Small Business Not on Board with Road Funding Ballot Proposal

Date: January 22, 2015

Small Business Organization Will Oppose May Ballot Proposal

January 22, 2015 (Lansing) – The state’s leading small business organization, the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), made it official that they would not be supporting the road funding proposal passed during the last weeks of the lame duck session in 2014. NFIB Michigan State Director, Charlie Owens, also said that means the group will be opposing the linchpin to the entire proposal, the May 2015 ballot proposal to increase the sales tax.
“We were optimistic that a sensible road funding plan would emerge from the lame duck discussions, however, that optimism quickly turned to disappointment with the final outcome”, said Owens. “The proposal veered from an outline that seemed encouraging at first but then morphed into a scheme that reflected political horse-trading, higher taxes and funding for pet programs and projects. In addition to increasing the gas tax, registration fees and the overall sales tax, the proposal is tied to reinstating the 20 percent earned income tax credit and a commitment by the Governor to veto any Prevailing Wage Repeal.”
Owens said that the final decision to support or oppose the proposal was decided by NFIB’s small business members. “NFIB determines policy positions on issues on behalf of its members through a voting process that allows all members a voice in the process,” said Owens. “A survey on the road funding plan and the May 2015 sales tax ballot proposal was sent out to our members in early January and the results show clear opposition to the plan.”
After being given a background on the issue and a pro vs. con argument NFIB members responded to the question: “Should NFIB support this new plan for road funding?” 75 percent voted NO, 21 percent voted YES and 4 percent were UNDECIDED. The survey question can be viewed and/or downloaded on the website at the end of the article link: http://bit.ly/1KZaN4Z.
“Our members agree with the Governor that our roads need repair and maintenance, however they do not feel that the proposal on the table is the way to get it done,” said Owens. “Small business owners were supportive of the House plan that emerged over the summer and in lame duck but that is not the plan that passed.”

A summary of the road funding proposal can be viewed here.

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