A number of steps are being taken to ease the credit environment for small businesses, in recognition of their role as a job creation engine. A number of tools for businesses earning up to $15M annually are tax tools including the possibility of writing off losses over the past five years and taking a $250K investment write-off good for this year. It is also taking several steps to get loans jump started. The Small Business Administration is said to guarantee $20B annually, but in this environment, lack of investors has in on track for half that. The government will step in and pick up the slack with an eye toward making payroll, at least stopping job loss and perhaps stimulating new hires, and encouraging investments in the business. Senate leadership in the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) both hailed the effort.
RBR/TVBR observation: This could not only help businesses which are clients of broadcasters, it potentially could help smaller broadcasters directly. If your company is under the $15m threshold, it may pay to take a close look at what this program and the SBA have to offer.
