To Our Member,

This is your column a permanent place where you, as NASE Members, can respond to the articles you read in Self-Employed America, express opinions about legislative issues, and share ideas about running the smallest of small businesses.

Address your letters to Editor, Self-Employed America , 2121 Precinct Line Rd., Hurst, Texas 76054. Or send a fax to Editor, Self-Employed America, (817) 428-4210. You can also reach us by e-mail at mailbox@nase.org or by accessing the NASE Web site at www.nase.org.

The Editors


Member to member

I want to thank you for the wonderful article you wrote about me in SEA (March/April). I left for Florida just a few days after the article came out and returned to find 24 phone messages, many of them in response to the article. I've talked to people all over the country, including a postal worker who saw the article while sorting mail. I've made several new business contacts and have contracted to do work for a man in California. Jami Deise from the NASE office in Washington, D.C., asked permission to circulate the article among the local news media. As you can well imagine, this has been a great experience for me, and I can't thank you enough for profiling my business.

I wish you continued success with the NASE and SEA. The new format is quite an improvement, and the Web site is impressive as well.

Debby St. Charles,
Owner, St. Charles
Piano Restorations
NASE Member, Maryland

Taxing debate

I just read the letter written by Jim McLaughlin in the May/June issue. I find it hard to believe that an NASE Member would honestly support our "progressive" tax system and lambaste Congressman Bill Archer's plan to cut taxes.

The progressive tax system McLaughlin claims is responsible for our "booming economy" is the most inequitable form of socialist wealth distribution known to mankind. Americans have had it with taxes. Give us a strong military, maintain the federal highway system, keep all essential government operations in place and show everyone else the door. When fiscal sanity returns to the federal government, a 5-percent national sales tax would pay for everything any of us would ever need.

John Geerlings
NASE Member, New York

Impressed by ShopTalk

I am writing to commend you concerning one of your consultants who has been a delight to work with. Recently an individual asked if I could franchise my company. Just off the top of my head, I said "sure, I can do that." If the truth be known, I knew nothing of franchising.

I called the NASE, and you fortunately had ShopTalk 800. Of all the individuals who I've talked with over the last several weeks, the consultant was not only the most helpful, but also friendly, entertaining and just a nice guy.

If all your other benefits and con-sultants are as impressive as this, then my membership in the NASE is well worth the money.

Judy Koechel
Idea Factory
NASE Member, South Carolina

Supporting the LAN

I am happy to contribute $125 toward the NASE's Legislative Action Network. The NASE is concerned about the very things I consider important:

  • full deduction of health insurance premiums;
  • further increases in the deductions of self-employed Social Security taxes;
  • clarification of independent contractor status, with no tax liability as a result of a business having to re-classify workers as employees;
  • higher meal allowances and full deduction of meals and entertainment;
  • relaxed rules on the home-office deduction.
What in the world has happened to this country, which should be a model for entrepreneurship and individual vision? Was this country not built on the premise of encouraging people to seek their dreams, work resourcefully and reap the rewards? Somehow, the dream has turned into a rocky road full of obstacles. It should not be nearly this hard to operate a small business. Clearly, we've got a lot of work to do to change the rules which discourage our efforts. It's a very tall order, so I hope this money will help.

Steve Farrington,
General Partner JPS Reps
NASE Member, Georgia

Follow-up question

I just read the article about Debra St. Charles in the March/April issue. In it she mentioned that she was hesitant to hire independent contractors because of the unclear IRS rules. This comment reminded me about Senate bill 1610, which SEA covered in the May/June 1996 issue. Is there any news about the status of that bill?

Steve Henslee
SKLH Consultants
NASE Member, Alaska

Senate bill 1610 died last year. Currently there is new legislation in the House and Senate that would broaden the "safe harbor" clause for independent contractors. If passed, anyone who had written a contract or was incorporated would automatically be considered an independent contractor. We'll keep NASE Members informed as this issue progresses. In the meantime, you might want to join the NASE Legislative Action Network, a grassroots group of individuals that is especially interested in governmental action.



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