Social Security Reform Low on Business Owners' Priorities

Social Security reform may top President Bush's domestic agenda during his second term, but a sample of the nation's business owners and senior decision-makers indicated that health care and tax reform are two far more pressing issues on their mind. A survey of nearly 1,700 small business owners conducted by PNC Financial Services Group Inc., a division of PNC Bank, showed that health care reform and tax reduction were listed as top priorities by 32 percent and 29 percent of those surveyed, respectively. Meanwhile Social Security reform was cited by just 14 percent of respondents. Coming in third place was deficit reduction, with 19 percent listing that as an issue that they feel should be addressed this year.