Opinion Polling Shows Small Business Owners Support Ending Government Subsidies to Oil and Gas Companies

Small business owners strongly support ending government subsidies to gas and oil companies, with 73 percent agreeing tax breaks for oil and gas companies should be eliminated and 60 percent supporting the idea even if it means a small increase in gas prices, according to opinion polling released today by Small Business Majority.

 

The polling, which was conducted over the past week in six states (Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Virginia and Nevada), comes on the heels of a statement President Obama made in the White House Rose Garden Thursday urging Congress to end tax breaks to the largest oil companies. Despite this strong support, the Senate failed to pass a bill that would do just that in a 51-47 vote Thursday. The majority of senators stood with small businesses to end subsidies, however a 60-vote majority was needed to pass the bill.

 

“Large oil and gas companies have been and continue to post record profits, while our primary job creators are struggling to stay afloat,” said John Arensmeyer, founder and CEO of Small Business Majority. “Instead of providing tax breaks to these large firms we should be focusing on measures that will directly benefit small businesses competing in a modern, innovative, clean energy-based 21^st Century economy. Lawmakers need to start listening to what small business owners are saying and act accordingly.”

 

Additional findings include:

For more information on the poll, visit http://www.smallbusinessmajority.org/small-business-research/clean-energy/