Poll: California Small-Business Owners Call for a Slow Down

February 6, 2023 Last Edit: June 5, 2025

Poll: California Small-Business Owners Call for a Slow Down

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: John Kabateck, California State Director, John.Kabateck@nfib.org or Tony Malandra, Senior Media Manager, Anthony.Malandra@nfib.org SACRAMENTO, Calif., Feb. 6, 2023—The state’s leading small-business association today released the results of a poll of its California members, and the intensity of the answers should raise a few eyebrows. “California has the Lamborghini of legislatures when it comes to setting land-speed records for more and more rules, regulations, and taxes,” said John Kabateck, California state director for the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB). “If I could sum up the ballot results from our small-business-owning membership in one sentence, it would be: ‘Please take your foot off the gas pedal.’ Main Street employers are still crawling out of the COVID hole. Our leaders in the State Capitol should be paving, and not blocking, the way for them to create jobs and support their communities.” As it does every year, NFIB polls its members on state and federal issues affecting their right to own, operate, and grow their businesses. Results from the annual polls help center NFIB’s lobbying positions in Sacramento and in Washington, D.C. The typical NFIB member employs 10 people and reports gross sales of about $500,000 a year. The 2023 California member ballot asked four questions: Should California delay the effective date of the new regulations requiring all cars and trucks be zero-emission by 2035? Yes 90% No 6% Und. 4% Should small businesses be exempt from any new employee leave requirements? Yes 93% No 3% Und. 4% Should there be a continued effort to repeal Proposition 47 (raised value of property from $450 to $950 to qualify as misdemeanor)? Yes 89% No 4% Und. 7% Should California temporarily suspend its oil and gas production and refinement regulations to lower and stabilize gas prices? Yes 77% No 15 Und. 8% Keep up with the latest on California small-business news at www.nfib.com/california or by following NFIB on Twitter @NFIB_CA or on Facebook @NFIB.CA. ### For nearly 80 years, NFIB has been advocating on behalf of America’s small and independent business owners, both in Washington, D.C., and in all 50 state capitals. NFIB is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, and member-driven association. Since its founding in 1943, NFIB has been exclusively dedicated to small and independent businesses and remains so today. For more information, please visit nfib.com. NFIB California 915 L. Street, Suite C-411 Sacramento, CA 95814 916-448-9904 www.nfib.com/CA Twitter: @NFIB_CA Facebook: @NFIB.CA