NFIB

Nearly 75 small business owners and guests from across the state attended NFIB's Small Business Day at the Capitol in Nashville on Wednesday, April 9.

Gov. Phil Bredesen gave the keynote address, discussing the economy, the state's eHealth initiative, aimed at connecting healthcare providers throughout the state, and CoverTN, the state's year-old program to help small businesses cover the cost of providing basic health insurance to their employees.

When it came to developing CoverTN, "[NFIB] is a group that came to the table ready and willing to work with us," Bredesen said. "I think it's a great example of what we can accomplish if we work together."

Once again, Small Business Day was held at the Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis conference center in downtown Nashville near the statehouse. AT&T and Waller Lansden graciously sponsored the event.

Panel discussions
Revenue Commissioner Reagan Farr, Sen. Randy McNally (Oak Ridge) and Reps. Charles Curtiss (Sparta), Craig Fitzhugh (Ripley) and NFIB member Charles Sargent (Franklin) participated in a panel discussion of small business tax issues. McNally is chairman of the Senate Finance Ways & Means Committee, while Fitzhugh chairs the respective House committee. Panelists discussed the current budget challenge, Tennessee's advantageous tax system in comparison to other states and local PILOTs (payment in lieu of taxes used by local industrial boards to recruit businesses). Commissioner Farr provided an update on the streamlined sales tax agreement, noting he expects certain provisions will be pushed back again past the scheduled July 1, 2009 implementation date.

Sens. Jim Tracy (Shelbyville) and Roy Herron (Dresden), both NFIB members, and Reps. Joe Armstrong (Knoxville) and Jason Mumpower (Bristol) joined CoverTN Director Stephani Ryan for a panel discussion on healthcare. The group discussed legislation that would let small businesses join together to achieve better health insurance rate predictability and stability and provide tax credits for businesses with 1-10 employees that cover at least 50 percent of the cost of health benefits. NFIB members also debated the pros and cons of health savings accounts, or HSAs, as well as the need for more personal responsibility in all aspects of healthcare.

"I thought the panel discussions were very good, particularly in the area of healthcare," said Susan Goyer, owner of Aabakus, a human resources firm based in Brentwood. "We could have spent the entire day debating those issues."

Goyer also appreciated the chance Small Business Day gave her to network with her peers. "It's always such a thrill to be in the company of other small business owners," she said. "It's so good to network with those people. Everyone is going through the same things you are. You know you're not out there alone."

Several state officials and legislators attended Small Business Day, including Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey (Blountville), Bill Ketron (Murfreesboro), Bo Watson (Hixson) and John Wilder (Mason) and Reps. Vince Dean (East Ridge), John DeBerry (Memphis), Bill Dunn (Knoxville), Dale Ford (Jonesborough), Mike Harrison (Rogersville), David Hawk (Greeneville), Joey Hensley (Hohenwald), John Hood (Murfreesboro), John Litz (Morristown), Jimmy Matlock (Lenoir City), Dennis Roach (Rutledge), Randy Rinks (Savannah), Johnny Shaw (Bolivar) and John Tidwell (New Johnsonville). Ramsey, Herron, Ketron, Wilder, Hensley, Rinks and Shaw are NFIB members.