Celebrating Women's Equality Day; Fighting for the Middle Class and Small Businesses
Celebrating Women’s Equality Day
On Thursday, we celebrated the 90th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, granting women the right to vote. Today, I gathered with women leaders in San Francisco to honor the brave suffragettes who marched, struggled, and sacrificed for the cause of equality – and in the name of a better life for generations of women and girls yet to come.
In San Francisco, our tradition of women’s rights has long remained strong and enduring. In the early 1900s, women marched along Market Street to demand their civil rights. Maud Younger organized women in the workplace here and across the country. Later, in the 1920s and ‘30s, Congresswoman Florence Kahn would represent this City as the first Jewish woman in Congress. Recognizing the role she could play as a national leader, she once said that, “the woman in political office must remember her responsibility toward other women.”
In Congress, we continue build on the work of the early suffragettes by improving the lives of women. From the Lilly Ledbetter Act to health insurance reform, we are giving women the tools to secure fair treatment in the workplace and build healthier lives at home. Women now make up half of America’s workforce, and for the first time in history, three women serve as justices on the United States Supreme Court.
Despite all the progress we have made, we know there is still a long way to go. Women still make up just 17 percent of both the House and Senate, and earn 77 cents for every dollar men make. It is past time for the Senate to take up the Paycheck Fairness Act – already passed by the House – to right this wrong.
Nine decades after the 19th Amendment took effect, our journey for equality goes on. Standing on the shoulders of giants, we must embrace our heritage and never stop fighting for a brighter future for every American. We can honor the suffragettes by engaging in the political process and embracing our right to vote.
Fighting for the Middle Class and Small Businesses
San Francisco, always a leader in innovation and entrepreneurship, has a thriving community of women-owned small businesses. During these times of economic challenge, small businesses in our neighborhoods and across the country are facing a lack of credit and tight lending standards. Democrats are fighting to help these businesses access the tools and resources they need to stay afloat now and thrive in the future.
San Franciscan William Ortiz-Cartagena discusses the significance a Recovery Act loan made to his small businesses.
Small businesses have created two-thirds of new jobs in the past 15 years, and they will play a critical role in our economic recovery. Despite this fact, Congressional Republicans have opposed our efforts to help small businesses – standing with corporate interests over the American middle-class and spreading misinformation about tax increases.
During the 111th Congress, President Obama has signed the following legislation into law to help small businesses save and create jobs:
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act:
- Allows small businesses to extend the carryback period for up to five years for net operating losses incurred in 2008
- Enables small businesses to expense up to $250,000 for capital expenditures in 2009
- Provides work opportunity tax credits to employers who hire unemployed veterans and disconnected youth
Results in San Francisco: William Ortiz-Cartagena, owner of Gentle Parking, received a loan from Opportunity Fund through the Recovery Act that enabled him to stay in business, save six jobs, and hire six new employees.
- A payroll tax holiday for businesses that hire unemployed workers, to create some 300,000 jobs and an income tax credit of $1,000 for businesses that retain these employees
- Exempts employers from paying the employer share of Social Security employment taxes for wages paid in 2010 for any new employee that was previously unemployed and does not replace another employee
- Extends through 2010 the Recovery Act provision that would allow small businesses to write-off capital expenditures up to $250,000
Learn how your small business can take advantage of the HIRE Act by clicking here.
- Offers immediate and long term tax credits to small businesses to make employee coverage more affordable
- Creates a Health Insurance Exchange where small business employees will have group purchasing power
- In California, 95.1 percent of small firms have fewer than 50 employees and are completely exempt from any responsibility requirements in the new law
- Of the firms that are required to provide health insurance to employees, 95.4 percent already do.
- Additional information on the health reform tax credit for small businesses click here.
- Additional information on the health reform law for small business owners click here.
Results in San Francisco: Virginia Donahue, owner of Pet Camp, is expecting to save $7600 this year through health reform tax credits and will use the savings to help pay for a renovation. Her small business provides health insurance to 15 employees.
Additional Resources for Small Businesses in San Francisco
Small Business Administration
(415) 744-6820
https://www.sba.gov/localresources/district/ca/sf/index.html
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is an independent agency of the federal government that aids, counsels, assists and protects the interests of small businesses. The SBA is the largest source of long term small business financing in the nation but does not, however, make loans directly. To obtain an application for SBA financing, you should contact the lender with whom you have a relationship or an SBA Participating Lender.
San Francisco Small Business Assistance Center
(415) 554-6134
https://sfgsa.org/index.aspx?page=4206
The San Francisco Small Business Assistance Center functions as the City's central point of information and referral for entrepreneurs and small businesses located in San Francisco, providing one-on-one case management.
Small Business Development Center
(415) 841-4050
https://sf.norcalsbdc.org/
The San Francisco Small Business Development Center (SBDC) helps individuals start, manage and grow their businesses by offering advice from business consultants with years of experience who know what it takes to start a business in the San Francisco area & keep it operating profitably.
Alternative Financing Options
Opportunity Fund
To apply for a loan call 1-(866)-299-8171
https://www.opportunityfund.org/small-business-loans/loans-and-services
Opportunity Fund works with Bay Area families to help them earn, save and invest in their futures. Opportunity Fund helps its clients by building a more inclusive financial system through financial education, microfinance loans, matched savings accounts, and affordable housing financing.
TMC Working Solutions
Questions about the loan program call: Sandy Mackovich (415) 655-5472 or Agnes Cheug (415) 655-5471
https://www.tmcworkingsolutions.org/
TMC Working Solutions provides underserved microentrepreneurs with the access to capital and resources they need to successfully start or grow viable businesses. Working Solutions strives to support microenterprise development in an effort to strengthen local economy, create jobs, and build strong communities.
Training, Counseling and Assistance
Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center
(415) 541-8580
Website: https://www.rencenter.org/index.php
Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center empowers and increases the entrepreneurial capacities of socially and economically diverse women and men, and thereby strengthens communities through the creation of sustainable new businesses, new jobs, and the promotion of financial self-sufficiency.
Women’s Initiative for Self Employment
(415) 641-3460
https://www.womensinitiative.org/index.htm
Women's Initiative is a non-profit agency that assists women owned businesses in the Bay Area at seven training sites. Their unique model brings new resources into local communities by targets low-income women, those who are traditionally underserved, including minorities and immigrants.
Urban Solutions
(415) 553-4433
https://www.urbansolutionssf.org/index.html
Urban Solutions mission is to foster the well-being of disadvantaged communities by helping to increase neighborhood commercial vitality, strengthen small businesses, create jobs, encourage diversity and promote sustainability.
SCORE- Small Business
415) 744-6827
https://www.sfscore.org/
San Francisco is part of SCORE "Counselors to America's Small Business," a national nonprofit association dedicated to entrepreneur education and the formation, growth and success of the nation's small businesses. SCORE provides free and confidential business advice and counseling tailored to meet the needs of your small business and your personal objectives.
La Cocina
(415) 824-2729
https://www.lacocinasf.org/
The mission of La Cocina is to cultivate low-income food entrepreneurs as they formalize and grow their businesses by providing affordable commercial kitchen space, industry-specific technical assistance and access to market opportunities.
Mission Economic Development Agency
(415) 282-3334
https://www.medasf.org/ProgramsandService(BusinessDevelopment).html
MEDA’s Business Development Program (BDP) provides a broad array of business support services that can help you start, expand, or improve your small business.
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