we discussed office hours in relation to the small business assistance center. >> the small business center -- the city is not taking furlough days, so what the majority of the unions did do was take the equivalent of 12 furlough days and reduce individual salaries based upon that amount. what was added was that there were 12 floating holidays that employees are able to take, and they need to take this before they take a vacation paid, floating holidays, and they need to use it within a specified window of time. with the small staff having hours monday through friday, 8:00 to 5:00, those are staffed by -- one of those individuals would be off or be sick, as it is dealt, -- as it is now, there is some minor difficulty in terms of being able to have somebody being able to attend to that counter the full time that it is open. what we have done to try to deal with the furlough days -- the floating holidays, on fridays, the assistant center is open for appointment only, and the tax and treasurer's office is closed in room 110 -- is closing room 110 the wednesday before thanksgiving and th

now for me, that is a very small, narrow band of -- you know, that is a very targeted and small narrow band of what is production distribution and rare. like film production, or commercial television production. it's a much bigger spectrum of businesses, small, medium and large, that foul into that category. it stood out for me because i began my time on the commission with a back street report. was that 2006 or 2007? >> it was 2007 actually. >> so it was completed in 2007, and it has been to my discouragement actually, not much was ever done with that report. a great deal of time, effort and money was put into that report, and very few of the recommendations ever seemed to come up or be followed through on. i am a little discouraged about that. >> i am sorry for steng out, but i wanted to ask. had you seen that report? >> yes, i had. i found it to be really informative. it informed my work and research questions. i appreciate that feedback. we are taking positive first steps, but i concede they are certainly only first steps. >> but they seem to be the same hit on the wheel. the wheel

. >>> almost 00 candidates with small business -- almost 100 candidate with small business experience are running for congress. we talk to two of them about the concerns of small business owners. >>> and i head to the fulton fish market to pick up tips on the fine art of negotiating. that's all coming up next on "your business. " >>> hi there, everyone. i'm j.j. ramberg, and welcome to "your business," where we give you tips and advice to help your business grow. a historic midterm election is about to take place, and this year the concerns of small business owners are front and center in the political debate. nearly 100 candidates with some small business experience are running for congress this year. sam granado is running for one of utah's senate seats as a democrat. he operates a deli business started by his late father. and jim henessey is running as a republican for the 16th congressional district in ohio. he runs a small financial consulting service and owned and operated nursing home facilities. his candidacy has been endorsed by the national federation of independent business

make government buy the product that is small business is creating or the services that a small business is creating. affirmative action for small business. it worked elsewhere. it will work for small business. >> why doesn't the u.s. government start like an incubation program with top experts who have retired, who would help you form your own business. this would help you navigate the red tape and help these people who have the experience to determine where the money is going to be granted based upon performance and based upon potential of return. >> my advice to washington is this. instead of taxes us further, please make money available to small businesses such as ours, medium-sized businesses that will employ people, that will allow us to buy new equipment, be more aggressive in the marketplace, be able to compete with china, but more importantly, make it attractive enough so that we can put the money back in the business with the additional moneys that we would have. >> so i think the new proposal to writeoff the first 20% would be a great initiative for people to take the chance t

this is a program that helps small businesses. for all of the rhetoric coming from washington, d.c., and sacramento and up and down the local municipal calls up and down this state and around the nation, here is a program that works. this is an interesting fact that underscores it -- congress, wisely and appropriately extended unemployment insurance. what is unemployment insurance to a family in california? it means you receive $450 a week. not to work. you are looking for work, but you receive a $450 check a week to work. congress, wisely, extended that. a lot of republicans opposed it because they said we needed to find a way to fund it, but in principle, they understand the importance of unemployment benefits. here's a program where people in the trenches receive $447 a week to work. let me repeat that -- we can hand out $450 a week not to work, or 470 -- $447 a week to work. we can hand out $447 a week to work for those that needed the most -- people with kids -- that benefit those that need those employees the most -- small b

