In a new op-ed for The Baltimore Sun, NFIB Maryland State Director Mike O’Halloran explains the importance of Maryland’s small business community to the state’s economy and why candidates running for office should meet with small employers before the general election.

Click HERE to read the full op-ed. Excerpts are below.

Maryland Candidates Should Hear from Small Business
The Baltimore Sun
By: Mike O’Halloran, NFIB Maryland State Director
July 27, 2026

“After hearing from so many small businesses throughout Maryland, I have one request for the candidates as they set out to earn voters’ trust at the ballot box: Before the general election, make an effort to speak with local small business owners in your community about what they hope to see from Maryland’s elected leaders.”

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“Our state ranks 44th for the cost of doing business, according to CNBC — a ranking that should concern every candidate running for election in the state. While tax and fee increases directly affect a small business’s bottom line, new compliance obligations carry an expensive cost too. Our elected officials should be prioritizing ways to strengthen our small businesses, not make it more expensive.”

[…]

“While we’ve made a lot of strides investing in our people, ranking after ranking tells us that we’re losing the battle in attracting and keeping businesses, particularly small businesses, which are the backbone of any economy. This election, it’s time for our elected officials to find solutions that incentivize these businesses to stay and grow in Maryland.”

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“Our small business community is too important for the health of the state’s economy for lawmakers not to prioritize Main Street this election. Whatever happens in November, NFIB will continue to advocate for policies that protect the interests of small businesses. We hope we are joined by more pro-small business leaders in the Statehouse.”