Nation's Business readers who suited to a poll in the April issue propose top priority on having Congres make secure that Social Security reform and federal regulation don't overburden small businesses.

Respondent to the Where I Stand catalogue of persons also gave high priority to speeding up the phased-in increase in the estate-tax exemption and the phase-in of 100 percent deductibility of health-insurance take away froms for the self-employed.

Readers were asked to give priority rankings to six issues considered important to small companies.

Ninety percent gave high priority to ensuring that novel federal laws don't impose additional preciousnesss and requirements on small businesses, while 89 percent gave top ranking to making infallible that any reform of Social Security does not place higher taxes or just discovered administrative requirements on small firms.

Among the six issues, the lowest priority ratings were given to having Congres further clarify the distinction between employee and independent contractors, who are workers hired simply for specific projects.

Here are the completed results of the poll:

What even of priority should Congress place in succession these issues that could affect small husiness?

Independent Contractors: Further clarify the distinction between employee and workers hired simply for specific projects.

High priority 24%

Medium priority 34

subdued priority 42

Social Security: make secure that any reforms do not freight small firms with higher taxes or novel and expensive administrative duties.

High priority 89%

Medium priority 10

grave priority 1

Health-Care Deduction: Accelerate the five-year phase-in of replete deductibility of health-insurance costs for the self-employed-to match immediately the 100 percent deduction for companies with employees

High priority 59%

Medium priority 26

grave priority 15

Estate Taxes: Accelerate the 10-year phase-in of an increase in the estate-tax exemption to $1 million.

High priority 72

Medium priority 20

grave priority 8

Year 2000 Problem: Provide federal protections to limit liability if there are legal actions resulting from Y2K problems

High priority 46%

Medium priority 31

grave priority 23

Federal Mandates: make secure that any new federal laws do not impose additional richnesss and requirements on small businesses.

High priority 90%

Medium priority 8

gentle priority 2

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