08/19/2008
CONTACT: Connie Wehrkamp, 614-221-4107
Ramifications of proposed mandate would harm all sectors of Ohio's economy
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The National Federation of Independent Business/Ohio today announced results of a recent study showing that the proposed Issue 4 would cost 75,000 Ohioans their jobs while placing a $1.17 billion burden on the state's employers. The study, which was conducted by the NFIB Research Foundation, also showed that Ohio firms could stand to lose $9.4 billion in sales from 2008 to 2012 if the proposal becomes law.
"Small business owners, including firms not directly targeted by the mandate, have been telling us that this mandate will be a hardship for their businesses and hinder their ability to create and retain jobs," said Roger R. Geiger of NFIB/Ohio. "This study is proof positive that the Issue 4 is bad medicine for Ohio."
Bruce Phillips of the NFIB Research Foundation presented the findings at a Statehouse press conference today that was attended by dozens of Ohio small business owners. "Uniquely, our research showed that Ohio's smallest firms, those with as little as one employee, bear a huge part of the negative impacts on this misguided government mandate," Phillips said.
"I've been talking with my employees about how we would handle a mandate like this if it were to become law," said Claudia Kovach, vice president of City Machine Technology, which employs 80 workers in Youngstown. "As essential partners to our company's success, we provide our employees with paid vacation, healthcare, child-birth, bereavement and holiday pay, and shift differential pay, since we work 24/7. Unfortunately, this mandate will force me to negotiate reductions in benefits with my employees to make up for the added burdens."
NFIB's study was conducting using the BSim module of the REMI input-output system for short-term and long-term industry forecasts. To learn more about the study, download information from today's press conference below.
