Article: Billions in aid to banks not reaching many seeking loans ; Lending giants tough on small-business owners

Last month, Tim Burr needed $35,000 to boost his small software company, so he applied for loans at Bank of America and Citibank, both of which took billions of dollars in government bailout funds intended to spur lending and lift the economy out of a recession.

They turned him down.

"I thought, `I can't believe this!' These programs are supposed to help small business during tough times," said Burr, chief executive of Scopic Software in Rutland. "They were no help whatsoever."

Now he has taken another route - seeking approval for a Small Business Administration loan from Middlesex Community Savings Bank, a 31-branch bank that did not receive bailout money.

Like Burr's, many small ...

Related newspaper, magazine, and journal articles:

 
 
Newsweek Harper's Magazine The Washington Post Chicago Tribune Crain's Chicago Business PRNewswire Pediatric News The Nation Advertising Age The Economist (US) A FREE trial gives you access to over 80 million articles! Access over 6,500 publications with a FREE trial!