Is ObamaCare Really Going to Help Small Business? With Increased Taxes and Fines?

Ask your representative the following question: Why are you imposing additional mandates and taxes on small businesses, which create the overwhelming majority of new jobs, in the middle of a severe recession?

Despite a 9.5% (and rising) unemployment rate, the health care bill in the House of Representatives imposes a new 8% payroll tax on small businesses with payrolls of $400,000 or more that don't provide health insurance for their employees. This is in addition to the current 15% payroll tax. What this means is that any employer with a payroll of $400,000 dollars or higher will have to pay at least 25% above the salary just to hire someone. Common sense tells you that any struggling small business will likely lay off workers to avoid this additional tax. On the other hand, if the tax is cheaper than the cost of health insurance, larger businesses may opt to cancel their health insurance, forcing employees into the government’s "public option," and simply pay the 8% fine

Source: Wall Street Journal, July 15, 2009