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Subject: Small Businesses Take Promises to Heart<By Michelle Singletary<Washington Post
Date: Mon, 9 Nov 92 05:41:19 EST
Message-ID: <25.1992Nov9.054120@AmeriCast.com>

Small Businesses Take Promises to Heart<By Michelle
Singletary<Washington Post Staff Writer=

 Many Washington area small-business owners are hopeful that Bill
Clinton will be more responsive to their needs than they said
George Bush has been.

 In interviews, the heads of several small companies expressed
optimism that the new Democratic administration will resuscitate
the U.S.  Small Business Administration (SBA) and other govern-
ment programs that they said the Republican administration has
neglected.

 "We need more equity in the system for the small guy," said Jeff
Mitchell, owner of Focal Point Communications Inc., a media com-
pany in Landover that employs seven people. "I don't want to see
government get any bigger or create committees, but there are
programs that, if implemented, could change the way government is
doing business."

 "Personally, I am encouraged" by Clinton's victory, said Nancy
Avitabile, who owns Business Management Resources of Bethesda and
is president of the National Association of Women Business Own-
ers.

 She praised proposals by Clinton for targeted tax incentives,
and said she doubted that he would increase regulation.

  Avitabile, whose company employs three people and provides
financial management services to other small businesses, said it
would be "very helpful to pump some money into SBA."

 At present, she said, "SBA is so underfunded and understaffed it
is really difficult to get any work done."

 Though upbeat overall about Clinton, the small-business owners
cautioned that they will be watching closely to see if he honors
campaign promises to help small businesses.

 And some reportedly are worried that they will have to pay more
in payroll taxes to support new programs for health care or job
training.

 "I've been around (long enough) to have heard all the promises
without performance. I judge by actions," said Ralph Clark, who
owns a janitorial supply firm in Prince George's County. But he
added: "Reagan and Bush have never been for small business.

 "Just look at how many businesses are going bankrupt. I feel
after all is said and done (that) Bill Clinton, with the right
advisers, has a lot of promise," Clark said.

 During the campaign, Clinton outlined small-business initiatives
that included tax credits and revised bank regulations to in-
crease access to capital for small companies.

 Clinton said he would create a network of 100 community develop-
ment banks that would provide loans and technical assistance - in
areas such as  marketing and business planning - to new or ex-
panding companies.

He also pledged to reduce government regulation, a principal con-
cern for small businesses.

 Optimism about Clinton runs particularly strong among minority
small-business owners who do business with the government.

 They anticipate that Clinton will appoint top aides who will be
sensitive to their needs and will cut out much of the bureaucracy
in the SBA's 8(a) program that, among other efforts, provides
loan guarantees to minority-owned businesses.  Given the strong
political support that Clinton received from blacks, minority
small-business owners also expressed confidence that other
government agencies will do more to meet mandated goals to do
business with minority-owned firms.  "If the message comes from
the top to meet goals, they will be met," said Weldon H. Latham,
a partner in the law firm of Shaw, Pittman, Potts & Trowbridge
whose clients include minority government contractors.

  Media company owner Mitchell was particularly encouraged about
prospects under the new administration because four Clinton aides
visited him at his office in September as part of the Democratic
campaign's effort to hear small-business owners' concerns.

 The group, which included Robert Nash, one of Clinton's longtime
economic aides, spent more than a hour taking notes, Mitchell
said.  "It impressed the hell out of me," he said. 04:48 11-
09C9999-----

Copyright 1992, The Washington Post.  This story is from the
Washington Post's Capitol Edition On-Line and is not to be ar-
chived or redistributed.

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