D.C. officials
hold business roundtable
By Kathy McCarty
A SMALL BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE was held at the Sorpreso Cafe in Presque Isle Aug. 18, providing area business leaders an opportunity to speak one-on-one with members of the full Senate Small Business Committee staff, who visited The County at the request of Sen. Olympia Snowe. Pictured from left are: Adam Reese, professional staff; Chris Averill, professional staff; Wally Hsueh, staff director; Alex Hecht, chief counsel; Matt Walker, deputy staff director and counsel; and Jelena McWilliams, detailee.
PRESQUE ISLE — Local business and community leaders had the opportunity to meet with the full Senate Small Business Committee during a roundtable discussion held at Sorpreso Cafe on Aug. 18, asking questions and sharing their concerns about the business climate in Maine and what can be expected in the future.
The Committee made the trip, at the request of Sen. Olympia Snowe, to garner feedback from area leaders as to what needs to be done to improve business opportunities in the state. That information will then be shared with Snowe, who plans to use it to find ways to enhance business in Maine in the future.
“I sent my staff on the Small Business Committee to Aroostook County to see the region firsthand and to meet with the many small businesses that are vital to the region and economy. From roundtable discussions with local business owners to touring the communities, I am pleased my staff had this tremendous opportunity, which will be crucial as I continue my work on behalf of our small businesses which are the economic engines of our nation,” said Snowe, in a statement following the visit.
Committee members taking part in the roundtable included: Wally Hsueh, staff director; professional staffers Chris Averill, Diane Dietz, Adam Reece and Meredith West; Kathleen Black, tax and finance advisor; Tara Crumb, staff assistant; Alex Hecht, chief counsel; Chris Lucas, counsel; Jelena McWilliams, detailee; Shelley New, assistant to the staff director; and Matt Walker, deputy staff director and counsel.
Theresa Fowler, executive director, Presque Isle Area Chamber of Commerce, served as hostess, welcoming the panel and community leaders.
The informal discussion began with Committee members providing an update on what Snowe was working on in Washington, D.C., pertaining to protecting small businesses. Hecht said in an effort to reform Wall Street, lawmakers hadn’t taken into account Main Street.
“If they’re (small business) not engaging in financial services, small businesses won’t be factored in,” said Hecht.
Before a new rule can be put out however, Hecht said a new agency must convene and “meet with small businesses to factor in small business considerations — consider the potential impact on small businesses.”
“The initial rule required reporting back for every transaction — even ATMs. Sen. Snowe was concerned about privacy” as the rule was interpreted, said Hsueh.
McWilliams said Snowe then created a panel to “analyze data.”
“Another (factor) is taking income into consideration, to assess how much businesses make, when applying for loans,” said McWilliams.
Business leaders in attendance brought up a variety of topics, from the HUD zone certification process and what the USDA is doing to make it more desirable to small businesses, to Maine’s high tax rate deterring businesses from locating here, softwood lumber trade agreements with Canada not being adhered to and the current problems facing businesses in Aroostook that depend on rail service to get products to market.
Ashland Town Manager Jim Gardner said new requirements for biomass plants would be difficult if not impossible for most small facilities to follow.
“There’s no way we can meet all (requirements),” said Gardner. “What you’ll do is drive biomass plants out. There’s a lot of talk about green energy. Wind’s great but so are chips.”
Gardner said part of the problem was companies across the border receiving subsidies from the Canadian government.
“We can’t compete with Canada. They’re killing us with health insurance, energy costs due to subsidies. I’m from a community that’s lost about 400 jobs in 10 years. We lost a company through bankruptcy — the company took mills to Canada, injected $40 million. We can’t compete,” said Gardner. “We’re sitting in one of the most picturesque places in the world but can’t go nowhere. We’re stuck in the mud.”
Dietz said Snowe was working to put biomass on the same playing field with fossil fuels.
“Sen. Snowe is well aware (of the discrepancies) and has staffers working on it. She’s also working on a tax credit (for biomass facilities),” said Dietz.
“We do have a tax incentive we’re expecting to get re-enacted and added back in for next year,” said Black.
West said Snowe was “extremely frustrated” but had discussed the matter with Ambassador Ron Kirk, U.S. trade representative.
“Maine is not the only state concerned about this. We have a follow-up meeting with his staff,” said West. “We’re optimistic having a voice in USTR is a positive thing.”
“We need to do more to help small businesses sell goods and services beyond borders. Sen. Snowe is working on landmark legislation,” continued West, “to promote small businesses exporting (goods).”
Don Tardie, of Maine Woods in Portage, said new rules proposed by the EPA would have a negative impact on local businesses already struggling to survive, due to the costs associated with necessary upgrades to meet the new standards.
“Why do we have to be leading the world when next door (Canada) there’s blue smoke?” asked Tardie.
Black said developments at the University of Orono will allow for more competitive energy production, making it more affordable for Maine businesses to compete with their Canadian counterparts.
“It will put (Maine businesses) on a more level playing field,” she said.
Hecht said the key function is to foster an environment where small businesses can succeed and prosper.
“Costs are the driver for small business. Sen. Snowe has pushed for many years to pool across state lines to create lower health care costs. We have it in a limited fashion in the health bill of 2014,” said Hecht, noting Snowe had opposed an earlier health reform bill because it “didn’t do enough to help small businesses.”
Nate Berry, of Barresi Financial Inc. of Presque Isle, questioned the overall size of the government and the need to curb spending and reduce taxes.
“When will we learn the federal government isn’t the solution but the problem?” asked Berry.
“Sen. Snowe is trying to cut programs and put more money back to citizens. Congress hasn’t grown as a whole. Her key focus is to reduce the amount of programs,” making the remaining programs more efficient, said Hsueh.
The Committee — on a tight schedule due to appearances scheduled in Mars Hill and Houlton later in the day — closed the discussion, providing participants with contact information for various agencies in Washington that may be of assistance to small businesses.
JIM GARDNER, Ashland’s town manager, was one of several local business and community leaders who took the opportunity to meet with the full Senate Small Business Committee in Presque Isle last week to discuss ways to improve the business climate in Maine. Pictured in the forefront is Gardner. In back from left are: Matt Bell, owner of Northeast Pellets in Ashland; and Nate Berry, of Barresi Financial Inc. in Presque Isle.
LOCAL BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS met with the full Senate Small Business Committee on Aug. 18 in Presque Isle, airing concerns and asking questions as to what government is doing to encourage small businesses to locate in Maine. Pictured at the meeting from left are: Mike Bosse; Tony Levesque; Walt Elish; Ken Arndt; Don Tardie; Cathy Beaulieu; Sharon Campbell, representative for Sen. Olympia Snowe; and Ray Cyr.