again, when small business actually employs 67% of the people in our country, we need to look at small business owners and get them back to where they can employ people. that's -- that's not happening right now. and i've been a small business owner for 28 years. i also was mayor of my community. so i saw it from both sides. i was on the planning commission. i see things from both angles. and it's important that the small business owner, that they're represented because they are the employment mechanism of this country. >> if you had to kind of rank the reasons why you're running for office, why you want your voice to be heard and the people you represent, is the highest one or one of the highest ones that small business people aren't being heard? >> well, i think in the 16th district clearly it's jobs. we have unemployment that's gone from 6% to close to 12%, 12.5%. it's jobs. and when the small business owner is the driver of jobs in this district, in this country, yes, we've -- we've got to make sure the small business owners are heard. >> sam, what are you going to -- should you win

a small group that works together on projects. today they're on a team-building retreat to develop communication skills and trust. >> that's something that is priceless. because when you get a team functioning and communicating, the sky's the limit. they can do anything, above their potential. >> they work with the lighthouse institute, a leadership development company that provides specialized training. >> you'll see better communication, increased trust. people will enjoy their job more when we enjoy our job more we do tend to give more in the process. >> you guys are relying not enough on each other. >> the company has been able to cultivate leaders from within. >> outside the team building, they actually had the management go to a leadership class. >> rpd's first employees six years ago quickly moved up the ranks and is now a foreman, charged with overseeing a crew and all their projects. >> we taught him management skills. all of a sudden we have a dynamite manager who knows exactly who we are and what we're about. >> you get

small businesses are here to support the small lifestyle we want.ove into a hotbed where the talent is but they compromise themselves. >> the third thing to consider is where are your customers. you want to make it easy for them to get to your business. even if you're in a b to b realm, you might want to drop in on your client. >> we have people who for a retail store go to an area, count how many are walking into the neighboring stores, note what time they're coming and going, look at the parking. there's so much to consider. >> absolutely. >> let's move on to the next one. ave writes i have a company that provides five varieties of carrot cake and a few other select products. my business is comprised of whole sail and retail. i have had a terrible time finding an adviser who can answer questions for me specifically about the food and grocery industry. where can i find one? where do you find good advisers and someone willing to help you? >> your most is your own network. yo u want to get trusted information. you want to make it easy for them. what

i continue to look back and mentor small companies. >> what does your crystal ball tell you about small businesses and where we might be. >> we are getting out of it. the state is getting out of it different stages for different parts. we're looking at seeing where we could expand faster, possibilities of moving to southern california and expanding an office there is an option we're looking at. the crystal ball says where is the construction? for us we follow construction and planning and design. the crystal ball says there's a lot of pent up demand for construction and high-speed rail, utilities. our utilities are very old. there's a lot of positive coming. >> why -- again, you sit on various boards. you're helping other businesses. why do that? why not focus on yours. the family, take care of the family. everybody appreciates you doing, why are you doing it? >> this may be a secret i'm letting out. it actually gets you in circles of decisionmakers. the people you've interviewed here over the last months you get to rub shoulders with decisionmakers and actually make a change for the be

i also own a small business in san francisco. i have about 29 employees.disappointed in the federal government for not continuing this program. it's been an obvious success, in my mind. one of the things that's been a little frustrating in trying to extend this is when we started a couple of weeks ago or so, the lack of knowledge of people who are benefiting in their state, to understand what was going on. so you had a big education factor. and then, of course, we had the problems with the republicans and the just say no. so we're going to continue to fight to get this extended. but i do want to applaud the mayor for looking at other options to help small businesses and businesses in general. i've owned my company since 1977. and i can honestly say that this ever had. every dollar counts. and just to clarify, you've heard the debate about small business and the tax cuts. i want to make it very clear that i'm not one of those small businesses that's making over $250,000. so every dollar counts. so this $2,500 clearly isn't going to cover the salary, but i'm

