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Sisters, Oregon
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The contents of the on-line edition of The Nugget represent a selection among the stories that appear in the weekly print edition.

SBA chief visits Central Oregon

Hector V. Barreto, administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), was in Bend on Monday, November 10, making a whistlestop on the agency's nationwide Economic Growth Tour.

The event provided a forum for area small businesses, SBA's resource partners, community leaders and elected officials to discuss the challenges and opportunities that small business faces in the region.

Sisters businesses had close contact with the SBA this fall as they took advantage of the agency's emergency loan program in the wake of the B&B Complex Fire.

The emergency loans help businesses cope with disasters that cause a serious financial hit. Some 42 Sisters businesses took out applications for loans.

Barreto acknowledged that Sisters businesses face the possibility of further interruptions if winter landslides again cut off Highway 20.

SBA loans for the B&B Complex Fire disaster probably wouldn't be extended to cover such incidents.

"These will probably be treated as separate events, Barreto said.

Further SBA loans could be made available if a highway blockage is severe enough that Oregon's governor declares an economic disaster.

The cost of health insurance coverage tops the list of concerns among many small business owners, including those in Sisters.

"It's the thing we hear most often across the country, Barreto said. "It's really a crisis for small businesses in the United States.

Barreto praised action taken in the U.S. House of Representatives to remove legal barriers to small businesses pooling in "association health plans across state lines to reduce cost.

The issue is not on the calendar for the Senate.

"One of the things we need to do is let the senators know how important this issue is, Barreto said.

During his visit to Central Oregon, Barreto toured a small business: Discovery Corner, Inc., a child-care center and preschool. After receiving a tour from Discovery Corner's Business Director Susan Sano and School Director and founder Dana Heath, Barreto led a roundtable discussion with several local small-business owners. Following the roundtable, Barreto spoke at a luncheon at The Riverhouse Resort, for more than 300 local small business leaders.

The events were part of SBA's nationwide "Economic Growth Tour: Listening to America's Job Creators.

The tour, part of SBA's recognition of the agency's 50th anniversary, allows small business owners to meet with government officials and discuss the issues that are impacting their businesses today.

As part of the tour, business owners across the country are being encouraged to send thoughts and comments to the SBA at sbalistens@sba.gov.

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