11/02/2004
|
|
|
Janis Herschkowitz (left) and Brian Landon await election returns in Washington, D.C., Tuesday evening. |
Pennsylvania small-business owners join forces to fight for Main Street
Janis Herschkowitz and Brian Landon know what teamwork is all about.
Their first encounter was at the White House several years ago, where they explained to President George H. W. Bush the obstacles that Pennsylvania small-business owners experience when it comes to redeveloping brownfields.
Herschkowitz and Landon have worked side-by-side as devoted small-business advocates ever since. They gathered with many other NFIB members Tuesday night at NFIB's Washington headquarters to watch election returns and cheer for candidates supporting small-business issues.
Closest to Herschkowitz's heart are tax cuts and incentives for small businesses. As a result of the 2003 Jobs and Growth Tax package, Herschkowitz, owner of PRL, a Lebanon County-based foundry of high-specifications castings for military, nuclear and petro-chemical application, was able to create a sand-reclamation program and expand her business.
"This created jobs and helped cleaned up the environment," Herschkowitz said. "I would not have done it – not yet at least – without the accelerated-depreciation provision. It gives us an incentive to improve our bottom line."
The provision is going to expire at the end of the year, which is why Herschkowitz has been so heavily involved in the election this year.
In September she played host to Vice President Dick Cheney. And before the election she and Landon, both NFIB/Pennsylvania Leadership Council members, rallied small-business owners across the state by holding weekly conference calls to get the small-business vote out and find volunteers for campaign events.
"If there were Bush-Cheney events, we would get small-business owners to participate," Herschkowitz said.
While tax cuts were the most important issue to Herschkowitz, Landon, the owner of Landon's Car Wash and Laundry in Bradford County, focuses his attention on the progress of Small-Business Health Plans (or AHPs) in the U.S. Senate.
Small-Business Health Plans, which would allow small-business owners to join together across state lines to purchase more affordable health insurance for themselves and their employees, has passed the House seven times but has yet to pass the Senate.
"Consumers needs to have a stake in their health care and AHPs give them that stake," Landon said.
Landon has long been an active NFIB member. During the Clinton administration, he testified on behalf of small-business owners on issues such as burdensome ergonomics regulations and taxes.
No matter which way the election goes this year, both activists promise to stay committed to the small-business cause.
"I will continue to do whatever NFIB calls on me to do," said Landon.
The same goes for Herschkowitz. "I will always be vocal – my business is my child," she said.
