He wants the Tucson area business leaders to know about his work on the House Small Business Committee, but U.S. Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Dist. 7) is especially interested that they know about his concern over continued consolidation in retailing, banking and other business.

Speaking at his latest Business Roundtable, presented at the Tucson Association of Realtors’ new offices on North Tucson Boulevard, Grijalva said he’s concerned that the bigger companies get, the less balance there will be in the marketplace.

As co-sponsor of the Community Choice in Real Estate Act (HR-111) at the request of the Realtors, the representative said he was able to block attempts by banks to offer real estate brokerage services. Now, he said he is facing plans by Wal-Mart and other major retailers to enter the banking business, “a move which opens the door to a variety of lending opportunities, from mortgages to consumer credit.”

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Grijalva said, “When you see that much power concentrate in that small a number of entities, you have to be concerned about the net effect on other financial institutions, like credit unions, and the public.”

While a free market means that decisions are based on what’s profitable, he said, “I know the relationship between a vibrant community and a vibrant and successful business community. I also know that three million small businesses in the U.S. account for most of the nation’s employers. That’s why I’m concerned,” he said.

“I don’t want to see us get to the point where a few corporations are so large, they represent an insurmountable barrier to starting a new business. We need to know whether small companies are able to compete.”

Grijalva said he’s also concerned about healthcare and the barrier it is becoming for small business recruiting and retention. While some form of universal basic coverage is essential, he doesn’t want to see “everyone rushing to the lowest common denominator. There’s a middle ground here. We need universal coverage but we need minimum standards that continue to guarantee good healthcare.”

He said, “We need to resolve this, and not in piecemeal fashion. I’m now supporting 27 different pieces of legislation related to healthcare, but the fundamental issues involved will inevitably require a more holistic approach.”

Calling immigration the elephant in the room, Grijalva said there won’t be a solution until the needs of employers and immigrants and the requirements of border security can all be met. He said the McCain-Kennedy proposal was a good start, and so is the Senate’s final legislation, which addresses the need for workers and offers a reasonable process for becoming a permanent resident.

Unlike the House of Representatives-approved bill, which emphasized only enforcement, Grijalva said the Senate bill “is reality-based.” Saying that no solution is possible without bipartisan support, “I hope we get the opportunity to reconcile the House and Senate versions of immigration reform. I hope we can move forward and focus on rational solutions to resolve this complex problem.”

During the roundtable, Grijalva also noted his support for the “Renewing the Dream Tax Credit Act” (HR-839), legislation intended to enhance housing affordability for low and moderate income families. Supported by the Southern Arizona Home Builders Association, Tucson Association of Realtors, the national Association of Realtors and the National Association of Home Builders, as well as the Pima County Administrator’s Office of Youth, Families and Neighborhood Reinvestment, the legislation will encourage new construction and rehabilitation of existing homes by offering a tax credit for residential construction in lower-income communities.

Grijalva said that with Hispanic home ownership rates still trailing the 68.1 percent national average by 20 percentage points and 30 percent of residences in District 7 renter-occupied, “this tax credit will help to create new opportunities for low income communities to become transformed and enhanced, due to the benefits and experience of home ownership.”

E-mail comments for publication to editor@azbiz.com. Contact reporter Philip Moore at pmoore@azbiz.com or (520) 295-4238.

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