(MYSTIC) - Rob Simmons, candidate for US Senate, visited small businesses in Farmington and Norwalk today in his ongoing statewide small business tour laying out his five-point Plan for Prosperity:
 
Farmington
 
Simmons kicked off the day with a visit to a subdivision in Farmington being developed by family-owned JFC Endeavors, Inc. JFC Endeavors employs over 20 employees and often hires subcontractors and temporary employees for various projects. Simmons met with employees and toured the subdivision. Members of the Farmington Republican Town Committee and Hartford Home Builders Association were on hand to attend.
 
"Rob has always been a champion for small businesses like this one. As a construction company, we've had easier times, but this comes with competition and business cycles," said John Carrier of JFC Endeavors. "We don't ask for bailouts. We don't ask for special favors, we just want to get the government off our backs and allow our company to compete and thrive. Rob gets this. As a member of Congress and Connecticut's Business Advocate, he's not new to the challenges we face, and I can see that wisdom in his plan," added Carrier.
 
Among his other proposals, Simmons pledged to "kill the death tax once and for all," citing how the onerous tax stifles investment and often forces families to sell businesses they've spent lives building.
 
Norwalk
 
Simmons took the tour to Norwalk to visit Creative Video Corporation a small business that produces marketing and training videos for various companies and non-profit groups. During the last few years, the company has been forced to lay off four employees due to rising health care costs and a slowing economy.
 
Francisca Rodriguez-Pena Bogdan, President of Creative Video Corporation praised Simmons' efforts as State Business Advocate helping the company implement a new strategy of reaching out to potential non-profit clients. "As state Business Advocate, Rob advised us to not only continue to work with our core client base - corporations - but also to actively market to the non-profit sector and implement a strategy that has helped us through these tough times," said Bodgan.  "His plan will help our business cut health care costs and keep taxes low so that we can grow again."
 
Simmons praised their work helping non-profits market their goods and cited his plan to create a refundable health care tax credit for individuals and families and call for association health plans as a way to bring down health care costs for small business owners. "Small businesses are the engine of our economy and create 70% of new jobs. They will lead us out of this recession and put Connecticut back to work," said Simmons.
 
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