>> people create jobs, small businesses create jobs. 70% of new jobs are created by small business. my plan would help small businesses by giving the tax cuts to a small businesses, tax deductions, payroll taxes, startup cost to be deducted from a series of measures without holding hostage a middle-income tax cut to the wealthy 2%. i would vote immediately. i am the only candidate who would vote immediately for middle-class tax cuts. >> we keep saying middle-class tax cuts, but i am saying that we should not raise taxes on anyone. what would happen under mr. blumenthal's plan is $4.5 billion would leave the state of connecticut to go to washington so they could spend it. i don't want descended on washington. let's hang onto our own money and keep it in the hands of businesses that do create jobs. we are in a recession. let's make sure that if small businesses have the opportunity to grow. and so they can create jobs. >> connecticut's voters in the last few weeks have seen you attack each other on the airwaves. many times. we want to ask questions related to those ads. lori has those

turns out many of those that are viewed as small businesses by our politicians, well they are not smallt comes to actually cultivating new business in this country, our politicians either don't get it or don't care. we will hear from the ranks of the self-employ who had are all too often overlooked by politicians in washington. but first, did you believe everything you read or do you believe everything you read on the internet? turns out a shocking number of american kids do. we will be right back. receiving the bronze star, that was definitely one of my proudest moments. i graduated from west point, then i did a tour of duty in iraq. when i was transitioning from active duty, i went to a military officer hiring conference. it was kind of like speed dating. there were 12 companies that i was pre-matched with, but walmart turned out to be the best for me. sam walton was in the military, and he understood the importance of developing your people. it's an honor to be in a position of leadership at walmart. i'm captain tracey lloyd, and i work at walmart. ♪ ♪ uh oh. sorry, son. you still ha

they're entrepreneurs, small business owners. one question i asked what inspired you to start your business? the answers varied but generally about freedom and responsibility. i wanted to be my own boss. i have didn't want to answer to anybody. let me ask you this. nobody really wants to be their own boss. they just want people to stop telling them what to do. because how many of us worked in a place especially and in this country you know the death of a company is around the corner when the attorneys start arriving. as soon as the attorneys start arriving, then you have to answer to them. you're like this isn't fun anymore. you worked at a place where you are like if they would just get these think people out of the way, we'd be a great company. other answers, i wanted to prove that i could. that i could do it. if i could follow my passion, i could make it. how about this? i wanted a better chance to earn a little more money. no one said, no one said i did it to get rich. they said they did it for the opportunity. well, i think

not that we have created a new small school, just that we have schools that are small. to figure out what the specific costs of that may be. vice president mendoza: ok, thank you. cobbing scum interested on voting on this contingent upon your review, .-- colleagues, interested on voting on this contingent upon your review, so roll call, please. secretary: [reading roll] that is five ayes. vice president mendoza: k-12. right, so this is -- since you pulled it, i do have a comment. i do not want to see retroactive resolutions, and the explanation for this once again is funny not available before the date of service. if we do not have the funding, we cannot have the school. i want to be very, very clear about retroactive resolutions, so if there are any other comments on that? >> thank you, commissioners. we have actually revise the way we proceed, and i apologize for that. reviewing all of the budgets -- vice president mendoza: excuse me, could you identify yourself? >> i am sorry. i am -- the contract was written for a 29 -- 2009-2010 was not right. that more money be co

so that they will be a book -- small banks so that they can lend to small businesses. keep the money on main street and help small businesses. they are the backbone of our economy. they create most of the jobs in this country. if we can keep this through this small business and ministers in, it will be more possible access the capital. we also need tax cuts for the middle class's and the businesses. a part of the advantage here is that we recognized that if we put the money into the hands on man street instead of wall street, we will be creating jobs. >> is there a psychological component to this? to people not trust congress? >> a lot of these large corporations are not just u.s.- based anymore. they are multinational corporations and they respond to stockholders instead of particular policies in the united states or elsewhere. some of that is that. with all the problems overseas, when there were troubles in the greek market, some holding back or they hadn't planned. they had planned to invest more. and some of it is psychological. the concern that there might be trou

