10/25/2006
NFIB provides Web resource for elections
NFIB's Political Department has launched a comprehensive election portal -- 2006 Election Monitor -- to view information on key races, presented alongside NFIB news and Voting Records for incumbent candidates. The portal at http://elections.nfib.com presents an interactive U.S. map. Visitors can click on a state, where they will see a list of gubernatorial and federal races, alongside up-to-date news on all that state's elections. Press coverage that includes mentions of NFIB is shown in a separate news section.
Nov. 7 is Election Day: Do your employees know this?
Elections for all 435 members of the U.S. House of Representatives will happen in less than two weeks. It is important to exercise your right to vote as well as enable your employees to vote on Nov. 7. Issues affecting many aspects of your life are on the agendas of the candidates seeking office, including taxes, health insurance, workers' compensation, burdensome regulations and tort reform. Knowing where the candidates stand on issues most important to you, your family and your business before you enter the polling area is especially important. NFIB makes that easy for you by providing federal and state voting records at www.NFIB.com.
Please encourage your employees, friends, family members and neighbors to take time to understand the issues and vote as well. Your vote does count. Many elections are decided by a handful of votes. Your vote can make that difference.
Lynchburg Area Action Council starts strong
Small-business owners from the Lynchburg area met last week to discuss key issues affecting their business. While entrepreneurs talked about the issues affecting them and their employees, NFIB Vice President of Federal Public Policy Susan Eckerly took abundant notes to take back to Washington, D.C.
Big-issue discussion included access to affordable health insurance, eminent domain takings and state regulatory burdens. One new issue is how the Alternative Minimum Tax is hitting small business hard. The AMT is an extra tax some people have to pay on top of regular income tax. For various reasons, the AMT reaches more people each year, including some people and S corporations who don't have very high income and some people who don't have many special tax benefits. Congress is studying ways to correct this problem, but until it does almost anyone is a potential target for this tax.
If you and your small business have had to deal with the AMT, please contact the NFIB/Virginia office at Gordon.Dixon@NFIB.org or by calling Gordon Dixon at (804) 377-3661.
NFIB testifies before Small Business Commission in Roanoke
The Small Business Commission has asked NFIB to help lead a discussion on health insurance for small business. NFIB worked with the Virginia Association of Health Plans and gave a presentation to the Commission in Roanoke. NFIB will continue to be at the center of this top priority issue for our Virginia members.
Meetings
Small Woman and Minority (SWAM) Procurement
Wednesday, Nov. 8, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Virginia General Assembly Building. Learn what you can sell to the Commonwealth. Secretary of Commerce and Trade Patrick Gottschalk and 13 state agencies looking to buy small-business products and services will be on hand.
Coping in a Consumer-Driven World
Monday, Dec. 11, 1-5:30 p.m., Omni Shoreham Hotel, Washington, D.C. Learn how consumers, physicians and small-business owners are coping in a consumer-driven world. This workshop is not like many others that are trying to sell you something. It will show you available tools and help you make your own decisions about what to do with those tools. Registration is $25. Register at http://www.consumerhealthworld.com/Howcope.aspx.
Sincerely,
Gordon Dixon
NFIB/Virginia state director
Gordon.Dixon@NFIB.org
