A project of NFIB, Small Businesses for Sensible Regulations is a broad coalition of small business owners, farmers, manufacturers and associations committed to ensuring federal regulations do not harm jobs and stifle economic growth. Learn More »
Earlier this week, about 200 small business owners gathered in Washington, DC, to participate in the National Federation of Independent Business’ (NFIB) Small Business Summit. There they raised their concerns over regulatory burdens with Members of Congress and other key policymakers. Following the summit, NFIB president Dan Danner called on business owners to keep the momentum going:
Chris Hurn, coalition member and owner of Mercantile Capital Corporation, attended the NFIB Small Business Summit this week and spoke with us about the impacts of federal regulations on his small business.Watch Chris’ video below to learn more about his story.
This week, around 200 NFIB members and small business owners traveled to Washington, D.C. to attend NFIB’s Small Business Summit. They came from all across the United States to meet with their members of Congress and attend seminars with key policy and opinion leaders. Read More »
This week’s “Small Businesses In the News” included the following stories:
Small Business Owner Calls for Regulatory Reform
Mansfield News Journal, 5/9/12, Letter to the Editor by coalition member Jerry Miller
Coalition member and small business owner, Jerry Miller, writes in his letter to the editor that “small businesses need government policymakers and agency appointees to focus on restoring balance to the regulatory process, so American businesses can create jobs and compete with our foreign competitors who do not have this burden.”
Bill Herrle: Overregulation harming Florida’s small businesses
The Gainesville Sun, 5/11/12, LTE by NFIB Florida Director Bill Herrle
When you speak to Florida’s small business community, you consistently hear one concern; uncertainty. Uncertainty of work load, eligible skilled workers, gas prices and the economic recovery. Beyond operational uncertainties, there is growing anxiety concerning governmental regulations.
NFIB FL Director:Regulations Creating Small Business Barriers
Tallahassee Democrat, 5/11/12, Op Ed by NFIB Florida Director Bill Herrle
Americans support making practical changes to enable small businesses to grow. A survey by Small Businesses for Sensible Regulations found more than 80 percent supported common-sense reforms such as giving business owners a greater voice in the rule-making process and subjecting new rules to independent review. Such down-to-earth measures would not only alleviate the pressure on the small business community but also ensure that new policies work more effectively and in tandem with the private sector.
This week, hundreds of small business owners from across the country will travel to Washington, DC, to participate in the NFIB’s Small Business Summit where they will engage national leaders on the issues threatening the small business community. Ahead of the summit, a number of headlines note the damage impractical policies are having on small businesses. Read More »
As we move into the heart of the political season, the need to bolster small businesses in America has been front and center in just about every candidate’s message. And while all this attention is encouraging, the need for immediate action is imperative.That’s why this month I am traveling to Washington, with a dozen other Florida small-business owners, to address the burdens that complex tax codes and regulations put on Florida’s independent business community.
(Source: Tallahassee Democrat, 5/11/12, “Bill Herrle: Regulations crush small businesses,” Op Ed by Bill Herrle)
When you speak to Florida’s small business community, you consistently hear one concern; uncertainty. Uncertainty of work load, eligible skilled workers, gas prices and the economic recovery. Beyond operational uncertainties, there is growing anxiety concerning governmental regulations.
In the last few years, business owners have seen a growing trend in what some call “over-regulation.” While regulation is surely necessary in various industries, it is the excessive and unpredictable regulations that are the most harmful.
(Source: The Gainesville Sun, 5/11/12, “Bill Herrle: Overregulation harming Florida’s small businesses,” LTE by Bill Herrle)
Our nation’s small businesses are faced with an ever-increasing amount of burdensome and sometimes unnecessary regulations, inhibiting economic growth and job creation.
Unfortunately, federal bureaucrats do not seem to realize the impact these regulations have on my 25-employee shop, compared to a 400-person shop, and the negative effect on our country’s economic recovery.
(Source: Mansfield News Journal, 5/9/12, “Rules, regulations make it hard for small businesses,” LTE by coalition member Jerry Miller)
A customer seeking a particular kind of spray paint might not always be able to find what he’s looking for at Brothers Hardware and Variety in West Lafayette.
That’s because of burdensome federal and state regulations on certain products, store owner Ed Chapdelaine said.
“The customer may come to my shop, go to two or three other places before he finds what he needs,” he said. Read More »
Motorists looking to have a car air conditioner recharged might see the cost of the service double in the coming years because of federal regulations on the refrigerant used.
Or find their local auto shop no longer provides the service because of the cost involved.
Bean Brake and Front End Service Owner John Frank is considering just that.
He said the refrigerant has cost about $5 per pound wholesale for about the past 15 years — before that, it was less than $1 per pound. But new Environmental Protection Agency regulations on ozone-depleting chemicals being developed could cause the price to soar to $85 per pound.
(Source: Zanesville Times Recorder, 5/6/12, “Small-business owners asking for relief from regulations,” by Brian Gadd)
Ty Baker-Baumann owns Rebsco, Inc. in Greenville, OH. In this exclusive video, produced by the National Federation of Independent Business, she details the impact that burdensome regulations have on her business.
“In my community – small business, large business – I don’t know any of my customers who don’t want to be compliant, who don’t want to provide proper safety gear for their employees, who don’t want to train their people to be safe and train their people to be safe and work effectively. And yet, you’re constantly feeling like no matter what you do it will never be good enough because the target is always moving.”
NFIB held a small business tour at Lubromation in Charlotte, North Carolina. The event featured Small Businesses for Sensible Regulations coalition member Dale Dorsey, President of Lubromation and NFIB NC State Director Gregg Thompson. Check out the highlights below.
Perry, FL
Richard Schwab owns M.A. Rigoni, Inc, a logging and timber business founded in 1960 that employs 35 people in Perry, Florida. Recently Mr. Schwab has been forced to deal with expensive and complicated EPA regulations that have cost his business time and money.
NFIB held a small business tour at Augusta Steel Corporation in Verona, Virginia. The event featured Small Businesses for Sensible Regulations coalition member Raymond Shaner, Vice President of Augusta Steel Corp. Check out his story below.
Pittsburgh, PA
David Cranston, President of Cranston Material Handling Equipment Corp., has recently been diverting more and more of his attention away from managing his business in order to meet compliance standards. In 2006 the Pension Protection Act dictated that David’s company would need to report on its 401k accounts four times a year instead of just once, as previously required. Effectively the change required David’s business to significantly increase its reporting, augment its records, and dedicate additional hours to meet these new regulations.
