October 19, 2011 THE VILLADOM TIMES I & II • Page 11 The Mahwah Regional Chamber of Commerce and a consortium of BergenPassaic chambers are promoting a legislative amendment, S-2874, to help New Jersey’s small businesses. The bill gained the support of business and government leaders at a recent gathering at Blend restaurant in Ridgewood. Bill S-2874 would give businesses with one to 50 employees, including sole proprietors, the opportunity to obtain group health coverage through their Chamber of Commerce. Chambers in New York, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania already provide this benefit. The bill’s primary sponsor, Senator Gerald Cardinale (R-District 39, Bergen), ranking member of the Senate Commerce Committee, stressed the importance of business and government collaboration. “In these tough economic times, it’s critical that government work with business to make health care more affordable,” said Cardinale. Since introducing the bill on May 12, the Senator has garnered support from the bill’s Democratic co-sponsors, Sen. Loretta Weinberg (D-District 37, Bergen), and Sen. Nicholas Scutari (DDistrict 22, Middlesex/Morris/Union). Throwing his support behind the bill was Thomas A. Bracken, president and CEO of the New Jersey State Chamber Chambers of commerce gain support at the state level of Commerce. “The Bergen County inter-Chamber Bill S-2874 is a great opportunity to make our state more competitive with our neighbors in New York and Pennsylvania….we need more grassroots ideas, like S-2874, from the business community to continue making New Jersey more business friendly,” Bracken said. The chairman of the inter-Chamber committee is John DePalma, MPH, regional director of UHY Employee Benefits Consulting Services and member of the Mahwah Regional Chamber of Commerce. According to DePalma, “If the State of New Jersey is serious about growing the economy, then it must give the one-person company the same rights as a two-person company.” The effort to change the law was begun over a year ago by Dr. Annette Freund, immediate past president of the Mahwah Regional Chamber of Commerce. Over 200 other Chambers statewide have been invited to join in a letter-writing campaign. “We need to explain to our legislators and the governor that a vote for this bill is a vote for small business,” said Freund. “Saving money on group health insurance could free up capital for hiring new employees, support the economic recovery, and encourage over Senator Gerald Cardinale, District 39, Bergen; John DePalma, regional director of UHY Employee Benefits Consulting Services and member of the Mahwah Regional Chamber of Commerce; and Thomas A. Bracken, president and CEO of the New Jersey State Chamber of Commerce. half a million individual proprietorships to stay in New Jersey.” For more information, or to join the letter-writing campaign, visit www. mahwah.com or call the Chamber office at (201) 529-5566.