COuRTERR, JOURNAL Letters to the Editor America Needs Tax Reform Now Dear Editor: Our elected officials campaigned on promises of reforming the tax code to provide assistance to ‘small businesses and grow the economy ~ and the time has come to deliver on those promises. The tax code we have been living under for the past. 80 years is severely outdated, overly complicated, and has such a high rate that it puts American businesses at a competitive disadvantage. ‘As a small business owner, | am reminded of how badly we need meaningful tax reform ~ and how the burden of getting this done is squarely fon the shoulders of our elected officials. The tax code must be simplified to provide relief for ‘middle-class Americans and business owners. With a top corporate tax rate of 35 percent, U.S. businesses simply can't compete properly’ with international rivals whose own tax systems arc ‘much more pro-business. The rate and code can. be particularly burdensome for small businesses, which puts a real damper on our economy. Not only do small businesses employ half the private sector of the American work force, they also. produce nearly half of our Gross Domestic Product. Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and yet the federal government offers them very litle support with an outdated ‘and complicated tax code. Passing tax reform is essential to growing the economy. It is time for the House, Senate, ‘and the While House to come together on tax reform and take advantage of this truly rare ‘opportunity to pass real. pro-growth tax reform. We likely won't have such an opportunity again for a very long time, so failure is not an option. Widespread support for tax reform already exists. in Washington, and voters have made it clear time and time again that this is a priority. Our Senators and Representatives must take action ‘and position the United States to achieve global ‘We have put our county at a competitive disadvantage and made it unnecessarily harder for businesses to succeed for too long, This is our ‘one opportunity to change it. Future generations are counting on our elected officials to provide ‘comprehensive, small-business focused tax reform quickly. I encourage all Floridians to contact their Representative and urge them to take swift action on this critical issue. Mike Cribby Owner of Prestige Aluminum Railings