Small business owners given a glimpse into the issues ahead in the 2024 Utah Legislature
Putting our members in direct touch with state and federal lawmakers has always been considered one of the better benefits of NFIB membership.
That benefit was on full display October 4 when NFIB Utah’s Leadership Council members exchanged ideas with three influential policymakers:
- Senate Majority Leader Evan Vickers
- Senate Assistant Majority Whip Kirk Cullimore
- Cory Maloy, chair of the House Business and Labor Committee.
Cullimore started off the Zoom meeting with some high praise for NFIB. “I appreciate everything you guys do, not only as small business owners but participating in the association because this is actually critical for the legislative process to have your voice heard at the State Capitol. As we all know, small business is really the engine that drives our economy here in Utah. We often highlight the big employers, but, by and large, most people are employed by small business.”
Later in the meeting, Vickers, a long-time NFIB member, echoed Cullimore’s comments. “One of the things I thought about NFIB is I don’t see it trailing after things outside our box … they’re always working on issues specifically for small business, which I’ve always appreciated. When NFIB has an issue, I know it actually pertains to me.”
Vickers, who with his wife owns three pharmacies, had some advice for small business owners who are not involved in politics. “If you just put your head down and only focus on what’s happening behind your counter … you can wake up one day and find yourself in a lot of trouble. I tell people all the time, especially pharmacy people, if you don’t want to get involved in politics, you ought to get out of pharmacy, because you’re going to be waking up one day and some is going to be making some laws in either the state house or federal house that you don’t like, so you need to get engaged.”
NFIB Utah State Director Casey Hill asked the lawmakers what they expected to see surface in the 2024 session, which the three guests said would include energy, homelessness, and mental and behavior health.
For their part members offered their questions and ideas, which, with the legislative leaders, included:
- Further income tax cuts
- Non-compete agreements
- Eliminating the sales tax
- Business personal property tax
- Credit cards and banking.
Click the arrow to listen to this highly informative Leadership Council meeting. NFIB thanks the legislators for making the time to join and, as always, thanks its members for making NFIB the association lawmakers don’t want to pass up the opportunity to meet with.
