http://www.nfib.com/Keep up with the latest news, politics and events for small business in Iowa.en-usEM3 iOnwebmaster@nfib.orghttp://www.nfib.com/object/IO_37629.html"The National Federation of Independent Business applauds Chairman Max Baucus and Ranking Member Chuck Grassley for calling attention to the urgent need for healthcare reform. Americans realize that bipartisan cooperation is necessary if we are ever to achieve affordable coverage that is available to all. Small business owners and their employees are acutely aware of the challenges in finding affordable, accessible healthcare coverage. In fact, this issue is the top concern for small business owners and employees and has been for many years."Mon, 16 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_37503.htmlThe National Federation of Independent Business Young Entrepreneur Foundation has announced the Iowa recipients of the sixth annual NFIB Young Entrepreneur Awards, a scholarship program designed to reward and encourage entrepreneurial talents among high school students. The NFIB Young Entrepreneur Award recipients will attend the university, college, community college or vocational/technical institute of their choice with $1,000 to $10,000 in tuition assistance from the NFIB Young Entrepreneur Foundation.Tue, 03 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_37242.htmlSpecial NFIB member report on topics such as activism and the state budget, June/July 2008 edition.Fri, 23 May 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_37319.htmlWed, 21 May 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_36741.htmlBarb Kniff didn't have much time to prepare. The untimely death of her husband in 1995 threw her into the pool of small business ownership ready or not. Today, the Pella entrepreneur has more than doubled the amount of employees she initially inherited and has started a second firm. For this type of can-do attitude, America's leading small business association and one of the nation's leading payment processing companies for small businesses today named her their Iowa Small Business Champion of the Year.Wed, 02 Apr 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_36634.htmlSpecial NFIB member report on topics such as taxes, labor and independent contractor status, April/May 2008 edition.Fri, 28 Mar 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_35916.htmlSpecial NFIB member report on topics such as health care reform and attending the 2008 NFIB National Small-Business Summit, February/March 2008 edition.Thu, 31 Jan 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_35928.html"As we come into the campaign season, people might want to start asking our candidates for state and local government what they plan to do to keep Iowa competitive for new businesses and jobs."Thu, 24 Jan 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_35768.htmlMarked by record-high voter turnout on an unseasonably warm day, Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) were the big winners in the Jan. 8 New Hampshire primaries. Wed, 09 Jan 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_35720.htmlFormer Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and Sen. Barack Obama emerged as the victors in the Iowa caucuses. On the first official stop on the road to the White House, Huckabee, heavily backed by evangelical Christians in the state, won the support of 34 percent of the Republican voters, easily beating Mitt Romney, who garnered only 25 percent. On the Democratic side, Obama won 38 percent of the vote, followed by John Edwards with 30 percent and Hillary Clinton with 29 percent. As a result of the night's developments, democratic candidates Sen. Joe Biden and Sen. Chris Dodd dropped out of the race entirely. Fri, 04 Jan 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_35683.htmlNFIB/IA State Director Andy Warren urges caucus participants to take a hard look at all the presidential candidates' positions on issues that are crucial to small business.Wed, 26 Dec 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_35382.htmlSpecial NFIB member report on topics such as voting your Member Ballot, YEF scholars and the small-business agenda in Iowa, December/January 2008 edition.Fri, 30 Nov 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_35238.htmlThis week NFIB/Iowa hosted a series of discussions on the state of health care featuring American Medical Association president Ronald Davis, M.D. In his presentation, Davis outlined the AMA's national strategy to address health-care costs and access. Thu, 01 Nov 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_35181.htmlThe U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Advocacy has compiled the 2007 Small Business Profile for Iowa.Mon, 29 Oct 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_35127.htmlDespite ill-informed rhetoric that often cites the federal death tax as only affecting wealthy people, this tax affects all Americans, and it strikes no one harder than the small-business community.Tue, 23 Oct 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_34976.htmlIn what has become a grand tradition around the Iowa statehouse, another legislative property tax study committee convened its first meeting last week with promises to make Iowa's system more competitive with surrounding states. Mon, 01 Oct 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_34854.htmlSpecial NFIB member report on small-business issues such as property taxes and health care in Iowa, October/November 2007 edition.Fri, 28 Sep 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_34867.htmlThe Legislative Property Tax Study Committee recently held a hearing for public testimony as it continues its study of Iowa's property tax system. The committee is reviewing the state's property tax laws and will be making recommendations on how to reform and simplify the system.Tue, 25 Sep 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_34769.htmlNFIB is partnering with SmartBrief, Inc. to publish a daily electronic newsletter, NFIB SmartBrief, a new free service for members and other small- and independent-business owners who want to be in the know on issues, trends and other information critical to helping them run their business.Mon, 17 Sep 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_34568.htmlDespite a decline in the nation's poverty rate for the first time this decade, the number of people without health-care insurance increased from 45 million to 47 million--15.8 percent of the population--according to a report issued Tuesday by the U.S. Census Bureau. Wed, 29 Aug 2007 09:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_34564.htmlThe Commission on Affordable Health Care met for a third time in Mason City last week. Many of the commission members worked within three working groups to focus on funding, costs and quality, and coverage.Tue, 28 Aug 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_34527.html"In a few days, many Iowans will join Americans across the country to take time to celebrate Labor Day, established by Congress 113 years ago. </br></br>"Each Labor Day, employers and employees take time to be with family and friends and to reflect on a year's worth of hard work. Unfortunately, while Americans are enjoying hamburgers and hot dogs on the grill, Congress is considering cooking up ideas that would prove costly to small employers and their employees."Thu, 23 Aug 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_34170.htmlAccording to Iowa small-business owners, two of the most important challenges facing small businesses today are the cost of health insurance and increasing commercial property taxes. NFIB/Iowa is pleased that the state's leading small-business advocacy group will play an important role on two state interim study committees to address these issues.Thu, 26 Jul 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_34103.htmlSpecial NFIB member report on small-business issues such as small-business health plans, minimum wage and taxes in Iowa, August/September 2007 edition.Wed, 25 Jul 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_33906.htmlThe legislative Commission on Affordable Health Care met for the first time on Wednesday, June 20, and small-business owners should keep a careful eye on the commission's activities.Fri, 22 Jun 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_33842.htmlFri, 15 Jun 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_33813.htmlIn most states, the 2007 legislative session was a mix of bills both helpful and harmful to small business. NFIB worked alongside lawmakers to ensure legislation passed would take into consideration the impact on the country's No. 1 job creators, and while we saw many victories, there is much left to be done next session as well. Wed, 13 Jun 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_33621.htmlThe National Federation of Independent Business Young Entrepreneur Foundation today announced the Iowa recipients of the fifth annual NFIB Young Entrepreneur Awards, a scholarship program to set future small-business owners on the path to entrepreneurship. The NFIB Young Entrepreneur Award recipients will attend the university, college, community college or vocational/technical institute of their choice with $1,000 in tuition assistance from the NFIB Young Entrepreneur Foundation.Tue, 29 May 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_33576.htmlSpecial NFIB member report on small-business issues such as right to work, minimum wage and workers' compensation in Iowa, June/July 2007 edition.Fri, 25 May 2007 00:00:00 PST