SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS SPEAK DIRECTLY WITH LAWMAKERS AT LOCAL ROUND TABLE
SIMSBURY (February 1, 2016): Members of the
National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) and other local small
business owners participated in a pre-session legislative roundtable with
lawmakers Senator Kevin Witkos (R) and Representative John Hampton (D) last
week at Simsbury Bank.
“Our members had the opportunity to meet with
policymakers from Hartford and they could not be more grateful to both Senator
Witkos and Representative Hampton for taking the time and truly listening to
their concerns,” according to NFIB Connecticut state director, Andrew
Markowski. “A broad range of topics were covered including FUTA penalties,
restrictive scheduling legislation and other fiscal concerns that our members
have. Senator Witkos and Representative Hampton are well-versed in these issues
and demonstrated a keen understanding of the issues most important to small
business in Connecticut.”
The roundtable was held at longtime NFIB member,
Simsbury Bank to give local small businesses an opportunity to meet with their
state lawmakers to discuss issues that will soon be debated during the 2016
Connecticut legislative session.
According to Senator Witkos, “This year
Connecticut needs to get its fiscal house in order. We need to restore
sustainability and predictability to the way we budget, so that families and
businesses can thrive. We cannot tax our way out of financial ruin. Instead, we
have to provide relief. We have to create an equal and fair playing field for
all businesses. Government has to stop getting in the way. If we want to
empower employers to grow jobs there are many policy changes we need to pursue,
and many we also need to avoid. I hope to bring much of what I learned from our
local small businesses to the Capitol this year. Their voices need to be heard
loud and clear.”
Both Senator Witkos and Representative Hampton
agree that Legislators need to understand the impact of the laws they vote on
in Hartford and expressed that meetings like these serve as an opportunity to
pass along any concerns or comments.
Hampton went on to add that, “Our state’s
businesses are critical to the economy and I appreciate NFIB reaching out to
elected officials to help address their compelling issues and concerns, as a
policymaker, I am proud to stand up for Connecticut’s business community and I
remain committed to raising them up and helping them grow and thrive.”
