JUNEAU, Alaska, August 3, 2016—The voice of Alaska small business today honored Anchorage Rep. Craig Johnson with its Outstanding Legislator Award.
In presenting Johnson with his award, Denny DeWitt, Alaska state director for the National Federation of Independent Business, told Johnson, “You make working with the Legislature a true pleasure. I must express my appreciation to you and your staff for the open door and help that you always offer to members of the NFIB/Alaska.”
NFIB is the nation’s largest and leading small-business association with 350,000 members nationwide, including 2,000 in Alaska. Small business represents an overwhelming majority of the total businesses in Alaska and employs over half of the private sector workforce in the state. The Guardian of Small Business is given to legislators who, in addition to a strong pro-small-business voting record, continually stand tall in protecting Main Street firms in Alaska.
“Whether in the deal-cutting side rooms of the Legislature, or in committee, or on the floor of the House of Representatives, Craig Johnson is always alert to the concerns of small businesses and can be counted on to support their issues. He subscribes to the philosophy that government should not make the survival of small businesses in Alaska more difficult than it already is. He understands that small businesses are unique in their needs and contributions to Alaska’s economy; they are not just small versions of big business.”
DeWitt noted that while BP and ConocoPhillips are seen as the big economic players in Alaska, it’s the state’s small businesses that do the heavy lifting – creating new local jobs, providing customer services, and keeping the engine of our state economy moving forward. Not an easy task, he points out, especially given the burden these job creators face from government bureaucracy, taxes and unnecessary and duplicative regulations.
“Representative Craig Johnson is especially effective in stopping mandates that limit small businesses’ ability to employ more Alaskans. His help to NFIB/Alaska on important issues such as workers compensation, regulations, taxes, and transportation issues affecting small businesses is the reason that has earned him an NFIB Guardian Award.”
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For more than 70 years, the National Federation of Independent Business has been the Voice of Small Business, taking the message from Main Street to the halls of Congress and all 50 state legislatures. NFIB annually surveys its members on state and federal issues vital to their survival as America’s economic engine and biggest creator of jobs. NFIB’s educational mission is to remind policymakers that small businesses are not smaller versions of bigger businesses; they have very different challenges and priorities.
National Federation of Independent Business/Alaska
P.O. Box 34761
Juneau, AK 99801
907-723-6667
Twitter: @NFIB_AK
