John Stephen Releases Small Business Survival Plan, Announces Business Leaders For Stephen Team

For Immediate Release                                                                                               Greg MooreJuly 17, 2008                                                                                                 (603) 206-1223 x1013John Stephen Releases Small Business Survival Plan, Announces Business Leaders For Stephen Team

PORTSMOUTH, NH- At a press conference at a Portsmouth small business, 1st District Congressional Candidate John Stephen today released his Small Business Survival Plan, a 12-point plan to help small businesses grow.  In addition, he also released his Business Leaders for Stephen Team, a group of business leaders who will advise Stephen on issues impacting businesses and the best way to expand the economy.

"Small businesses across New Hampshire and the nation are struggling to survive with the enormous pressures against them," said Stephen.  "Skyrocketing prices of energy, transportation, food and rising labor costs are squeezing small business owners' efforts to keep their companies running.  Running a company is hard enough without an intrusive government putting barriers before our entrepreneurs.  This plan will let our entrepreneurs flourish by keeping taxes low, getting energy prices under control, lifting the regulatory burden and making health care more affordable.  This is what small business needs to grow good, high-paying jobs for the future."

The Plan includes steps to make the tax cuts of the past decade permanent, expand domestic energy production to reduce the cost of gas and oil, cut capital gains taxes, review all federal regulations for a cost/benefit analysis, make health care more affordable and accessible, eliminate the alternative minimum and death taxes and cut capital gains taxes.  Stephen noted that these plans are critical to getting small business moving again.  He pointed out that last month, small business created the fewest number of jobs in over six years.

"Government must be working for the small businesses of America, not against them, with massive tax increases, a crushing regulatory burden and an archaic tax code," added Stephen.  "35% of small businesses fail within two years.  It's tough to make a small business work, and we should be looking at ways to help our companies grow, with government as a partner, not an adversary."

John Stephen is the former Commissioner of Health and Human Services.  Prior to that position, he served as the Assistant Commissioner of Safety, where he also worked as the state's first Homeland Security Coordinator. Stephen also served as a prosecutor for 10 years, in Hillsborough County and as an Assistant Attorney General.  He is a Manchester resident.###
Attached:       Business Leaders for Stephen Small Business Survival Plan

