Small Businesses Haunted by New Taxes and Mandates
As many Californians prepare for a night full of fright this Halloween evening, small business owners have much more to fear than spooky costumes and decorations. Our final The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly update of the year illustrates some of the most severe taxes and mandates which are sure to haunt small businesses […]
Legislative Wrap-Up Leaves Challenges Ahead for Small Businesses
With the conclusion of the first year of the 2017-2018 legislative session last week, small business owners are taking stock of the unfortunately long list of new taxes, mandates, and regulations passed this year. The supermajority party did not shy away from utilizing their 2/3 voting power in both the Senate and Assembly to raise […]
New Taxes, More Debt, and Higher Labor Costs Are Not the Solution to Our Affordable Housing Crisis
As the California Legislature moves to act on a series of bills dubbed the “Affordable Housing Package,”NFIB announced our opposition to three key bills in the package: Senate Bill 2 (Atkins); Senate Bill 3 (Beall); and Senate Bill 35 (Weiner) on behalf of our 22,000 dues-paying small business owners. There is no debate or question that […]
Home Stretch: Small businesses brace for End of Session Legislative Battles
As the California legislature reconvenes this week for the remainder of the 2017 half of the 2017-18 two-year session, small business owners remain concerned that Sacramento will pass additional taxes, fees and regulations which impact their business and employees. This year alone, small businesses and working families have been hit with billions in new taxes, […]
NFIB Index: Small Business Optimism is Up
The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) monthly Index of Small Business Optimism, released yesterday, rose 1.6 percent in July to 105.2, a strong performance led by significant gains in hiring activity. Strong consumer demand is boosting small business optimism at the federal level. Small business owners are feeling better about the economy because their customers are feeling better […]
Cap and Trade Deal Will Raise Costs, Hurt Small Businesses
California has a full-time legislature with more staff than any other state in the nation, but for some reason, Governor Brown and the Supermajority Party have made it a habit of reserving large, sweeping public policy actions for private closed-door deal making and rushed votes before arbitrary deadlines. The $15 minimum wage hike, the gas […]
Small Business Urges Senate to Pass Healthcare Reform
Obamacare has been burdensome for small business. This week, the Senate has a chance to do something about it. Year after year, when the National Federation of Independent Business surveys its members, they say their number one priority is healthcare, but the Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare, has made things more difficult for […]
Legislative Halftime: NFIB Announces Updated Small Business Priorities
Following the annual legislative house of origin deadline, NFIB California reflected on our victories and challenges ahead with our “The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly” bill list. Each year we proactively identify which bills will have the greatest impact, either negative or positive, to our 22,000 small businesses across California. Throughout the year we […]
Bills that are Good, Bad, and Ugly for Small Business Approach Deadlines
May is a critical month for legislation to move through various policy and fiscal committees before the house of origin deadline. Any Assembly bill which does not make it to the Senate (or Senate bill to the Assembly) by June 2 is effectively dead for the remainder of the calendar year, but can be revived […]
Senate Bill 1 Will Hurt Small Businesses and Working Families
California is already the most expensive state in the nation to run a small business and raise a family. From the moment you wake up in the morning, get your cup of coffee, drive to work, work a long day, buy dinner for your family, and end your day, you have been hit with more […]