp also recently wrote an op-ed for The Hill, “Small business opposes multinational corporations’ tax avoidance.” He also appeared in the documentary, “We’re Not Broke.”
JOSHUA WELTER
Welter is director of special projects for the Main Street Alliance, which commissioned the poll with the American Sustainable Business Council. He said today: “Small business owners see two problems with the current system for taxing U.S. multinationals. First, they know we can’t afford these loopholes, since the reduced revenue forces cuts in economy boosting investments, such as education, Social Security and Medicare. Second, the overseas tax structure is a big thumb on the scale for big companies, and a thumb at the nose of small business.”