Obama’s payroll tax cut a bonus for small businesses

Steve Brown, Las Vegas

Sunday, April 24, 2011 | 2:01 a.m.

In March 2010, Congress passed President Barack Obama’s proposed payroll tax cut for employers. When Sen. Scott Brown voted with the Democrats, he was called a traitor. I saved about $1,400 because of that.

Then in December, Obama wanted another payroll tax cut for employers for this year, but the Republicans stopped him. Now I have to pay a lot more in taxes.

The president did get a payroll tax cut (Social Security) for employees — the reduction isn’t from your income taxes. It’s 2 percent off the top of your gross wages.

So if you make $500 a week before taxes are taken out, you save $10. If you make $30,000 a year, you save $600. If you make $50,000 a year, you save $1,000. If you make $100,000 a year, you save $2,000.

The president got that for you. You do not have to pay it back at the end of the year. The Republicans were fighting for, and got to extend, the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy.

I can’t understand why Democrats don’t mention this. I own a small business and have been helped by Obama, and I would have been helped even more if Republicans had let him.

Come on, Democrats, you did something really good for small-business people and average workers. Let’s not keep this a secret.