Getting Down to Business

By Mike Porter

U.S. Rep. Eric Cantor, R-7th, hosted a “Job Creators Forum” at Virginia Commonwealth University yesterday to discuss how government regulations and tax policies impact businesses.

“The purpose of the job forum is to focus on how we can improve the climate for small businesses and entrepreneurs to create jobs,” Cantor said at the start of the hour-long event.

Neil Amine, CEO of Shamin Hotels in Chester; Elizabeth Benley, EVP of Consumer Banking at Union First Market Bank in Ruther Glen; John F. Biagas, president and CEO of Bay Electric Co. Inc., in Newport News; Fletcher Mangum, managing partner of Mangum Economic Consulting in Richmond; and Robert Skunda, president and CEO of the Virginia BioTechnology Research Park in Richmond, participated in the forum.

Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling moderated the discussion.

“We are seeing some indication of economic recovery but there is a lot of uncertainty,” Bolling said.

Cantor and the business representatives discussed the impact of federal regulations and economic uncertainty on businesses and the potential impact on the business community of new federal health care policies. The panel then responded to written questions submitted by the audience.