Don Howell's Blog

Small Business Organization Endorses Howell

Harwich, MA --  In a statement released Thursday September 11, 2008, the National Federation of Independent Business Massachusetts (NFIB) SAFE Trust Pac endorsed the candidacy of Don Howell in his bid for Representative in the 4th Barnstable District. Bill Vernon, NFIB State Director thanked Howell for his “…commitment to the needs of tens of thousands of Main Street small businesses…”

The NFIB was founded in 1943 as a nonprofit voice of small business to give small business owners a way to shape public policy through a unique members-only ballot process. Their stated mission is to “…promote and protect the rights of members to own, operate and grow their businesses.” Vernon also went on to thank Howell for “…standing with us on the issues important to small business.”

Howell, who is attempting to unseat freshman legislator Sarah Peake in the November 4th election, said he was “…grateful to receive the NFIB endorsement.” Noting that there are many struggling small business owners in the district, Howell went on to say “I owned a small seasonal business for more than a decade on the Cape, so I know how hard it is to make ends meet and provide for your family.”

The NFIB small business endorsement came on the heals of a dismal score of 38% for Sarah Peake given by the Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM) on their 2007-2008 legislative scorecard. On their website, AIM states that it “… releases its Scorecard at the end of each two-year legislative session to ensure that members know legislators' records on key economic and public policy issues, and to recognize those lawmakers who understand the importance of a vibrant economy for all residents.”

Howell went on to note “we have a lot of problems which need to be addressed, including education, the environment, and housing. But all these problems will require money – taxpayer money. On the Lower Cape, most of us are small business people trying to raise a family. Someone needs to pay attention to those families for us to succeed together.”