Responsible Weath is organizing a petition of business owners to preserve a responsible estate tax...

BUSINESS OWNERS FOR A RESPONSIBLE ESTATE TAX
Sign-On Statement

We, as owners of America's small and mid-sized businesses, believe the repeal of the federal estate tax would be bad for our businesses, our communities, and our nation.

America's investment in publicly funded infrastructure provides the foundation for our success. For example, our public schools provide us with an educated pool of employees. Emergency services protect our property and our customers. Courts defend our contracts and settle disputes.

As the ones who work hard to make our businesses successful, we object to being used as "poster children" for a tax break that would not help most of us, but would instead give nearly $1 trillion to America's richest families over the next two decades. By moderating ever-larger concentrations of wealth and economic clout, the estate tax helps make small businesses more competitive, which is essential to our nation's economic growth and security.

We support reform of the estate tax to reduce its effect on some small and medium sized businesses. This includes raising the exemption level, and simplifying and extending the special protections that already apply to estates with significant small business and family farm assets. Most of us will not have to pay the estate tax if the exemptions are set at a reasonable level. Those of us who have estates above that level believe paying the estate tax is a fair way to ensure that future generations will, like us, have the opportunity to succeed in a competitive and healthy America.

• PROTECT SMALL BUSINESSES
• LET AMERICANS PLAN WITH CERTAINTY
• REWARD THE AMERICAN ETHIC OF HARD WORK
• MAKE THE ESTATE TAX FAIR FOR ALL AMERICANS

Sign the Business Owners Statement at ipetitions: http://www.ipetitions.com/campaigns/Business_Owner_Estate_Tax/



Posted by John S. Irons, 02:47:35 PM

Wednesday, June 23, 2004