Small-business priorities.

• Author: Heffes, Ellen M.
• Position: STRATEGY - Brief article

SBA (the National Small Business Association) unveiled the top 10 small-business priorities identified by its members. No surprise: broad health-care reform came in first.

The rest of the list comprises:

2. Fair labor practices in the workplace;

3. Small business innovation research reauthorization, expansion and strengthening;

4. Mandatory employee leave;

5. Access to capital;

6. Alternative minimum tax;

7. Credit-card reform;

8. Energy policy;

9. Estate tax reform; and

10. Self-employment tax on health care.

The priorities identified by the members will shape how the organization works with Congress and the Obama administration on issues of critical importance to the small-business community.

Small businesses, states the press release, "face unique challenges that put them at a disadvantage not only among their industry...