Boise Franchise Industry Leader Urges Congress to Focus on Small Business as Part of Recovery

Sept. 14, 2011 - PRLog -- WASHINGTON, D.C., – Lane Kofoed, CEO of Assisting Hands Home Care of Boise, Idaho met with members of the U.S. congressional delegation about how a return to pro-growth policies in Washington is critical to job creation by franchise small business owners during the International Franchise Association (IFA) 12th Annual Public Affairs Conference held in Washington Sept. 13-14.

Kofoed joined over 500 franchise leaders from around the country in Washington to urge Congress to lobby for increasing small business access to credit by asking lawmakers to support a strong Small Business Administration (SBA) 7(a) loan program, ensuring small businesses have long-term tax certainty, and for repeal of onerous provisions in the health care law.

“We urged congressional leaders to pass provisions to make more credit available to small businesses and to remove the onerous and costly provisions in the health care law, such as the employer mandate and health insurance tax,” Kofoed said.  “Credit access has a direct correlation on job creation in franchising, as studies show for every $1 million in lending to franchises creates 40 new jobs.”

Kofoed highlighted the importance of franchising to the U.S. economy during
meetings with members of Congress.  According to a study conducted for the IFA Educational Foundation by PwC on the economic impact of franchising, over 825,000 franchise establishments across 300 business lines provide for nearly 18 million jobs and generate over $2.1 trillion to the U.S. economy, he said.

The Assisting Hands President & CEO Kofoed often quotes Ronald Reagan who said: “Entrepreneurs and their small enterprises are responsible for almost all the economic growth in the United States. With available credit and pro-growth regulatory policies, franchise businesses can be a solution to job creation and put our country on the road to economic recovery.”

Assisting Hands is headquartered in Boise, Idaho and has over 20 offices and 1500 employees throughout the United States.

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Assisting Hands Home Care offers experienced caregivers that provide individualized services plans for in-home, non-medical care. Assisting Hands gives family member peace of mind and allows loved ones to live with dignity in their own home.