National Small Business Survey: Owners Most Concerned by Federal Spending, Health Costs and Taxes

Local owners say Congress and President care most about Big Corporations and that small business is last on Washington’s list of priorities

November 13, 2014 −Two thirds of American small business owners say they are highly concerned by rising health care costs and nearly that many are deeply troubled by federal spending, according to a nationwide survey released today by NFIB.

“The incoming Congress is taking shape and every one of its members campaigned on a platform of helping small business,” said NFIB CEO and President Dan Danner. “Small business owners in this survey make it plainly clear that health care, spending and taxes should be their top priorities.”

The survey, conducted by Paragon Insights, a Washington-based research firm, finds that 46 percent of small business owners believe that Congress cares most about big corporations. Another 20 percent believe that coddling Wall Street is their top priority.  Only three percent of local owners believes that Congress cares most about them.

Get the full study (PDF)

Key Takeaways

• 83% of small business owners believe that Congress should be required to balance the federal budget every year.
• 80% believe the Environmental Protection Agency should be required to undertake a comprehensive economic impact study of proposed regulations before they can be adopted.
• 61% want the Health Insurance Tax repealed, which under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is imposed on most small businesses that cover their employees.
• 52% want to repeal the provision in the ACA defines a full-time work week as 30 hours instead of the traditional 40 hour standard.
• 76% of small business owners believe that President Obama’s executive orders have harmed them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quotes from Dan Danner, NFIB President and CEO

"For all the talk in Washington about helping small business almost no one on Main Street believes it. What this data tells us is that talk is cheap, and if Congress wants to help small business it needs to produce results on the issues that they’ve identified as most important."

"The President talks a good game, but his policies and his actions tell the story as far as small business owners are concerned. Everything that he has done and everything that he wants to do has the effect, if not the purpose, of raising taxes, compliance costs and prices for small businesses. If he wants his words to mean anything he needs to moderate his policies."

"The bottom line is that the overwhelming majority of small business owners are deeply dissatisfied with the President and Congress and they want less talk and more results."