JOHN STEPHEN'S BUSINESS LEADERSHIP TEAM

  Jean  Abourjeili  Maroun Auto Sales  Kingston  Karen  Acton  New England Brace Company  Hooksett  Matthew  Albuquerque  Next Step Orthotics and Prosthetics, Inc.  Manchester  Kevin  Attar  Surge Resources, Inc.  Londonderry  Jeff  Back  Captree Capital, LLC  Rye  Robert  Bennett  Bennett Brokerage  Manchester  Rusty  Bertholet  Logs of Fun  Weirs Beach  David   Blanchfield  Minuteman Medical  Manchester  Jonathan  Bliss  Village Cigar Emporium  North Conway  Paul and Anita  Blizzard  Lakeport Landing Marina  Laconia  Mel  Borrin  Preferred Management and Vacation Rentals, Inc.  Center Harbor  John  Bosen  Bosen & Springer, PLLC  Portsmouth  Marc  Bourgeois  MB Tractor and Equipment  Tilton  Ronald  Bourque  Bourque Associates International  Windham  Carolyn  Brown  Carolyn's Tailor Shop  North Conway  Crissy  Brown  Chill Day Spa  Manchester  John  Castelot  AMS Financial Corp.  Manchester  Dawn  Chambers  Dawn Chambers Agency  Manchester  Garrett  Chambers  Dawn Chambers Agency  Manchester  Alvin "Buzz"  Coleman  Alvin J Coleman & Son, Inc  Conway  Benny  D'Agostino  Benny D'Agostino Real Estate  Exeter  Tom  DeSisto  DeSisto Plumbing  Ossipee  Lisa  DeStefano  DeStefano Architects  Portsmouth  Tom  Dewhurst, III  The Law Offices of Thomas E. Dewhurst III  Conway  Ron  Doucet  The Best Western and Executive Court Inn  Manchester  Michael and Janet   Dunican  North American Equipment Upfitters, Inc.  Hooksett  Gerard  Duval  Sashwell Painting  Manchester  Elie  El Chalfoun  MegaX Gas Station  Allenstown  Lisa  Filteau  JustNo1 Like Basketcases  Bow  Luke  Freudenberg  Winnipasaukee Waterfront Management  Wolfeboro  Michael  Galante  Galante Auto Sales  Bartlett  Lou  Gargiulo  Great North Property Management  Portsmouth  Gerald and Judith  Giles  Heritage Storage Center  Portsmouth  Paul  Gladstone  Gladstone Mitsubishi  Manchester  Mark  Gosselin  Gosselin Construction  Manchester  Jim  Gray  Buckey's Tavern and Restaurant  Moultonborough  Charlie  Griffiths  Vigilant Inc.  Dover  Arnold  Hanson, Jr.  Isaacson Structural Steel, Inc.  Glen  Jim  Hendrix  Visual Persuasion, LLC  Amherst  Ray  Hindle  Outerworks International  Rye  J. Quinn  Hogan  Northwestern Financial   Manchester  Jim  Jalbert  C&J Lines  Portsmouth  Craig  Jewett   Jewett Construction  Raymond  Michael  Kane  Kane Company  Portsmouth  George  Kassas  Cedar Point Communications  Derry  Fred  Kfoury  Central Paper  Manchester  Stephen  Kniaz  Adaptations Unlimited  Dover  Judy  Krahulec  Cottage on the Weirs  Weirs Beach  Scott  Labnon  Town and Country Motor Inn  Gorham  Lisa  Larrabee  Benefit Profiles, LLC  Bedford  Grand Master Jong Soo   Lee  Lee's Martial Arts   Manchester  Linda  Lee  Lee's Martial Arts   Manchester  Robert  Longhcamps  Longchamps Electric  Manchester  Peter  Lukas  Brothers North Plaza  Hampton  John  Madden  Birch REA Partners 
  Roland  Martin, II  Pro Con, Inc.  Manchester  Chet  Matheson  White Mountain Classics, LLC  Moultonborough  Francis and Barbara  McDonnell  Cimarron Realty Trust  Seabrook  Katherine  McDonnell  KLM Events, LLC  Stratham  Michael  McDonnell  Northeast Capital Group  Seabrook  Paul  McKeon  Bid2Win Software  Portsmouth  Elie  Merheb  Royal Bakery  Salem  George  Merheb  GM Wholesale  Derry  Lina  Merheb  Tobacco World  Salem  Ron  Montplaisir, Jr.  CCM Supply  Manchester  Peter  Morrissette  Joyce Janitorial  Laconia  Chuck  Morse  Freshwater Farms Nursery  Atkinson  Tom  Moulton  SleepNet Corporation  Hampton  Steven  Nassoura  Creegan & Nassoura Financial Office  Portsmouth  Doug  Newell  Calexus, LLC  Derry  Carmel  O'Brien  O'Brien's General Store  Seabrook and Portsmouth  Scott  Ouellette  O Steaks and Seafood and Canoe Restaurant  Laconia  Yash  Pal  The Chateau Restaurant  Manchester  David   Patch  Patch's Market  Glen  Ron  Patch  Patch's Market  Glen  Steven  Payne  Independent Electric Supply  Manchester  David  Penchansky  Penchansky & Co., PLLC  Manchester  Mark  Poirier  NH Precision  Manchester  Bob  Preston  Preston Real Estate   Seabrook  Joseph  Ramy  Lafayette Sunoco  Portsmouth  Donna M.  Richey  The Arts of Amherst Village  Amherst  Chris  Riddell  Special Events of New England  Auburn  Renee  Riedel  Two International Group  Portsmouth  Jonathan  Rivers  Indian Mound Golf Course  Ossipee  Neil  Robbins  Insurcomm Construction, Inc.  Portsmouth  Bernie   Ruchin  Fieldstone Woodcraft  Bedford  Aziz  Saba  AGR Foodmart, Inc.  Derry  Kenneth  Scarpetti  Profiles Self Storage  Hooksett  Lucretia  Schafroth  Captree Capital, LLC  Rye  Russell  Scrocca  RJS Tool and Supply  Concord  Jeff  Semprini  Country View Restaurant  Greenland  Wayne  Semprini  Great Island Associaties  New Castle  Ron  Severino  Severino Trucking  Candia  Ann and Peter  Shibley  Shibley's at the Pier  Alton Bay  Stephen  Singer  Merchants Auto Group  Hooksett  Patricia  Stell  My Mountain Kitchen  North Conway  Barbara  Stepanek  White Cliff Communications  Manchester  Charles  Stephen  Glenwood Investments  Manchester  Arthur  Sullivan  Brady Sullivan  Manchester  Harold  Sullivan  Sullivan and Sullivan Insurance  Manchester  Siobhan  Tautkus  Abbott Executive Search  Manchester  Brian J.  Thibeault  Joseph Equipment Company  Manchester  Kip  Tibbets, III  Hooksett Tool and Supply  Hooksett  Nick  Vailas  Bedford Ambulatory Surgical Center  Bedford  Kurt  Wicks  The Wicks Insurance Agency  Manchester  Brad  Wiggin  Newport Computers  Hampton  Dr. Walter  Wrobleski, Jr.  Walter G. Wrobleski, Jr. MD., Internal Medicine  Nashua  Betty and Niel  Young  Rush Courier  Laconia  Stanley  Ziemba  Empire Sheet Metal  Manchester