Small businesses feeling positive changes from SB 1583.
Signed into law earlier this year, Senate Bill 1583 expands the authority of the Office of Small Business Assistance, a program created in 2013 that assists Oregon small businesses and includes both local and state agencies. In practice for more than six months, small businesses already have felt positive changes from the new law.
“When we were presented with backing for a bill for small business advocacy, we thought it was fabulous,” said Chuck Jones of Chuck Jones & Associates, a financial planning and investment management company based in Portland. Jones is an NFIB Leadership Council member, and his business was one of the first to be helped by Ruth Miles, who heads the Office of Small Business Assistance.
“She’s a small business owner, and she really understands the potential problems that small businesses have,” Jones said. “As it turned out, I had a situation where I couldn’t get through the regulations, someone in the security department had it in for me, and they were doing the same thing with other small business owners.
“I called Ruth, she made one call to the secretary of state, and the issue with that individual was resolved. Since then we’ve had Ruth come back a couple times to talk to the Leadership Council.”
Despite all the positives, there is one concern Jones has. “The only criticism I have is that if you pass a bill, you need to be able to have the proper funds for it.”
In general, Jones has nothing but approval for SB 1583. “It really is good,” he says. “Owners don’t have the time or wherewithal to get around the regulations, and a resource to do that is a great time and money saver. It can be very good if it’s funded properly, so I would like to see it implemented with the right funding.”
