McCaskill Gets Input from Missouri's Small Businesses on Job Creation

Press Release

As job losses slowed to a trickle last month -- an encouraging sign of recovery -- U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill turned her attention to job creation by hosting forums with small businesses across Missouri. In order to gain insight on job creation ideas, McCaskill visited with Missouri's small businesses via video-teleconference from Washington because the Senate health care debate has prevented her from returning to Missouri, as she does each weekend, to get feedback. McCaskill will consider the information she learned from the forums as economic legislation is developed in the Senate.

"As many as 80 percent of jobs in this country result from small businesses," McCaskill said. "Small businesses are what's going to bring our economy back to life, so Washington ought to make it easy for them to grow -- whether that's helping out more or getting out of the way. I was pleased with the ideas and concerns I heard from Missouri small businesses and am eager to apply these ideas to upcoming legislation we're working on."

The forums included 33 small business owners and leaders from Cape Girardeau, Chafee, Columbia, Imperial, Kansas City, Lee's Summit, Moberly, Monett, Springfield, New Haven, and St. Louis. Participants weighed in with their specific challenges and experiences of making payroll, obtaining loans, breaking into new markets, staying afloat with limited demand, and training and retaining employees, to name a few examples. They also offered ideas about how the federal government can help small businesses overcome many of these challenges.

"The most important thing we need to do is to help free up credit to help the small business owners compete on a level playing field, so that they can have the cash flow they need to create jobs," Corey McDonald, owner of Paveguard Technologies in Lee's Summit, said. "I think Senator McCaskill is playing a vital, active role in working with business owners to come up with solutions to create jobs and I really appreciate what she did - by talking to the actual people who are creating the jobs. It was very, very beneficial."

Owner of Medicap Pharmacy in Chaffee, Kevin Teagarden, said, "Technology is great! For those of us who write a letter or email to our congressional representatives we never know if the representative actually reads it. Wednesday I had the privilege of attending a video conference with Senator Claire McCaskill. She made time during a crazy day of hearings and debates to sit in her Washington DC office and talk/listen to business men and women. Thanks to video conferencing WE were able to discuss problems business is facing today. What a great way to know Senator McCaskill is interested in listening to us!"

Executive Vice President of the Springfield architectural firm, Butler, Rosenbury and Partners Tim Rosenbury said, "It certainly sounded like the Senator was genuinely interested in the concerns of small businesses in this economy. And, when she disagreed with any of the remarks we made, she said so."

President and General Manager of Barnhart Industries in Imperial, Anna Boehm, said, "I would like for the senator to help develop solutions to help existing businesses like mine that are seeing their business go overseas. What resources exist or can be created to aid my efforts, and others like me, to morph existing business into a more futuristic strategy to employ those displaced workers that are being trained to think "green", to be more tech savvy and energy efficient with the stimulus monies already implemented." She also said, "Senator McCaskill came off genuine and knowledgeable about the plight we small businesses are facing in regards to the financial chokehold small businesses are facing today."

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