Small Business Day at the Capitol 2015 Recap

Date: March 09, 2015

5 Reasons Texas is Better at Business

By Darryl W Lyons

After a shocking win in this year’s Super bowl, you can expect the rest of the National Football League to copycat the Patriot’s winning formula. The idea of mimicking patterns of success is nothing new. Nearly every American pays attention to those rising fast with the hope of picking up a few crumbs of wisdom along the way.

The concept of surveying the best should be applied to states as well. Texas has the best economic climate for business. Other states, if wise, should attempt to duplicate the winning formula.
 
I spent a day hanging out in Austin, TX with a few hundred fellow entrepreneurs organized by National Federation of Independent Business Owners (NFIB). I was seated next to a middle-aged woman who owns a trucking company with sixty employees. On the other side of me was an owner of a pump manufacturing company servicing the Texas oil industry. Both owners were their very kind with a southern draw yet anxious to fight government meddling in their business. They came with pitchforks and quite possibly a concealed handgun.

The following five reasons are why Texan entrepreneurs will continue to make this state one of the best to do business.

  1. Texas will not tolerate high taxes
    The franchise tax, the inventory tax, and the property tax are all on the chopping block of Lieutenant Governor, Dan Patrick. He makes a case that the property tax is “valuation without representation.”   Every time property values go up, taxes go up. This unnecessary tax increase doesn’t settle well with Texas leadership. If you want to get Texans really upset, ask them about the franchise tax.  The franchise tax is not a tax on take home pay.  Rather, it is a tax on gross receipts.  Some call for reform, most call for repeal of the franchise tax.
  2. Texas wants small business owners to have skilled workers
    There was a loud applause when one speaker at the conference said “not everyone needs a B.S. in B.S.”  The point was that Texas leadership is focused on getting many hard working Texans the technical skills to bring value to the marketplace. Even though Texas outpaced nearly other state in job growth, it is apparent that small business owners are having a hard time finding skilled workers. Texas is implementing initiatives to introduce skilled workers to the entrepreneur.
  3. Texas doesn’t want the government to mess with private property
    The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certainly has its place, I’m just not sure it’s in Texas. The EPA is calling for federal jurisdiction on property fifty miles away if there is a ditch that might hold water. If the EPA walks on a Texas landowner’s property in Texas and tells him what to do, there are places where boots become very uncomfortable.
  4. Texas doesn’t tolerate red tape
    Regulation is simply just another form of tax. Small business owners are tired of it. Private sector commerce would never retain customers using the systems from government. It’s simply customer service. Until states make life easier, they are stealing time from an entrepreneur from actually producing something. Governor Greg Abbott doesn’t like it either. The newly elected governor of Texas is calling for reducing licensing requirements. He’s right, there is no need for licensing hair braiders or shampoo apprentices.
  5. Texas is prudent.
    A successful commercial landscaper whispered to me that he had a freakishly awesome revenue year in 2014. What’s he going to do in 2015? Set aside a pile of cash to prepare for leaner years. The prudent approach to business can also be recognized by the size of the State of Texas Reserve Fund. The Texas $8 billion reserve fund is more than Florida’s, California’s, and all other 49 states…combined!

 

Texas received an A+ grade, from Thumbtack, for small business friendliness. Greg Abbott made it apparent he plans to keep Texas top of its class every year he’s in office. Most states listen to the business owner. Texas, on the other hand, gets out of the way and lets them lead.
Darryl Lyons is a NFIB member since 2008 and is the NFIB/Texas March Member of the Month. We appreciate his editorial contribution in looking back at Small Business Day at the Capitol 2015. 

See more coverage of the event on Twitter #txsmallbizday2015!

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About the Author

Editorial provided by Darryl W Lyons
Author of Small Business Big Pressure: A Faith-based Approach for the Ambitious Entrepreneur.

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