NFIB Announces 2015 Legislative Agenda

Date: December 16, 2014

NFIB Announces 2015 Legislative Agenda

ALBANY (December 16, 2014) The
National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), New York’s leading small
business advocacy organization released their Strategy for Main Street Success, a comprehensive agenda for the
upcoming legislative session.  The plan features
broad tax and regulatory reform initiatives aimed at improving the
sustainability of small business in New York.

 

“The
election is over and now the real work must begin,” said NFIB New York State
Director Mike Durant.  “Small business
cannot be a theme in October but an afterthought in January.  Main Street needs Albany to work on their behalf
once again and
this
agenda identifies a myriad of issues that have long served as a barrier for
Main Street in New York”. ”

 

The
plan pushes to make the 2011 enacted property tax cap permanent and calls for
broad tax relief to effectively capture the majority of small employers left
out of the tax reform which passed last year. 

 

“Smart
tax policy is broad in impact and unfortunately that did not happen last year,”
said Durant.  “The majority of small
businesses are not going to feel the positive impact on that tax reform package
and Albany can correct that mistake in 2015.”

 

The
agenda also identifies potential legislation detrimental to small business.   NFIB/NY rejects efforts to again increase the
minimum wage, increase tolls on the State Thruway system and opposes the push
for new and costly leave mandates on small business. 

 

“With
small employers largely excluded from the cost reduction and economic
initiatives implemented over the last four years, the last thing the Governor
or legislature should be looking at are cost increases,” he continued.  “Small business is still in the process of
dealing with the last minimum wage increase. 
Further efforts, whether through local control or the current
examination of the service worker minimum, should be rejected.”

 

The
agenda also calls for reform to the notorious scaffold law, the expansion of
design-build and for the state to use the more than $5 billion in settlement
funds for necessary infrastructure projects.

 

“New
York has major infrastructure needs, from roads and bridges to water and sewer
needs, and this large amount of non-recurring revenue should be invested in
these projects,” Durant said.  “Sound investment
in infrastructure will create jobs and reduce the costs of being a New Yorker
and help modernize deficient delivery systems across the board.”

 

New
York continues to languish near or at the bottom in numerous national studies
that measure business costs and competitiveness.  With a new legislative session upon us and
many new elected officials coming to Albany for the first time, this plan is a
guide to put positive campaign rhetoric into necessary action starting in
January.

Related Content: Small Business News | Economy | New York

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