From time to time, small business owners must wonder about those whom they have elected to serve in the Capitol. Do our legislators understand the effect their actions have on small businesses around the state? Are they able to put themselves in the shoes of small business owners when voting on legislation that increases taxes, creates new regulations or adds mandates? Most small business owners would be honest and say that not enough legislators have those thoughts when voting.
On a regular basis, NFIB/California tracks the voting records of each member of the state
Assembly and Senate. The Voting Record provides a critically important evaluation of a
legislator’s attitude toward small business. The NFIB/California Voting Record is
developed by selecting key bills proposed by the legislature that affect small businesses.
The votes on those bills are then recorded and a percentage is determined for each
member of the Assembly and Senate.
In 2009, nine bills were tracked for each legislative body, each of which NFIB/California took a position for or against. Topics ranged from increased small business contracting opportunities, to healthcare benefit mandates and greenhouse gas emissions fees. More than eighteen members of the Assembly and more than fifteen members of the Senate had voting records of eighty percent or better.
Last week, NFIB/California released our annual member ballot which was sent to our members around the state to determine their positions on several key policy issues. It is important to note that the questions asked of our members mirrored several proposals that either made it through the legislature last year or were proposed and never reached the Governor’s desk.
Specifically, when asked if California should require employers to provide paid time off
for employees’ personal illnesses or to care for a family member, more than 90 percent
of NFIB members responded ‘no’, slightly more than 3 percent responded ‘yes’ and more
than 2 percent were undecided.
California small business owners also strongly opposed proposals to tax commercial
property at a different rate than residential property. More than 86 percent said ‘no’, 3
percent responded ‘yes’ and more than 2 percent were undecided.
Finally, when polled as to whether California should replace the state sales tax with a
European-style value-added tax, more than 80 percent responded ‘no’. Another 4 percent
responded ‘yes’ and 13 percent were undecided.
California cannot afford the empty talk of well-intentioned and honorable elected leaders.
Elected leaders will never create a single job in the private sector, only California employers, the vast majority of whom employ a handful of workers, will ever have that honor. However, the Governor and legislators do have the opportunity and responsibility to create an environment that allows small business owners to prosper and fulfill the role of creating nearly three-quarters of new jobs in the Great State of California
NFIB members have a way to hold their legislators accountable – the Voting Record –
and now that it is in their hands, legislators would be wise to listen.