U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis and North Carolina House Speaker Tim Moore were among the speakers at NFIB‘s VIRTUAL Small Business Day, held today.
Other live participants included Kevin Kuhlman, NFIB‘s vice president of federal government relations and Brandy Bynum Dawson, senior director of policy and advocacy at the North Carolina Rural Center
U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson (8th District) and North Carolina Labor Commissioner Josh Dobson appeared in pre-recorded segments.
NFIB State Director Gregg Thompson said, “We’re disappointed that the pandemic is preventing us from meeting in person, but this virtual event will let NFIB members and small business owners from throughout the state connect with elected officials and learn more about the state and federal issues affecting them.”
Tillis said he wished he could have met with small business owners in person and talked about the need to address North Carolina’s labor shortage. Small businesses and national chains alike report having job openings they can’t fill because few people are applying.
Speaker Moore, meanwhile, said it was “an abomination” that Washington continues to offer the additional benefits when so many jobs are going unfilled. He said he believes the General Assembly would support ending the supplemental payments but Governor Cooper opposes it.
In his prerecorded remarks, Congressman Hudson also addressed the labor shortage and talked about the challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic, the need to expand broadband to rural communities, and infrastructure.
In his message, Commissioner Dobson thanked NFIB members for their support during his years in the General Assembly and outlined his goals for the Labor Department.
In her live presentation, Dawson outlined the Rural Center’s “New Small Business Plan,” a strategy for helping North Carolina entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses. The program calls for a level playing field for entrepreneurs, less red tape, better access to capital, mentoring for emerging entrepreneurs, and expanding broadband into rural communities.
