Business owners and executives across the nation are telling Congress and the President to stop the $700 billion tax giveaway to the richest 2 percent over the next decade and instead invest in small business job creation and 21st century infrastructure. Lead signers on a petition organized by Business for Shared Prosperity include the U.S. Women's Chamber of Commerce, whose more than 500,000 members are mostly small business owners, The South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce, American Sustainable Business Council, American Made Alliance, National Latino Farmers & Ranchers Trade Association, Green America, New Voice of Business, Social Venture Network, Responsible Wealth, Sustainable Business Alliance, Vermont Business for Social Responsibility and Atlanta Women in Business.

Margot Dorfman, CEO of the U.S. Women's Chamber of Commerce, said, "The high-end tax cuts are contributing to America's financial ruin - not our economic success. They are not good for small business. They are not good for America. They should expire as scheduled on December 31."

Brian Setzler, President and Founder of TriLibrium in Portland, Ore. said, "As a certified public accountant and business owner, I know the impact of taxes up close and personal. And the claim that ending Bush-era tax cuts on income over a quarter of a million dollars will hurt the economy, reduce employment and burden small businesses is patently false."

Lya Sorano, founder of Atlanta Women in Business and member of Business for Shared Prosperity said, "You've heard people argue that we have to extend all the tax cuts because tax cuts at the top go to small businesses and small businesses create jobs. That we need more jobs is indisputable. But it's a myth that tax cuts on the biggest incomes help small businesses create jobs."

"Our members want the government to be a good partner in building a successful, sustainable economy for the long-term, not handing out short-term tax cuts that don't create jobs and don't rebuild our failing infrastructure," said David Levine, Executive Director of the American Sustainable Business Council, a partnership of 27 organizations representing over 60,000 businesses and more than 150,000 entrepreneurs, owners, executives, investors and business professionals.

Individual petition signers come from across the country and a wide mix of businesses - from apparel, accounting, books, business consulting and farming to hospitality, finance, technology and construction. They include for example, Daniel Turner, President and CEO, TCG, Washington, DC; Vincent Siciliano, CEO, New Resource Bank, Millbrae, CA; Michael Teahan, Vice President, Espresso Parts Source, Van Nuys, CA; James Colen, Managing Member, Golden Anchor Trading, Plantation, FL; Bill Flynn, CEO, Paeon Partners, Chicago, IL; James Jachimiak, Owner, Square Deal Contracting, Franklin, IN; Camille Moran, President/CEO and Owner, Caramor Industries, Natchitoches, LA; Susan Labandibar, President and CEO, Tech Networks of Boston, South Boston, MA; David Stirling, President, Stirling/Brown Architects, Inc., Winchester, MA; Tim Smith, Senior Vice President, Walden Asset Management, Boston, MA; Jack Kinstlinger, Chairman Emeritus, KCI Technologies, Baltimore, MD; Susan Edgington, Partner/Co-Owner, Adventure Inn of Ely, MN; Lew Prince, Managing Partner, Vintage Vinyl Inc., St. Louis, MO; Ben Collins, Owner, Salins Group, Charlotte, NC; Rick Poore, Owner, Design Wear, Inc., Lincoln, NE; Dan Pike, Principal Owner, Architectural School Equipment, Rollisnford, NH; David Pease, Owner, Pease Accounting Services, Santa Fe, NM; Richard Sprout, Owner, Two Rivers Bookstore, Binghamton, NY; Ajax Greene, Founder/CEO, On Belay Business Advisors Inc, Gardiner, NY; John McColgan, General Contractor/Innkeeper, Nature & Grace Incorporated/Belle Pepper's Bed & Breakfast, Joseph, OR; Joseph Magid, President, Gryphon Systems, Inc., Wynnewood, PA; Gregg Jocoy, Owner, Clips By Fax, Simpsonville, SC; Karen Cummings, Partner, Cummings Ranch and Construction, Gatesville, TX; Jeffrey Hollender, Co-Founder, Seventh Generation, VT; Gary Lemke, Owner, Gary L. Lemke Landscaping, Potter, WI; and many more.

See list of current signers here. Sign-On is continuing at www.businessforsharedprosperity.org.

For more information, see the Business for Shared Prosperity report, The Business Case for Letting High-End Tax Cuts Expire.

To arrange interviews with business organization leaders and business owners and executives around the country, contact Bob Keener at 617-610-6766 or bobkeener@businessforsharedprosperity.org.

Business for Shared Prosperity is a network of forward-thinking business owners, executives and investors.

Business for Shared Prosperity

Business for Shared Prosperity

Business for Shared Prosperity is a new network in formation of forward-thinking business owners, executives and investors committed to building enduring economic progress on a strong foundation of opportunity, equity and innovation. The network supports public policies and business practices that broaden economic opportunity, expand wealth ownership, reduce inequality, and are sustainable.

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