Small Businesses Get Guidance in a Tough Economy

Coming out of the recession, all new hiring in Connecticut will occur in small businesses, U.S. Rep. Jim Himes, D-4, said in his opening remarks at a small business resources seminar Monday morning. The economic recovery is "anemic" he told about 20 business owners in Fairfield Public Library on Monday.

Himes co-sponsored the program with state Rep. Thomas J. Drew, D-Fairfield, who said many people have the talent to start a new business, but are "understandingly reluctant" to leave a job that provides health insurance.

They don't want to "step across that line," Drew said.

The participants then heard from representatives from five agencies, beginning with Joseph McCarthy, a certified public accountant with the IRS, who serves as a "senior stakeholder liaison" in the service's small business/self-employed division.

McCarthy explained the details of a health care tax credit that some small businesses can apply to their taxes, amounting to 35 percent of premiums paid.

The  next presentation was made by Lisa Powell of the federal Small Business Administration, who outlined the process of receiving a loan, backed by her agency, from a bank.

Powell noted that in some cases, businesses are able to refinance their debt with a loan from the SBA.

Ann Robinson, of the private, non-profit Community Capital Fund, described loans available for affordable housing and small businesses in Bridgeport.

Robinson said her fund provides loans that would not be accepted by a bank ranging from $50,000 to $500,000 that primarily go to existing businesses wanting to expand, rather than start-ups.

Businesses that are not start-ups also have the opportunity to become contractors to federal, state and local governments, according to Bernie Todisco of the Procurement Technical Assistance Program.

Todisco said the PTAP, which is funded by the Department of Defense, can also enable businesses not large enough to obtain a government contract to become a supplier to an existing government contractor.

Merrie London, representing Small Business Innovation Research, made the final presentation, describing how her agency provides federal grants of up to $1 million to research and development companies that are at the earliest stage of developing a product.

The SBIR funds the ideas of companies before they have produced a prototype, London said, and grants can be received repeatedly.

Under this program, London said, government agencies describe their needs and applicants solve their problems.