Issue Position: Creating Jobs

Issue Position

CREATING JOBS AND PROTECTING THE MIDDLE CLASS

Tax Incentives to Hire Unemployed Workers -- Sheila believes we must create new tax incentives to encourage businesses to hire unemployed Hoosiers during this recession. Small businesses are the engine of our economy and responsible for 80 percent of all new job creation. This tax credit is directed to businesses with 150 or fewer employees. The bill requires the new hires be either unemployed Hoosiers or Indiana veterans. The credit is equal to $3,000 for each employee hired above the 2009 base employment of the business. This will ensure that we are rewarding creation of new jobs rather than the rehires that will occur as the economy improves.

Redirecting Resources to Help Small Business - Access to capital is scarce, especially for small businesses, and banks aren't loaning money out. Sheila believes many Indiana businesses would benefit from low-interest loans to help expand or weather the tough economy to keep from closing their doors. The state legislature should require the Indiana Economic Development Corporation to assign $20 million in state resources to the Small Business Loan Program.

Hoosier Business and Worker Preferences -- Indiana tax dollars should put Indiana residents first. Sheila supports a bill that would require state and local government to give a 10% bid preference on contracts funded with state or local tax dollars to Hoosier contractors and subcontractors in most situations.

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