Politics & Government

Connolly Joins Small Business Community for Lunch in Falls Church

Confidence needed for the future of small business.

Congressman Gerry Connolly attended a joint luncheon hosted by the Falls Church Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Merrifield Business Association Tuesday afternoon in the City of Falls Church.

Fresh from a New York trip, Connolly (D-VA) told the room of businessmen and women we are in a stalled economic recovery. He said the current job market in the private sector bolstered a growth of 2 million positions last year.

“But that’s offset by the public sector,” Connolly said to the lunch crowd. “We lost a half million jobs in the public sector.”

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Connolly spent more than 30 minutes answering questions from the local business community on issues ranging from small businesses to President Barack Obama’s "American Jobs Act of 2011." Obama said the American Jobs Act of 2011 provides a tax cut for small businesses, to help them hire and expand now, and an additional tax cut to any business that hires or increases wages. Connolly said he supports the proposed bill except for the calling for caps on charitable contributions and mortgage deductions.

Connolly said capping charitable contributions would affect non-profits tremendously. He also said a lack of credit is causing problems for small businesses.

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“We need more confidence in the future,” Connolly said. “A lot of small businesses are feeling the credit crunch in ways larger businesses aren’t.”


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