HispanicBusiness

Members of a small business group in Montana say it's in their best interest that the President and Congress not cut benefits to the middle class and make the super wealthy pay its fair share in taxes.

Three small business owners -- including one from Butte -- spoke during a conference call Friday to talk about these concerns.

The call was hosted by the Montana Small Business Alliance as part of a campaign called "Listen to Main Street, Not Wall Street."

The business owners talked about the effect program cuts would have on the middle class, the "fiscal cliff" and corporate tax reforms during the brief conference.

Brian McGregor, owner of the Silver Dollar Saloon, 133 S. Main St., Butte, said he was frustrated with the political rhetoric during the recent campaigning from politicians talking about small businesses. He claims Wall Street's priorities only benefit large corporations and the wealthy.

"I know and they know damn well they're not talking about small businesses like mine," McGregor said.

Anna Doran, proprietor of The Big Dipper in Helena, echoed the sentiment that small businesses aren't the same as large businesses and have different needs. She said that small businesses need a fiscally secure middle class in order to maintain a "healthy customer base."

Gy Moody of Cleaner Image Janitorial in Billings believes the nation's wealthiest, which he called the "2 percent," don't need further tax cuts.

"It's their turn (to pay more taxes)," Moody said. "Trickle down (economics) looks great on paper, but it doesn't work."

He added that small businesses need to stick together on these issues, because if one fails, then others fail.

McGregor noted that, as a small business owner, he's not against large corporations being successful. He said small businesses and large businesses mutually benefit each other.

"When we do well, the top does well," McGregor said.