Steven Barron, Minot

My wife and I relocated from Washington State and have been trying to get established in our new community. We give money to local charities, from local schools to the veterans’ groups and the fire department, and we want to be as involved in the community as possible. As a small business owner, I care about my employees, so last year I decided to offer health insurance coverage to some with the hope of expanding. Right now I am in limbo as I am waiting to see what the government does so I know what I can do next.

I recently learned about a provision of the Affordable Care Act that is aimed at health insurance companies but will affect everyone else from employers to employees. Premiums are expected to increase in the amount of $500 annually for every covered employee, and this will certainly prevent me from expanding coverage. The reality is that I would have to pass extra costs along to my employees which would present a huge financial burden.

I’m very concerned with how quickly the government is growing, taking too much authority away from the common person and the small business community, which really is the backbone of the economy. Small businesses shouldn’t be forced to shoulder the burden of a new Health Insurance Tax that we can’t afford. We must stand up for the small businesses that prop up our communities by supporting the Jobs and Premium Protection Act which aims to repeal this tax.