>>> how how get a loan now that the small jobs bill has passed? >>> and crafting jobs to capitalize on the strengths of employees. we'll meet one man who did that and discovered an inspiring way to employ those with special needs. that and more coming up next on "your business." >>> hi, there, everyone. i'm jj ramberg. welcome to "your business" where we give you tips and advise to help your business grow. today we along at a business that has put a lot of thought into employee fulfillment. with a dual mission with a haven fur autism and community life, words bookstore managed to craft jobs for their every day staffers as well as kids with autism working in the stores vocational training program. they are making employee empowerment work chapter and verse. in the quiet new york city suburb of maplewood, new jersey, another independent bookstore almost disappeared. that was until joan in and emily came to the rescue, even though they knew nothing about the book business. >> we bought a staffer, the good will of the store and staff came with us. >>

had a lot of -- you know, the annual new york design shows, san francisco was well represented by small manufacturers, none of whom exist any more. there was very little kind of effort that followed through with that early development. it would have been great if the city had something like that. of course that was then and this is now, and hopefully you will be able to help implement some new changes. >> i appreciate that feedback. i can say that the eowd, when i came on, they did immediately give me that report, and they are very conscious of the recommendations therein, even though it may not show. it is not something that went on a shelf and got ignored. people are still thinking about and talking about p.d.r. there is real potential for a great economic impact even for just one small business that can create 20 jobs. a lot of those jobs can go to people without a college degree, and they -- and that can have a great economic impact for san francisco. i appreciate the feedback. i am going to hand out my card. i would love to hear additional feedback in the future particularly around

so what will it take to get small investors back into equities in a big way? trim tabs' vincent deluard says mostly small investors want to know the deck isn't stacked against them. >> retail investors think the stock market is not the right place for them. it's a place for hedge funds, high frequency traders, trading desks. but the retail investor is always the one losing. and that's how they think of the stock market now, and that's got to change. >> reporter: others expect small investors will rediscover stocks when they feel in charge of their destiny. >> the biggest trend we see in the market is people want to take control of their own finances. so they're looking for tools, information, research, ways to get back into the market that are smarter and better than they did it before. we think that will be in equities, but it will also be in fixed income and e.t.f.s. >> reporter: oh, yes, and there's one more thing that can help attract small investors again-- that's a stock market that keeps going higher. suzanne pratt, "nightly business report," new york.

[applause] and i'm a small businessman at heart and always will be. running a small business here in westchester was one of the proudest times of my life. and it gave me a perspective on our country that i've carried with me throughout my time of public service. a family owned operation like my dad's barn, like the business that i ran or here with mark's business. that's what powers the american economy. they ploy a quarter of the country and create a majority of new jobs over the last decade. small businesses like these are torblee the american dream and right now, that dream is under siege. i ran for congress back in 1990 because of what i saw happening to small businesses in america. i got tired of watching washington. a federal government was getting too big, too intrusive and too expensive and politician who is have no understanding of the private sector talked about the importance of creating jobs and then forced policies on american small businesses that made their job of creating jobs even harder. elected officials with no understanding of how

you're on no. 2, certificates of honor recognizing a local small business as part of the small business recognition program. >> good afternoon, today we're honoring steve black, owner of lush lounge on polk street. he started his business in the year 2000 and has proved to be a really good neighbor in all respects. he is part of the lower polk street neighbors. he's active in all areas. he's worked very hard on helping keep the neighborhood safer and because of all these many years that he has done such a great job, on polk street, we honor him today. mr. black, i'm going to read your award. on this monday, september 14, 2010, the small business commission is proud to acknowledge the contributions that lush lounge has made to the vitality of san francisco, exemplifying the passion and energy that small businesses contribute to the city. lush lounge has been a strong contributor of the revitalization of the lower polk street neighborhood and actively participating in programs to help keep the neighborhood safe. the commission also recognizes steve black, the proprietor of lush lounge, fo

we need to help small businesses. we can't do what we need to do to rebuild the middle class and help small businesses if we are doubling the deficit. that is absolutely clear. >> moving on to health care. >> there is a recent survey that indicates that rising health-care costs remains a top concern. you said you would repeal current health-care law. why? >> the health care bill was a trillion dollars government takeover of the health care system. this is an area where congressman hodes and i definitely disagree. because as a result of the health-care bill that was passed, cms within the federal government, center for medicaid services, is already talking about the premium increases that our businesses will see as a result of that bill. not to mention that it will also add to our deficit. in addition to that, i talked about earlier some of the regulatory requirements of that bill. at the new 1099 requirement that imposes on the small businesses, and the tax increases on at businesses here in new hampshire. we have 55

