Dear Editor:

One of your readers in a letter to you tried to convince people that a tax cut for the rich was not a small business issue. What many people do not understand is that in most small businesses, the owner’s salary is combined with any profit their business may have. This puts them into a higher tax bracket. Some people call these people “the rich.” Unfortunately these high tax brackets most often leave them without spare funds to grow their businesses.

The Small Business Administration uses the NAICS (North American Industry Classification Codes) to define small businesses. Under these codes, shellfish fishermen with revenues under 5.5 million dollars or other marine fishermen with revenues under $7.5 million are classified as small businesses. Their salaries and profits when combined put them into high tax brackets. They are the so called "rich." They do not consider themselves to be rich, but the government does. The harder they work, the more punished they get by taxes.

Others classified as small businesses with revenues less than $7.5 milion include: marinas, B&B’s, campgrounds, caterers, full service restaurants, general auto repair shops, beauty salons and landscaping services to name a few.

The owners of these businesses are ambitious and many will grow and hire more people if given the opportunity to do so. Let’s not hobble these businesses with unreasonable taxes.

Capitalism is the engine that enables us to enjoy the standard of living we have in this country.

Richard Stevenson Sr.

Boothbay