As always, NFIB stands ready, willing and able to assist you in any way possible to fulfill our stated mission to promote and protect the right of our members to own, operate, and grow their businesses.
How You Can Make Texas Work for You
Over the
summer, we will layout a series of stories in this newsletter about the State
of Texas’s resources and contacts that can help you maneuver the mirage of
state agencies, regulations, and red tape that you face as a small business
owner. You have heard the old line and probably questioned the truth of “I’m
from the government and I’m here to help.” However, the state does provide
excellent resources that can assist you in your efforts to grow your business and
no group is better at it than the office of Governor Greg Abbott. Governor
Abbott has demonstrated time and again his desire to keep Texas strong for
small business and help create an atmosphere that fosters our natural Texas
entrepreneurial spirit. Last year, he announced at our NFIB Small Business Day
at the Capitol that he would not sign a state budget that did not contain
meaningful tax relief. The result? Almost $4 billion in tax savings for Texas
homeowners by raising the homestead exemption to $25,000 and a 25 percent
reduction of the hated state franchise tax – a top NFIB priority announced in
April 2013.
Governor
Abbott’s office has a host of Small Business Forums across the state that will
detail workforce and skills development, and how to export your products,
access capital, and use social media to promote your business. The first event
was held in El Paso on April 14 and featured Texas First Lady Cecilia Abbott as
the keynote. Other events planned around the state include: Corpus Christi, San
Marcos, San Angelo, Brownsville, Lufkin, Dallas/Fort Worth and Round Rock. If
you are interested in attending any of these Small Business Forums you can view
their times, dates, and locations here.
Governor
Abbott also announced in March 2016 the establishment of a Tri-Agency Workforce
Initiative to assess local economic activity, examine workforce challenges and
opportunities, and consider innovative approaches to meeting the state’s
workforce goals. The Initiative has been spearheaded by Texas Education Agency
(TEA) Commissioner Mike Morath, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
(THECB) Commissioner Raymond Paredes, and Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) Chairman
Andres Alcantar. The Initiative began meeting in March and will have its final
meeting in Austin in September. For more information you can call the
NFIB/Texas offices at 512.476.9847.
Finally,
one resource that every small business owner should investigate for information
on the state’s efforts to assist business with the Department of Strategic
Business Development, the Department of Business Assistance, and the Department
of Business Marketing & Planning, among others can be found here. You will also find the Texas Small Business Advocacy office its
mission to promote the State of Texas as the ideal place to start and grow
small businesses.
As
always, NFIB stands ready, willing and able to assist you in any way possible
to fulfill our stated mission to promote and protect the right of our
members to own, operate, and grow their businesses.
Thank you
for putting your trust in us and being a member of NFIB!
Will
Newton
NFIB/Texas
Executive Director