you do not hammer small business people. you do not hammer entrepreneurs in one of the worst recessions in our country's history. national unemployment rate 9.5, maryland doubled over the last year. we have lost 3,000 small businesses. it's the last time you want to talk about even raising taxes. people are feeling the hurt. middle class, working class poor people have been really hit by the sales tax. by the increases in fees throughout our university! , increased 35% over the last four years them last thing the american taxpayer wants to hear today is about taxes. >> is that a no. >> that's a no. that's a blanket no and i'm the only candidate giving a blanket no. >> can i respond briefly. >> very briefly. >> the former governor's credibility on this issue is nonexistent. he made the same pledges eight year ago when you got in you raised property tax and college tuitions by 40%. you raised 30 tolls and fees. you imposed a new tax called the flush tax. i don't recall you ever sending away one federal dollar that came to mary

you do not hammer small business people. you do not hammer entrepreneurs in one of the worst recessions in our country's history. national unemployment rate 9.5, maryland doubled over the last year. we have lost 3,000 small businesses. it's the last time you want to talk about even raising taxes. people are feeling the hurt. middle class, working class poor people have been really hit by the sales tax. by the increases in fees throughout our university! , increased 35% over the last four years them last thing the american taxpayer wants to hear today is about taxes. >> is that a no. >> that's a no. that's a blanket no and i'm the only candidate giving a blanket no. >> can i respond briefly. >> very briefly. >> the former governor's credibility on this issue is nonexistent. he made the same pledges eight year ago when you got in you raised property tax and college tuitions by 40%. you raised 30 tolls and fees. you imposed a new tax called the flush tax. i don't recall you ever sending away one federal dollar that came to mary

i own a small business.stand that it's very difficult to run a small business in this economy. it's very difficult to make payroll and difficult to pass any costs, but the reality is in order for california to stay competitive we need to look forward and we need to prepare for the long haul. the long haul is that we need need to be geared for a more competitive economy using innovation. this proposition was written by and is proposed by texas oils companies, they wrote it. they are the ones that paid to it put it on the ballot. at this think we should be looking at the money. that is texas money and that is not california interests. >> how would a no vote on proposition 23 affect businesses? >> a no vote on proposition 23 will keep the law, ab-32 on the books. it won't -- proposition 23 doesn't get to suspend ab-32, it doesn't hit the pause button, it hits the delete button. the unemployment rate that proposition 23 is talking about, to require that for four quarters, that hasn't happened in 30 years. that i

last week, for example, i signed into law the small business jobs act, a small business bill that doesy. first, within the 11 days since it took effect, more than 2,000 small business owners have already received more than $1 billion worth of new loans with more to come, and beginning today, the small business administration is offering larger loans for folks who need them. second, it expands the tax cut for all of the equipment investment small businesses make this year, something that brendan is planning to take advantage of here at mayor block, and we were just stalking about his belief that the more we can accelerate the depreciation, the more likely we're going to see businesses like this make these investments. it's going to help small business owners upgrade her plants and equipment. it will encourage large corporations to get oust sidelines and start putting their profits back into the economy, and it will accelerate $55 billion in tax cuts for businesses that made job-creating investments over the neck year. third, it creates a new initiative to strengthen state programs that

we are a really small company but have a bringing dream. three years ago i came up with our idea and also, we have a great product idea. it was really tough to start our business because we are too small and a low income and the rent is really expensive. we know we have a great product from japan, but we couldn't do that. and we went to la cocina because they know a lot of things and they have a lot of connections with food people. and finally, we got a chance -- we got the vending permit and it was really great. we asked the rec and park department and la cocina and we couldn't do that, and we just want to say we really appreciate it. and hopefully la cocina and other small business owners will have the same chance to start a business. thank you very much. president buell: thank you. >> next speaker, please. >> hello, my name is lisia. i moved to the area immediately around the park in 1994, so i've been a resident there for a long time. i saw it move from the days of being a heroin alley to being a destination park for the city. i have fo

