Introducing her new small-business tax proposal, Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris told voters, “It’s not that they don’t have the skills, not that they don’t have the work ethic, it’s access to these resources.” (Eesha Pendharkar | Maine Morning Star)
In Kamala Harris’ first appearance in New England as the Democratic nominee, she spoke to thousands of voters in New Hampshire about her proposed tax cut for small-business owners, highlighting their contributions to the economy.
At Throwback Brewery in North Hampton, Harris, joined by U.S. Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan, and U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas of New Hampshire, outlined her new proposal incentivizing small-business development and growth that her campaign is calling the “opportunity economy.”
During the speech, she detailed her vision for America’s economy and tax code, and contrasted her proposal to strengthen the middle class to former President Donald Trump’s plan to offer tax cuts to billionaires.
Harris and the other speakers stressed the initiatives under the Biden-Harris administration that led to doubling of small-business loans and broke the record for the number of small-business applications, and Harris revealed a new promise to expand the tax deduction from $5,000 to $50,000 for business start-ups.
“They’re pursuing a dream, they’re building a better future for their employees and for the people they love in their community,” the vice president said about small-business owners. “And by extension, they’re building a strong middle class and a stronger America.”
Harris outlined her goal to receive 25 million small-business applications – there were 19 million under the Biden-Harris administration – during her first term if elected, which she said could be made possible through the tax benefit she promised. The country’s tax code is passed by Congress, so it will depend on which party wins control of the U.S. House and Senate in November to determine whether the tax proposal will pass.
“We know that talent exists everywhere in our country, from rural towns to city centers, but not everyone has access to the financing … or expert advice,” she said. “It’s not that they don’t have the skills, not that they don’t have the work ethic, it’s access to these resources.”
“Let’s just take away some of the bureaucracy in the process to make it easier for people to actually do something that’s gonna benefit our entire economy,” Harris added.
Nicole Carrier, one of the owners of the North Hampton brewery, described her experience starting and growing a small business, and the help she got from the Biden-Harris administration. She had not taken a public stance on politics before this election, she said, but this time, she felt like she didn’t have a choice.
“To me, this is not about party, it’s really about values,” Carrier said. “She’ll bring together all of us, entrepreneurs and workers, large and small businesses alike, to invest in America, create jobs, and deliver for all Americans.”
Before Harris introduced her tax cut proposal, Shaheen, who chairs the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, spoke about her experience with the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to supporting small-business owners, which has led to more business applications and doubled the amount of small-business loans.
“This means that small businesses across the country have more access to capital. They have more opportunity to invest in their businesses, and they’re able to create more new good jobs,” Shaheen said.“This election, we need leaders who are going to prioritize American businesses and families.”
Harris addresses gun rights after school shooting
Harris also spoke about the importance of personal freedoms, including reproductive rights, marriage, and voting. In the wake of a shooting at a Georgia high school that left four dead on Wednesday, she said “reasonable gun control,” like background checks, was not out of line with supporting the Second Amendment.
“Now, I don’t have to tell the folks in New Hampshire, the Live Free or Die state, the importance of individual freedoms, fundamental freedoms,” she said. “You know how hard you fought for these and that they are foundational to who we are and what we stand for as America, including the fundamental freedom of a woman to make decisions about her own body.”
She said Trump “hand picked” his U.S. Supreme Court appointees with the intention that they would overturn Roe v. Wade. She also pointed to the high court’s decision to establish broad presidential immunity as a reason the stakes were higher in this election than in 2016 or 2020.
“Just imagine Donald Trump with no guardrails,” Harris said.
(The Bulletin’s Claire Sullivan contributed to this report.)