Small Businesses Join Forces with Occupy Wall Street

Main Street business owners: “We are the 99%, too”.

Learn more: www.mainstreetalliance.org

(WASHINGTON D.C.) - As the momentum of the Occupy Wall Street movement continues to grow, with hundreds of demonstrations across the U.S. over the weekend, a new voice is entering the debate in support of the 99% movement: Main Street small business owners.

The Main Street Alliance released the following statements today from small business owners from coast to coast explaining their support for Occupy Wall Street:

David Meinert is the owner of Big Mario’s Pizza & 5 Point Café in Seattle, WA. Big Mario’s sent 100 slices of pizza to the occupiers in Seattle’s Westlake Park shortly after the occupation started. Big Mario’s now makes two deliveries per day from people calling in from all over the city who want to donate pizza to the occupiers. Big Mario’s and its customers have donated over 100 pizzas to Occupy Seattle. Meinert said:

“I’m a small business owner. I work hard. I take risks. I create jobs. And I’m part of the 99%.

“Small businesses don’t need more tax giveaways for the rich. We don’t need more money spent on bank bailouts, subsidies for oil companies, corporate agribusiness, and the wars. We need money reinvested in American infrastructure, education, and people. My businesses wouldn’t exist without these reinvestments.

“The 1%’s willingness to sacrifice our democracy for their own fortunes and power, to risk working people’s retirements with risky investments, to exploit our natural resources for personal gain – these are not sound business principles. Any small business that operated that way would be run out of town in a week.

“I’m proud to join other small business leaders in support of the 99% movement. Let’s do what we do best and find ways to support the protesters through our businesses, whether it’s feeding them, clothing them, or helping them get their – our – message out.”

Melanie Collins, owner of Melanie’s Home Childcare in Falmouth, ME, has been participating in Occupy Maine events, marches and meetings alongside other small business owners, people working multiple jobs, Republicans, Independents, Tea Party members and Democrats. Collins said:

“Small businesses enthusiastically support the 99% movement. It’s basic math: to create jobs, we need customers, but the richest 1% can’t spend their exploding fortunes fast enough to keep the economy going for the other 99% – which includes virtually every small business.

“To create jobs, we need to restore our customer base which was decimated by the financial crisis. How? Lift up our 99%. Pass the American Jobs Act. Write down underwater mortgages. Regulate banks and big businesses to protect the 99% from our taxes being used for more bailouts, gambling, outrageous bonuses and lobbying against us. Stop spending cuts, tax haven abuse, corporate tax loopholes. Tax big business – make the wealthy and Wall Street pay their fair share to raise money for local job creation. These are the things that will help small businesses create jobs.”

Kit Schackner, owner of Foley-Waite Associates in Bloomfield, NJ:

“Those at the top of the financial chain who share direct responsibility for this recession have not been held accountable. They have not suffered the losses they have visited on millions of small businesses across America. While Main Street struggles to cover costs, make payroll, and stay in business, Wall Street continues to bank record profits.

“Until small business owners see some accountability at the top, until we see that our pain is shared by those who created it – the bankers and the CEOs – we will stand in solidarity with Occupy Wall Street.”

The Main Street Alliance is a national network of state-based small business coalitions. MSA creates opportunities for small business owners to speak for themselves on issues that impact their businesses and local economies.

Learn more: www.mainstreetalliance.org