Small-business agenda making news
Below is a sampling of 2014 media stories about NFIB and the small-business agenda from the most recent to the beginning of the year.
Puget Sound Business Journal, December 29—Small-business reporter Jim Blasingame’s 2015 predictions include a rise in NFIB’s Optimism Index.
Business Examiner, December 26—Coverage of NFIB-member radio ads on Gov. Jay Inslee’s carbon-reduction initiative.
The Olympian, December 17—NFIB/Washington State Director Patrick Connor quoted in story about the release of Gov. Jay Inslee’s climate plan. Story also ran in the Bellingham Herald and The News Tribune in Tacoma.
Bloomberg Businessweek, December 17—Washington Consumers for Sound Fuel Policy quotes NFIB research in its press release commenting on governor’s carbon tax plan. Story also ran in Reuters, EIN Presswire, Marketwired, Streetinsider, Morningstar, Financial Content, Investor Point.com, Individual.com, Utilizer, Ajax World Magazine, BioSpace.com, Boston.com, Renewable Energy World, Power Engineering, Penn Energy, CryoGas International, and Digital Journal.
Bellingham Herald, December 16—NFIB-commissioned poll mentioned in story about three different surveys on a proposed carbon tax. Story also ran in The Olympian, The News Tribune in Tacoma, and on the Facebook page on news website NW Daily Marker.
Washington House Republicans, December 11—News website of the legislative caucus reports on release of NFIB Research Foundation study on Gov. Jay Inslee’s proposed climate initiative.
Reuters, December 9—Wire service informs readers about upcoming release of two polls commissioned by NFIB on Gov. Jay Inslee’s climate initiative. Stories also ran on Businesswire, international aggregator World News Network, and locally on such stations as KFLD-AM News Talk 870.
KING 5-TV, NBC, Seattle, December 7—NFIB’s national media director, Jack Mozloon, is quoted on the importance of lower fuel prices to small business.
The Olympian, December 7—NFIB’s joint Small Business Saturday editorial with Gov. Jay Inslee continued to get play a week later. Wenatchee World also ran the post-Small Business Saturday comment on December 1.
SHIFT Washington, December 5—Conservative news website uses NFIB Research report on Governor Inslee’s carbon plan to argue a point.
Bellevue Business Journal, November 25—Gov. Jay Inslee and NFIB State Director Patrick Connor write a joint editorial on Small Business Saturday. Editorial also ran in the Eastside Business Journal.
Seattle Times, November 9—State Director Patrick Connor quoted on the opening of the health-insurance exchanges.
Seattle Times, October 29—NFIB statistics used in story on state health-care exchange.
The Columbian, October 28—NFIB State Director Patrick Connor quoted on the success of Small Business Saturday.
Business Examiner, October 15—Coverage of the NFIB’s news release on the governor’s carbon plan costing 11,000 jobs. Story also ran on KIT Newstalk Radio, 1280 AM.
Kent Reporter, September 17—NFIB President and CEO Dan Danner commends U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert on winning a Guardian of Small Business Award.
Seattle Times, August 28—For a second day in a row, NFIB’s opinion is sought on the number of health plans that will be on offer. State Director Patrick Connor tells the newspaper what small businesses will be looking for in making their choice.
Seattle Times, August 27—State Director Patrick Connor is quoted on the announcement that 90 individual health plans will be offered by 10 health insurers.
Alliance for Northwest Jobs & Exports Blog, August 22—State Director Patrick Connor says state ports are falling behind competitors because of bureaucratic foot-dragging.
Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, August 6—Fourth Congressional District candidate Dan Newhouse’s NFIB voting record when he was in the state Legislature mentioned in story.
Everett Herald, August 2—Wasn’t Initiative 688, passed by voters in 1998, supposed to take care of the minimum-wage issue forever? Given all the recent actions and calls to raise it again and again, State Director Patrick Connor contributes a guest editorial asking if it was a con game played on voters.
Tri-City Herald, August 2—NFIB’s endorsement of Sen. Steve O’Ban for re-election is noted.
Seattle Times, July 31—A campaign mailer from NFIB’s SAFE Trust political action committee for Sen. Tim Sheldon is reported. Story also ran in the Tacoma News Tribune and in The Olympian.
Seattle Business, August Edition—State Director Patrick Connor quoted in comprehensive article on establishing an all-payer claims database so consumer could compare the costs of health care.
Crescent Bar Chronicle, July 23—Parts of NFIB news release announcing Sen. Janea Holmquist as one of only two recipients of its Outstand Legislator award is added into story.
The Columbian, July 15—NFIB’s endorsement of Rep. Brandon Vick mentioned.
The Columbian, July 14—Newspaper lists NFIB as one of Rep. Paul Harris’s top endorsers.
Nisqually Valley News, July 10—State Rep. J.T. Wilcox’s winning of one of only two Outstanding Legislator awards from NFIB makes headlines.
The Wenatchee World, July 6—State Rep. Cary Condotta’s winning of an NFIB Guardian of Small Business award mentioned in the business roundup section.
Washington House Republicans website, June 30—NFIB’s Guardian of Small Business award mentioned in story on Rep. Liz Pike.
Washington Post, June 23—NFIB joins the fight for greater transparency in health-care costs.
Washington House Republicans website, June 11—Rep. Vincent Buys’ winning of Guardian of Small Business award the lead story.
Business Examiner, June 6—NFIB’s participation on a health care delivery Performance Measures Coordinating Committee reported.
Washington House Republicans website, June 4—Two articles on NFIB’s awarding of a Guardian of Small Business to Reps. Linda Kochmar and to Brad Klippert.
The Wentachee World, May 31—Coverage of Rep. Cary Condotta’s NFIB Guardian of Small Business award. Story also ran on the news website of the Washington House Republicans
News Tribune, May 28—Rep. Hans Zeiger’s winning of an NFIB Guardian of Small Business Award is reported. On the same day, the Business Examiner writes on Rep. Graham Hunt’s award, as does the news website of the Washington House Republicans on Reps. Judy Warnick and Matt Manweller being named guardians.
Freedom Daily, May 26—Freedom Foundation managing editor Jeff Rhodes visits with Patrick Connor, director of the National Federation of Independent Business, who discusses a new national poll showing that, for the first time ever, there are more businesses failing than new ones starting.
Seattle Times, May 24—State Director Patrick Connor is quoted in a story on the difficulties small-business owners are facing in complying with the Affordable Care Act.
Business Examiner, May 21—More coverage of NFIB/Washington Guardian of Small Business award winners, this time for Rep. Hans Zeiger. Additional winners mentioned on the news website of the Washington House Republicans.
Website of Sen. Janea Holmquist-Newbry, May 16—NFIB/Washington Guardian of Small Business award feature story.
Washington State Wire, May 14—NFIB’s opinion on state’s new health-care innovation plan reported.
Kitsap Peninsula Business Journal, May 13—In a guest editorial, State Director Patrick Connor raises the alarm about a Brookings Institution study on the decline of entrepreneurship and connects it to NFIB/Washington’s recently released voting records of state legislators. Editorial also ran in the Bellevue Business Journal and other publicactions.
Port Orchard Independent, May 13—Sen. Jan Angel wins an NFIB/Washington Guardian of Small Business award.
Bloomberg Businessweek, May 12—National magazine reports on NFIB/Washington’s Guardian of Small Business award winners and quotes State Director Patrick Connor, “Talk is the cheapest and easiest commodity in politics, and you don’t have to be well-funded to be full of it. What counts — and what we count — are the votes when it matters.”
KXRO News Radio, Aberdeen, May 12—Working from a news release sent by NFIB/Washington, area politicians are criticized for their low, small-business voting scores.
Yakima Herald-Republic, May 2—Local student wins an NFIB Young Entrepreneur Award.
Freedom Daily, April 22—Tom McCabe, CEO of the Freedom Foundation, talks with Patrick Connor, Washington State Director for the National Federation of Independent Business, about labor unions and legislative session.
Seattle Times, March 6—State Director Patrick Connor challenges an attempt by Premera Blue Cross to strip a bill of provisions allowing for greater success rates and cost comparisons for medical treatments.
Kitsap Peninsula Business Journal, March 5—Guest editorial from State Director Patrick Connor, Who can stop the power of Premera?
Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, March 3—State Director Patrick Connor’s testimony against health insurer Premera’s attempt to strip transparency from a legislative bill is reported on throughout the state.
Kitsap Peninsula Business Journal, Feb. 25—Report on NFIB’s upcoming Day at the Capitol.
Crosscut.com, February 5—NFIB member Kelly Chambers (with Jeff Chambers in the background) and state director Patrick Connor are featured in this video report about the minimum wage debate taking place in Olympia. (Chambers is at 01:53, Connor at 04:21)
Washington State Wire, February 5—Business and labor arguments are detailed in this article about the proposed minimum wage increase, featuring data from state director Patrick Connor.
TVW Network, February 4—State Director Patrick Connor objects to a $12 per hour minimum wage proposal before the House Labor & Workforce Development Committee.
TVW Network, February 4—The Senate Health Care Committee again considers legislation to streamline the prior authorization process so insurers can no longer use paperwork hurdles to unnecessarily delay or deny health care treatment and prescriptions. State Director Patrick Connor expresses small businesses’ frustration with the carriers’ on-going stalling tactics.
Seattle Times, February 3—NFIB support of House Bill 2572, which would create a statewide database of costs for medical procedures, is cited.
Washington State Wire, February 3, NFIB is asked its opinion for a story on the state Department of Ecology’s regulatory overreach on a coal port.
Washington State Wire, February 3—NFIB joins other business groups and labor organizations in a new coalition supporting regulatory relief for trade and infrastructure projects.
TVW Network, January 29—NFIB members participate in a Jobs Now! press conference organized by the Senate Majority Coalition Caucus and House Republican Caucus.
TVW Network, January 29—NFIB member Jeff Chambers describes the challenges his company faces trying to maintain affordable health insurance coverage for its employees as a result of the federal Affordable Care Act.
The Olympian, January 29—State Director Patrick Connor quoted on the minimum-wage’s effect on teen hiring.
TVW Network, January 29—NFIB members Kelly and Jeff Chambers and Lynda Wilson explain the difficulties tracking and complying with multiple wage and benefit requirements as local governments adopt their own minimum wages and paid leave mandates. The Senate Commerce & Labor Committee is considering a bill to preempt these local ordinance and maintain statewide wage and benefit standards.
Earlier during that hearing, State Director Patrick Connor called for a teen training wage to address Washington’s high youth unemployment rate and give students essential on-the-job work experience.
Puget Sound Business Journal, January 28—NFIB testimony in favor of a bill to give self-employed, small-business owners a tax break on their health insurance premiums is reported.
TVW Network, January 28—State Director Patrick Connor and Sen. Steve Conway (D-Tacoma) spar over a proposed constitutional amendment requiring a super-majority vote for the legislature to raise taxes.
TVW Network, January 28—State Director Patrick Connor calls on insurance carriers to provide greater health care cost and quality tools now that all Americans must purchase health insurance or pay a penalty.
Washington State Wire, January 24—State Director Patrick gives online news service reasons for not raising the minimum-wage rate.”The higher the minimum wage goes, the less likely employers are to hire younger workers, those without any experience, and it denies teen workers the opportunity to get that first job they need to be successful later in their career.”
TVW Network, January 16—State Director Patrick Connor explains small businesses’ support for reinstating the rural counties Business & Occupations (B&O) tax credit as a step towards overall B&O tax reform.
TVW Network, January 14—State Director Patrick Connor objects to Attorney General Bob Ferguson’s bill to strip small businesses of their ability to recover attorney fees when successfully defending themselves from lawsuits brought under the state Consumer Protection Act.
Seattle Times, January 14—NFIB comments on Gov. Jay Inslee’s State-of-the-State address.
