Small Businesses Haunted by New Taxes and Mandates

Final NFIB Good, Bad, & Ugly bill tally highlights frightening costs for small businesses in the new year

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
National Federation of Independent Business/California
Contact: Shawn Lewis (916) 342-9315; [email protected]
Follow: @NFIB_CA and on Facebook

Small Businesses Haunted by New Taxes and Mandates
Final NFIB Good, Bad, & Ugly bill tally highlights frightening costs for small businesses in the new year

SACRAMENTO, Calif., October 31, 2017 –Today NFIB California released its final “The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly” update for 2017, which identifies legislation which will have the greatest impact, either negative or positive, to the 3.8 million small businesses across California.

“As many Californians prepare for a night full of fright this Halloween evening, small business owners have much more to fear than spooky costumes and decorations,” commented NFIB/CA State Executive Director Tom Scott. “Our final The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly update of the year illustrates some of the most severe taxes and mandates which are sure to haunt small businesses and working families in the new year.

“However, not all of these burdens can wait until January 1 to kick in. At midnight tonight, after a day full of spooky Halloween festivities, Sacramento is sending all Californian’s the ultimate trick: a 12-cent gas tax increase,” added Scott.

“We know this destructive gas tax will disproportionately hurt working families and struggling small businesses, but unfortunately the list of new burdens does not stop there. Governor Brown signed a slew of bills which will prohibit an employer from initially asking a job applicant if they have any criminal record; while another bill prohibits small businesses from cooperating with federal law enforcement agencies; in addition to a drastically expanded family leave mandate. Take a moment to review the full list of new taxes, mandates, and regulations small businesses are facing in the new year,” concluded Scott.

Currently, the list includes 58 bills total (17 good; 12 bad; and 29 ugly). By the end of the 2017 half of the 17-18 legislative session, Governor Brown acted on 17 (30%) of the bills on our list.

Governor Brown signed 2 (100%) Good Bills; 1 (50%) Bad Billl; and 11 (85%) Ugly Bills.
Governor Brown vetoed 0 Good Bills; 1 Bad Bill (50%); and 2 (15%) Ugly Bills.

This list reflects proposals from the 2017-2018 legislative session, and as new bills are introduced or morphed into substantively new bills, this list will be updated. You can always find the current version at https://www.nfib.com/ca/gbu

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For more than 70 years, the National Federation of Independent Business has been the Voice of Small Business, taking the message from Main Street to the halls of Congress and all 50 state legislatures. NFIB has 325,000 dues-paying members nationally, with over 22,000 in California. NFIB annually surveys its members on state and federal issues vital to their survival as America’s economic engine and biggest creator of jobs. To learn more visit www.NFIB.com/california