• NASE Member Testifies to Micro-Business Regulatory Burdens
• Legislative Alert: Urge Congress to Support the NASE Micro-Business Stimulus Package
• Rep. Franks of Arizona Signs NASE Pledge
• NASE Judges National Small Business Week Award
• Form 706 Toll Free Tax Assistance
   

NASE Member Testifies to Micro-Business Regulatory Burdens

At a Regulatory Enforcement Hearing last week in Washington, D.C., the U.S. Small Business Administration Ombudsman said he wants to encourage a “‘help you’ attitude, rather than a ‘gotcha’ attitude by federal agencies.”

“By working together with small businesses and federal agencies we can make the federal regulatory process more cooperative and collaborative,” said Ombudsman Michael Barrera.

The hearing, one of over 16 Barrera expects to host this year across the country, allowed micro-business owners to air their grievances with the federal regulatory process and ask for help with specific agency rules. The Ombudsman’s office assists small businesses when they experience excessive federal regulatory enforcement actions, such as repetitive audits or investigations, excessive fines, penalties, threats, retaliation or other unfair enforcement action by a federal agency. The National Ombudsman receives comments from small business concerns and acts as a liaison between them and federal agencies.

NASE Member David Alders testified at last week’s hearing on behalf of the Association’s members. While Alders thanked the IRS for its recent outreach and education efforts – such as the “Headliners” articles published in Washington Watch – he also called for tax code simplification, clarification of the independent contractor status and self-employment tax relief of health insurance premiums.

From all agencies, Alders asked for more assistance with compliance issues for the self-employed and micro-businesses.

Read Alders’ testimony


The NASE expressed the same regulatory concerns at a House Small Business Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform and Oversight roundtable this week. Kristie Darien, NASE director of government affairs, told Chairman Ed Schrock (R-VA) and other committee members that “the cost of regulatory burdens looms large for micro-businesses, which are capitalized chiefly by dreams and ideas.”

Read Darien’s full statement
 

• List of future Regulatory Fairness hearings

• If you have a story about unfair regulatory burdens, share it with the NASE.
   

Legislative Alert: Urge Congress to Support the NASE Micro-Business Stimulus Package

As government leaders in Washington debate proposals for stimulating the nation’s sagging economy, the NASE is urging more focus on reforms to spur growth among the self-employed and micro-businesses as key drivers of jobs and innovations in the marketplace. The NASE calls on Congress to consider more stimulus measures directed towards companies with 10 or less employees that have turbo-powered innovation and economic growth in recent years.

Read the NASE Six-Point Priority Micro-Business Stimulus Plan and urge your Member of Congress to support its provisions.
 

Rep. Franks of Arizona Signs NASE Pledge

Congressman Trent Franks (R-AZ) showed his strong commitment to the self-employed and micro-businesses in his first month in office by signing the NASE Pledge to Protect and Promote American Entrepreneurship. By endorsing the Pledge, Rep. Franks recognizes the importance of micro-businesses as stimulators of the economy, and promises to actively advocate and promote legislation that will assist this crucial group.

The NASE thanks and commends Congressman Franks for showing his support of the self-employed and micro-businesses.

Urge your Member of Congress to sign the NASE Pledge. Many Members have expressed interest, but need to hear from you, their constituents, about how important it is to endorse the Pledge.
 

NASE Judges National Small Business Week Award

Earlier this week, the NASE participated in judging for a 2003 National Small Business Week award. The NASE helped evaluate candidates for the Entrepreneurial Success award, which honors small businesses that have grown with the help of SBA assistance. The winner will be announced at an awards ceremony held during National Small Business Week.

National Small Business Week, sponsored by the U.S. Small Business Administration, will be held September 15 – 20, 2003.

“It was a privilege to take part in the judging,” said Kristie Darien, NASE director of government affairs. “The nominees were all deserving of the award. Each one showed true entrepreneurial spirit in growing their micro-business.”

Stay tuned to Washington Watch for more information about National Small Business Week.
 

Form 706 Toll Free Tax Assistance

(The following “Headliners” article has been provided by the IRS Taxpayer Education and Communication office in an effort to educate micro-business owners and make it easier to fulfill their tax obligations. For more articles, or for more information about any of the information contained in this article, please contact the IRS Small Business/ Self-Employed division.)

In July 2002, the IRS established a new national toll free number dedicated to answering case related questions on Forms 706, United States Estate Tax Returns. The number is (866) 699-4083.

The lines are open Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. EST. More than 60 tax assistors are available to answer calls. Taxpayers and practitioners have had no problems getting through for assistance. Typical calls include inquiries about closing letters and the status of an amended return.

The new number is printed on notices generated from the Estate and Gift Tax Department at the Cincinnati IRS Center where all Form 706 are processed. The number is not designed to answer general tax law questions related to estate and gift filing requirements.

IRS began processing all Forms 706 and related materials at the Cincinnati Campus in January 2002 as part of the IRS’s overall campus realignment program. Over the next several years more programs will be centralized at one campus location.
 

Do any of these issues affect you? Do you want to be proactive in helping the micro-business community? Visit the NASE's Legislative Action Center and “Tell Your Small Business Story.” This will help the NASE understand - on a personal level - how key legislative issues are affecting your business and your bottom line.

For more information about any of the articles in Washington Watch, contact Maureen Petron, NASE public affairs manager, at (202) 466-2100 or mpetron@nase.org.