Iowa Members Advocate for Small Business At the Nation's Capital

Date: July 19, 2019

Iowa members stormed Capitol Hill to promote and protect small business as part of NFIB’s 2019 Fly-In Hill Day.

NFIB Iowa members with Senator Grassley from the left: Grassroots Manager Jake Braunger, Tiffany Van Zante of Pella, Lana Pol of Pella, Membership Representative Jenn Knudtson, Jerry Akers of Cedar Rapids and Scott Turczynsk of Des Moines.

Iowa members stormed Capitol Hill to promote and protect small business as part of NFIB’s 2019 Fly-In Hill Day. Every year, members gather in D.C. to lobby for issues that are under debate in Congress. One of the most effective ways that NFIB members can educate members of Congress is to meet face to face. Four of Iowa’s small business owners made sure that Iowa’s federal lawmakers heard how the laws they passed impact small businesses across the state.

Lana Pol, Tiffany Van Zante, Jerry Akers, and Scott Turczynski meet with all of Iowa’s Congressional delegation on July 17th. They focused on three key legislative issues: Small Business Deduction, the regulatory burden that threatens small business privacy, and $15 minimum wage. On July 18, the House passed the Raise the Wage Act, which would double Iowa’s current minimum wage.

 

 

Senator Joni Ernst talks with Iowa NFIB members.
Senator Joni Ernst met with Iowa NFIB members, from left: TIffany Van Zante, Lana Pol, Jerry Akers, Iowa Grassroots Manager Jake Braunger, Membership Representative Jenn Knudtson, and Scott Turczynski of Des Moines.

 

Tiffany spoke to Senator Chuck Grassley about her Pella business, Creative Expressions, which boxes promotional products for other businesses. She employs several part-time employees, including a teenager and a disabled man. Tiffany told Senator Grassley that if the Senate passes the Raise the Wage Act, her business will greatly suffer. Right now, Iowa’s minimum wage is $7.25. Tiffany says if she’s forced to pay her employees more than double that, she would have to increase her costs or reduce labor costs somewhere else. Tiffany says that which would ultimately lead to job cuts at her small business.

Scott Turczynski told both Iowa Senators about his Des Moines small business, Heartland, which specializes in commercial construction finishing, framing, and decorative services. Scott is concerned about legislation that would require small business owners with 20 or fewer employees to register their names, dates of birth, and addresses with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. The network would be available to every law enforcement agent in the country. They can even use the information to start criminal investigations without a subpoena, and if business owners fail to comply, they could face up to a $10,000 fine and up to three years in prison. Scott told Iowa’s Senators that the legislation would also suck up his precious time. Scott already has stacks of paperwork to fill out. This would be an added burden on small business owners across Iowa.

Iowa’s small business owners met with both Senators Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley, Rep. Dave Loebsack, and staff members of Rep. Cindy Axle and Abby Finkenauer. All the NFIB members felt positive about their conversations with lawmakers and felt their voices were heard.

Iowa NFIB member Jerry Akers discusses the negative impacts the $15 minimum wage would have on his 27 Great Clips franchises.

Related Content: Small Business News | Iowa

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