President Barack Obama and Congressional Democrats are laying out plans for job creation packages using some of the $115 billion in TARP money big banks have repaid to the government, said the Wall Street Journal.

One part of the legislation would authorize approximately $110 billion in emergency spending to extend unemployment insurance, fund food stamp increases and subsidize private health insurance for the unemployed.

A second “jobs” bill would cost up to $70 billion and be funded by the bank bailout, said the Wall Street Journal. That plan would funnel more money to municipal projects like highway and bridge building and school construction and repair. Other money would be given as direct aid to state governments that have been forced to cut services and raise taxes to balance state budgets.

And some repaid bailout funds would be lent to small businesses directly from the Treasury, said the Wall Street Journal.

Republicans oppose using the returned TARP money for a jobs bill. Instead, they want to the money to be used to reduce the federal budget deficit.

A Health and Human Resources Department report released Thursday says health insurance reform will lower health-care costs for small businesses.

Small businesses are disproportionately burdened by the financial strains caused by rising health care costs. On average, small businesses pay up to 18 percent more than large firms for the same health insurance policy. This difference is due in part to high broker fees, which can be up to 10 percent of premiums, and administrative costs that can be three times those in the large group market, according to a press release from HHS.

Nearly half of workers covered by a small business employer have insurance that limits the total amount the plan will pay for medical care and nearly one in 10 small business workers have a health plan that does not offer prescription drug coverage, said HHS.

Health insurance reform will bring down costs for small businesses by creating a health insurance exchange, providing a tax credit for small businesses that provide health insurance and preventing arbitrary premium hikes. Reform will also ensure Americans have stable, secure insurance coverage, limit out-of-pocket spending and eliminate caps on benefits, according to the report.

The National Federation of Small Businesses is approaching health care reform cautiously and remains opposed to employer mandates and a public option.

Visit www.HealthReform.gov to find out more.

It’s traditional to rate a new administration at the conclusion of its first 100 days in office.

But the Obama administration might want to take a closer look at how they are faring with small business owners.

A new survey highlighted in an April 13 edition of Bizjournals found widespread displeasure with the president among small business owners.

Nearly 60 percent thought the president didn’t understand the needs of small firms and more than 40 percent were less optimistic about the national economy than before President Barack Obama took office, the survey said.

The Internet survey was conducted in March by City Business Journals Network and involved interviewing 301 CEOs and presidents of companies with five to 499 employees. Follow up phone interviews showed clear anger over the federal bailouts.

Pat Moore, owner of a private-duty health care firm in Kansas, worried about the specter of inflation, while others believed the large bailouts set a terrible precedent.

Several small business owners said even huge companies should be allowed to fail.

“If you didn’t run your business properly and you can’t survive, go away and let the strong survive, because that’s the way it’s always been, and that’s the way it should be,” Ronnie Nudelman, owner of a Buffalo printing company, told City Business Journals Network.

Not every review was negative.

One small business owner gave Obama credit for reaching out to small businesses to try to understand their needs, the report said.

Naturally, other concerns included loosening the credit market and that perennial small business woe — the high cost of health insurance.

The survey found that two-thirds of respondents were concerned that health care reform would mean higher costs for them.

The swine flu outbreak has cost Mexico’s economy at least $2.2 billion, with the tourism industry and small businesses hit the hardest.

Mexico’s finance secretary last week said the government will pump $1.3 billion in stimulus money into the economy. The government will temporarily cut health insurance payments for small businesses and reduce taxes for airlines and cruise ships, according to the Associated Press.

Because of the flu scare, many airlines have canceled flights to Mexico and hotel occupancy rates have been cut nearly in half.