i am in favor of small businesses. let me speak about the large, out-of-state corporations for which her husband is a registered lobbyist in albuquerque. those corporations that it is proven that he works for, and that the money he lobbies for comes to your household, and your administration makes the decisions and has given out one of the largest tax deals in the state of new mexico, $500 million. fact check did not say those were incorrect facts just not scandalous. if a lobbyist is working in your mom and the money is going into your household -- in your home and the money is going into your household, that seems like a conflict of interest. >> since susanna works in the private sector, i guess she objects to getting paid for the jobs you do. my opponent injected texas into this race when she took the single largest contribution in new mexico history from bah perry -- bob perry, a good friend of karl rove, the architect of the downfall in this economy. he is the single largest contributor to her campaign. she took t

it is small mom-and-pop businesses. my tax breaks will reinvigorate and create new jobs in illinois. that is what we need. you extend a program that will cost the taxpayers $75 million so you can buy a public-sector jobs for people in the private sector. that is wrong. it is selling out to the people of illinois. >> putting illinois to work began to do it has employed 26,000 people. these are real jobs. they paid $10 an hour. hard-working people needed a job of. i got there. i put them to work. are we going to lay out 26,000 people? i do not think so. he would keep a program going so the federal government when they consider it again will extend it. the new york times has said illinois has the very best program of its kind in the united states. it is the best way to put people to work. that is what i believe in. there we had a specific -- 26,000 people. they pay for rent and utilities. >> we are in getting the state by promoting a program that we cannot afford. you going to have the state pay everyone of those people. p

there is no act that is too small to make a difference.

it >> it could be in a place that is larger that wants a small thing. i don't think the size has to necessarily predicate it. >> most of those -- most of those are huge. >> right. >> right. that's why i was just -- i suggesting that -- there be criteria again -- again delved for planning and probably and the entertainment commission as well to -- to exempt a certain class of -- or just you know, again this criteria that helps -- helps us realize the kind of entertainment we would like to say and assist businesses. and help them improve their business plans and enrich them as opposed to degrade. >> i think it is about how much of an intensification of the use, we're looking at. i think that that is really the trigger. >> uh-huh. maybe this is an opportunity to take a look at those roles and draw them in such a way that -- that you know, to draw them. now, or not. maybe it is not. >> commissioners, if i point out, we do have two. we have an interim resolution that will likely be before the board of supervisors in the next one month and then the long term

he has an idea about small businesses create jobs. he did not realize all the damage that they have done to our economic environment is never going to offset the reality a much higher health- care costs. the threat of higher taxes and higher energy costs. when small businesses are faced with all of those threat, a tax credit to hire a worker will not get them to do it. there are bigger weight on their shoulders that will prevent that. it helps to get some experience in business. >> you are sitting you would cut some very quickly? >> yes. but keep in mind that when toomey congressmen was on the small business committee, and he slapped the business administration in half so the loans used to go to small- business men and women, he voted there had to be a $3,000 fee and then the loans got cut dramatically. when he said he invested in a small business, he was actually working for a chinese billionaire in china. under oath he said he never had a hand on experience in my small business. which one is it? >> joe knows very well what it is i h

i own a really small business and we're the ruffian, the little guy. it's a place with the community comes and talks and hangs out. we actually know what they do for a living, their name. if i passed them on the way to bart i would notice if they weren't there that day, and that's the type of community we're trying to instill in the park. the people on this petition, they're all people who live there. about 1,000 to 2,000 people visit delores park every day. here's half of them who don't want it. i just think that it's also -- you guys have been talking about we love portland and the food cart. but if you followed the reports that you guys are looking about, portland does their food carts in urban areas in empty parking lots, not where it's green. there's not enough green space in the city. we go there to get away from that stuff, and i attended the community meeting on the 27th and there was no questions answered. people think it's supposed to be a push cafert, it's an eight by 12 trailer. they didn't know what the generator was, how many decibels. a