Health care and taxes
are the top concerns of small businesses, according
to the results of the first online poll of the AICPA
Virtual Grassroots Panel. The poll, conducted in Feb.,
provides a snapshot of the small business environment
in which CPAs are actively involved.
Small business success has long been
important to CPAs. In fact, it was identified as one
of the profession’s four critical message areas
as part of the AICPA’s new CPA Ambassador Program
(The CPA Letter, Jan.) which mobilizes CPAs
as highly trained and influential spokespeople.
Approximately 400 CPAs were polled
on four topics: the concerns of small business in local
economies; CPAs’ strengths and capabilities beneficial
to the small business community; the organizations serving
small businesses; and the top state or national legislative
and regulatory issues affecting small businesses. Health
care and taxes were deemed "extremely important"
among small business concerns, with other pressing issues
being labor, the local economy, declining profitability,
succession planning and OSHA.
Asked about CPAs’ strengths that
are extremely important to the small business community,
respondents said the ability to create trustworthy,
high-quality relationships, and objectivity and integrity.
Additional attributes considered very important included
the capability to provide a breadth of services; being
attuned to broad business issues; possessing detailed
knowledge of a business or industry; having the expertise
necessary to work with small businesses through various
business cycles; and the capability to link data, knowledge
and insight together to provide quality advice for decision
making.
On the subject of organizations most
valuable to small businesses, respondents said specific
industry groups or associations. State/local economic
development agencies, chambers of commerce and the Small
Business Administration were mentioned as well. Other
organizations noted included colleges and universities,
local community organizations, governments, churches,
and small business and minority development centers.
Tax-related issues emerged as the top
priority legislative and regulatory issues for small
businesses. Within tax issues were such items as the
consistency, complexity, compliance and structure of
tax laws; state income tax laws; increasing state taxes;
property taxes; estate taxes; payroll taxes; the amount
of total tax burden; interstate tax compliance and tax
relief. Health care, which covered issues such as health
care insurance, access, laws and availability, was the
second topic of priority. Wage/hour laws, workers compensation
and the cost and complexity of regulations also surfaced
as areas of concern.
About the Panel
The Virtual Grassroots Panel is a sounding board of
more than 500 members who provide their views and thoughts
on issues facing or likely to face the profession. Members
from all areas of the profession and from around the
country comprise the all-volunteer VGP.
Questions concerning this poll should
be addressed to Leigh Knopf, VGP Liaison, AICPA Strategic
Planning Team.
lknopf@aicpa.org
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