November 20, 2023
NFIB California Main Street Minute, November 20-24
Welcome to the November 20-24 edition of the Main Street Minute from your small-business-advocacy team in Sacramento.
Small Business Saturday This Week- Small Business Saturday is November 25. NFIB California reminds our retail members to take advantage of it with these five tips.
- More than most, NFIB is a member-centric association, and the first representatives and ambassadors small-business owners meet are the Sales Team. It is this group that makes NFIB what it is, always has been, and always will be: the Voice of Small Business.
- And that voice is amplified with each new small-business owner the Sales Team is able to bring into the fold. Last week, nine sales teammates, including ones from Hawaii and Washington state descended on the Inland Empire for a Sales blitz that netted 65 new members and 10 more who renewed their membership.
- NFIB California State Director John Kabateck joined them and reported, “Had a blast riding along with all-star Rob Maddux and the kick butt California crew — Don, Will, Krystal, Rob, new superstar Dahlia, and special imports Reagan from the Big Island and Stephanie from Washington State. And our fearless leaders Steve, Ken and Larry. A real treat getting a VIP visit from Leadership Council member and Inland Empire small biz owner Paul Cramer.”
- The more members NFIB has, the louder we speak, and the clearer policymakers in Sacramento and Washington, D.C. hear and remember the small-business agenda.
- The rest of the NFIB team thanks its Sales Team partners for the long hours they put in and the diligent work they do on behalf of the association that proudly represents the engine of every economy in the world—Small Business!

- In addition to participating in the Inland Empire Sales blitz, mentioned above, Kabateck also stopped by a meeting of the Lamorinda (Contra Costa County) Republican Women Federated to deliver a recap of the 2023 session of the Legislature. (NOTE: NFIB is a nonpartisan association happy to address Democratic groups on small-business issues as well). On Friday evening, Kabateck joined a 20-year reunion of former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s election as the state’s chief executive, where Kabateck also exchanged thoughts and witticisms with former Assembly Speaker Willie Brown.
- And speaking of The Govenator …
In an October 16 editorial in the Los Angeles Times, columnist Joe Mathews reminded readers that this was the 20th anniversary week of Arnold Schwarzenegger becoming governor of California upon the recall of predecessor Gray Davis.
Mathews details the significance of this on the positive effects his governorship had on the environment, children’s programs, and even on democracy itself. Call me forever a loyal staffer who once worked for him, but I’d like to add one more supremely important accomplishment of Governor Schwarzenegger’s—workers’ compensation reform.
All employers are by law required to have workers’ compensation insurance, the money from which goes to pay for the medical treatment and lost wages of employees injured on the job through no fault of their own. In exchange, workers forego their right to sue their employers.
As straightforward of an agreement as that sounds, for a variety of reasons, state workers’ compensation systems throughout the nation experience periods of threats to system-solvency and the solvency of businesses to remain open under the weight of skyrocketing insurance premiums.
California found itself in such a mess when Schwarzenegger took over. Keeping his campaign promise to do something about it, he went to work leveraging his wide popularity to get the Legislature to act and act fast.
As reported by The Associated Press on April 16, 2004, “Schwarzenegger had made workers’ comp reform a centerpiece of his administration. Lawmakers acted Friday to meet a deadline set by the governor, who had vowed to put an even tougher measure on the Nov. 2 ballot if they did not pass the bill.”
Nicely done, governor. Delivering on a campaign promise in rapid fashion and not a moment too soon, “California’s workers’ comp costs have soared in recent years from $6.4 billion in claims paid in 1997 to an estimated $17.9 billion last year. The average employer cost of dealing with workplace injuries also has gone up dramatically, from $2.68 for every $100 of payroll in 2000 to $6.30 per $100 last 2003 — the highest rate in the nation,” adds the AP story.
Remember, the above are figures from 20 years ago. How are things today? We still have very high workers’ compensation costs but they’re not as threatening to business solvency. Oregon’s Dept. of Consumer and Business Services provides this chart ranking the costs in all 50 states. For those wanting a deeper dive into the legislation Governor Schwarzenegger spurred, it was Senate Bill 899 by Fresno-area Sen. Chuck Poochigian, who is now an associate justice of the California Court of Appeal.
A long time ago all of this, but lessons remain and can be drawn on in the future.
NFIB California in the News- The Lassen County Times was just one of the publications running NFIB California State Director John Kabateck’s comment on the 50th anniversary of NFIB’s Small Business Economic Trends report.
- September 14-November 8, signatures in lieu of filing fee period for those seeking elective office
- December 28, Certified list of candidates for the March 5 Primary Election released.
- January. 3, 2024, the Legislature reconvenes.
- February 5, counties begin mailing ballots
- February, last day to register to vote in the March Primary
- March 5, Primary Election Day
- More deadlines here
- On November 16, NFIB released Episode 22 of the “Small Business Rundown” podcast, featuring Jim Ellis of The Ellis Insight and Senior National Political Director Sharon Sussin discussing the recent elections and emerging trends going into the 2024 election year.
- On November 14, Research Center Executive Director Holly Wade discussed NFIB’s 50th Anniversary Small Business Economic Trends (SBET) data on Bloomberg Markets. Read the press release here. Watch Holly’s interview here.
- Small business owners continue to support the Main Street Tax Certainty Act Petition, we now have 25,000 signatures!
NFIB is a member-driven organization advocating on behalf of small and independent businesses nationwide.
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