07/15/2008
CONTACT: Gregg Thompson, 919-833-9480 or Todd Pack, 615-872-5897
Fuel prices a growing problem for state's job creators
RALEIGH, N.C. -- The National Federation of Independent Business, North Carolina's leading small business association, said today it supports House Resolution 2806, a resolution to let voters decide whether offshore oil and gas exploration should be allowed off the state's coast.
"Small business owners are increasingly worried about the high price of fuel and its impact on their business and the economy," said Gregg Thompson, state director of NFIB/North Carolina.
"Our economy depends on our ability to meet the energy needs of small businesses," Thompson said. "This resolution shows that at least some House members understand the need to support an energy policy that would help do that.
"Allowing increased offshore oil and gas exploration is a critical step toward increasing the domestic supply of oil and natural gas and reducing prices at the pump," he said.
The National Federation of Independent Business also has called on members of Congress to support increased offshore oil and natural gas exploration, and it supports a bill to reduce the federal tax on diesel fuel to the same level as the gasoline tax to help to ease the burden on small business owners who own and operate diesel equipment.
According to NFIB's recently released Small Business Problems and Priorities survey, 42.3 percent of the small business owners nationwide rank the cost of natural gas, propane, gasoline, diesel and fuel oil as a "critical" concern. That's up from 26.1 percent on the previous survey, conducted in 2004. Both surveys rank the cost of health insurance as the No. 1 issue facing small business owners. Details of the most recent Small Business Problems and Priorities survey, sponsored by Wells Fargo, are available here. Get information on the 2004 survey.
