Congressman Cleaver Welcomes Kansas City Councilman to Washington for State of the Union
“Scott Taylor is a tenacious advocate for small businesses in Kansas City, who has worked to make Kansas City, Missouri, a beacon for business beyond the metropolitan area,” said Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, II. “Small businesses created over two-thirds of the new jobs over the last fifteen years. But America's twenty-seven million small businesses continue to face a lack of credit and tight lending standards, with the number of small business loans down nearly 5 million since the financial crisis in 2008. We have made progress, but we can and must do more to keep our economy and our small businesses going strong.”
Councilman Taylor led the effort to “Cut the Red Tape” out of Kansas City, Missouri, identifying and implementing sixty-two specific suggestions to make it easier for small businesses to grow. “Cut the Red Tape” outlines four key action items identified by the committee to help small businesses thrive in Kansas City, including: creating a positive, business-friendly customer service culture at City Hall; enhancing business-concierge services at KC BizCare to create the best physical one-stop shop in the United States; creating the best virtual one-stop shop for small business in the United States; and creating better access to capital for local companies through an innovative micro-loan program.
“I am pleased that our Small Business Committee work continues to be recognized at the national stage, as we are one of the first city councils in the country to undertake this comprehensive effort to advocate for our small family-owned businesses,” said Councilman Scott Taylor. “Congressman Cleaver has been a strong advocate and partner in our efforts to assist small businesses.”
At the federal level, with Congressman Cleaver’s support, Congress has passed and President Obama has signed eighteen direct tax breaks that bolster small business growth, including new credits for hiring unemployed workers and veterans and investing in new equipment. With the America Invents Act, Congress collectively cut red tape to help small businesses and entrepreneurs raise capital from investors more efficiently so they can expand and hire more quickly. And with the Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act, Democrats and Republicans came together and established a tax credit that helped an estimated 360,000 small businesses with the cost of providing health insurance for 2 million workers in 2011. That credit will increase in 2014.
“We can protect our consumers, safeguard workers, encourage our small businesses, and ensure that all Americans have the chance to start out on a level playing field,” stated Congressman Cleaver. “We can create an atmosphere of innovation and entrepreneurship, while ensuring we have responsible levels of realistic regulation. I look forward to continuing to work with stakeholders at all levels of government, from Councilman Taylor and other members of the City Council, to my colleagues in Congress, and above all, my constituents, to keep this effort going.”
Councilman Taylor is an attorney by trade and a resident of Kansas City, Missouri. His full biography is available here.
Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee and also serves as a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus.