Several small North Carolina business owners said that Democrat Barack Obama's tax proposals would harm their efforts to expand their businesses, provide benefits to their employees, and provide charity to the community.

"Under Barack Obama's redistribution of the wealth, I would have to lower expenses," said Travis White of Sure-Gen Inc. in Wilmington which employes 23 people, Rob Christensen reports. "I would have to drop the benefits I provide."

April Byrd, owner of Solid as a Rock Construction in Charlotte, took exception to Obama's comments that he wanted to "spread the wealth" comparing it to socialism.

"It goes against everything America stands for," Byrd said.

The teleconference was organized by the campaign of Republican John McCain and included former state House Speaker Harold Brubaker of Asheboro and Cindy Morris, owner of Winstar Homes of Raleigh.

Obama is proposing to roll back the Bush tax cuts for households earning more than $250,000 per year and increase the capital gains tax from 15 to 20 percent for the same income group.