12/21/2006
CONTACT: Gordon Dixon, (804) 377-3661 or Jim Brown, (615) 874-5288
Health Care and Eminent Domain Will Be Key Issues, Small Business Weighs in on Transportation
RICHMOND, Va. -- The National Federation of Independent Business, Virginia's leading small-business advocacy group, today announced its agenda on behalf of its membership. NFIB will look to pursue commonsense solutions that increase their access to affordable health insurance and protect their private-property rights.
"Small-business owners believe threats to free enterprise -- like access to affordable health insurance and eminent domain abuses -- must be addressed," NFIB/Virginia State Director Gordon Dixon said. "Last session, Virginia repealed its death tax through strong grassroots input and bipartisanship in Richmond. There's no reason Virginians shouldn't expect significant progress this session on remaining challenges through a similar approach."
To establish its 2007 agenda, NFIB/Virginia recently completed a survey of it members. Seventy percent of NFIB/Virginia member respondents said they provide health insurance for their employees, while 84 percent said the General Assembly should not enact legislation mandating a payroll tax on employers who do not provide health insurance to their employees. Also, 69 percent said the Legislature should not mandate individuals to purchase health insurance instead of getting it through their employer or pay into an uninsured fund similar to the uninsured motorist fund.
Dixon said small business will be active in addressing unfinished business to protect the private-property rights of small-business owners. He praised the groundwork last session by Del. Johnny Joannou (Portsmouth), Sen. Ken Cuccinelli (Fairfax) and others to ensure Virginia's eminent domain laws restrict governments from making over-aggressive land seizures.
On immigration, 69 percent said the Legislature should pass a bill requiring employers to check the background of immigrants seeking work, while 25 percent disagreed. On transportation, 70 percent said the Legislature should not raise the gas tax up to six cents per gallon to pay for additional transportation issues; 24 percent agreed with the tax hike, while 6 percent were undecided. An overwhelming 95 percent said the Legislature should not raise business property taxes an additional 3 percent per $100 to help pay for transportation issues. Dixon said NFIB plans to survey its membership as alternative transportation proposals are made during session.
Virginia's general session is scheduled to begin Wednesday, Jan. 10.
