Despite Debate, S. Fla. Small Businesses Thrive With Government Loans
NORTH MIAMI (CBS4) - Leiland Paul's been on the job at North Miami's Fresh Diet market for about 3 months.
"It means a lot to me because it's like hard to find a job these days," said the Hollywood resident.
As a sales associate, he opens the store and tracks inventory. Over the past few years, the company's grown from a one-store local business, to a national chain with new operations in Chicago, New York and Dallas.
"I know a lot of people who like have dropped out of school or moved away because they just can't find a job," said Paul. "I was really lucky."
The Fresh Diet was able to expand it's business and hire Paul because of a recent federal loan from the Small Business Administration.
It's part of Washington's push to try and grow small companies to boost hiring.
Company Vice President Ray Willig says the S.B.A loans are important to help get people back to work.
"This kind of help is vital, it's what fuels these kind of businesses that create jobs," said Willig.
But it turns out the S.B.A. Loans come under attack recently from critics who say Uncle Sam doesn't have the money to spend on private companies, and the loans should come from private banks, not taxpayers.
"It really is choking off growth in our economy as a result of some of the extremism that has allowed that has taken hold of the Republican Party," said Florida Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz
But Paul doesn't really care about congressional politics. He's happy somebody helped his new employer expand and grow enough to go from 20 employees a few years ago to more than the 220 workers it has now.
"It's a really thing because people really need jobs, especially in this area," said Paul.
