After eight “turnaround” years in the Great Lakes State, the small business community in Michigan wants to make sure that the people setting policy in Lansing keep advancing things, and they’ve published their latest “Main Street Agenda” for the 2019 legislative session as a result.
The National Federation of Independent Business — or NFIB — is one of the leading small business organizations in the state, and their new “Main Street Agenda” for Michigan’s political leaders lists the organization’s top priorities for the coming legislative session with an emphasis on continuing the progress toward improving Michigan’s small business economic and business climate.
Charlie Owens is NFIB Michigan State Director. He says, “Over the last eight years tough policy decisions were made that turned our state around and made us a great state to bring a business, grow a business, or start a business.” He cautions, “However, the 2018 elections have brought change to the political landscape and we will be working to ensure that the economic and policy gains in Michigan continue.”
The organization’s Main Street Agenda for 2019 includes action on several issues including maintaining the status quo on 2011 tax reforms that eliminated the Michigan Business Tax.
Owens notes, “Unfortunately, the myth that now small business isn’t paying any business tax continues to persist as an excuse to expand the Corporate Income Tax to non-corporate C businesses, such as sole proprietors, partnerships, LLC, and Sub S entities – or create a new tax on non-C small businesses.” He argues, however, “As every small business owner knows, non-C businesses are paying their business tax through their personal income tax.”
One item on the Main Street Agenda is already in the news with the announcement that House Speaker Lee Chatfield and Attorney General Dana Nessel will be collaborating on further changes to Michigan’s civil asset forfeiture laws.
Regarding that issue, Owens says, “Civil forfeiture laws allow the government to seize private property from a citizen or small business owner without ever charging them with a crime,” and adds, “The legislature has already passed some reforms in the previous session but more needs to be done.”
Other small business agenda items include each of the following:
- New Mandated Paid Sick Leave and Minimum Wage Hike Efforts Ahead
- Guard Against Attempts to Create a New Small Business Tax
- Oppose State Efforts to Weaken Government Employee Labor Rights
- Federal Tax Relief Must be Carried Through in State Taxes
- Fight Efforts to Impose State Individual Health Insurance Mandates
- Reform Michigan’s Costly No-Fault Auto Insurance System
- Finding Skilled Workers
- Continue Progress on Cutting Unnecessary Regulations
- Repeal Rule to Require Phone Replacement in 2019
- Keeping the State’s Fiscal House in Order
- Enough Local Government Over-Reach
- Avoid the Fiscal Trap of Targeted Tax Incentives
- Small Business Supports Further Civil Forfeiture Reforms
- Protect Private Property Rights
The full NFIB in Michigan 2019 Main Street Agenda items with the rationale behind each can be found by clicking the link below:
https://www.nfib.com/content/issues/economy/nfib-in-michigan-main-street-agenda-for-2019/
