FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NFIB’s statement urges lawmakers not to forget Main Street businesses

HARTFORD, CT (Jan. 8, 2025) – The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), Connecticut’s leading small business advocacy organization, released the following statement this morning from NFIB State Director Andy Markowski ahead of this afternoon’s State of the State Address by Gov. Ned Lamont before the newly constituted legislature:

“As Governor Lamont addresses the newly convened General Assembly later today, small businesses throughout the state urge him and lawmakers not to forget the challenges facing Main Street enterprises. As they set priorities and develop legislation, they must do no harm to small business job creators and fashion solutions that work for Main Street and not just Big Business and Big Labor.

“Small businesses are continuing to face dire workforce hiring needs and manage rising business expenses, including unsustainable health insurance premiums and exorbitant energy costs. It is vital that lawmakers this session avoid legislation that would further exacerbate those challenges and instead focus on policies that will address these problems and ignite economic growth. Further, the responsible retention of Connecticut’s functioning fiscal guardrails is key to preventing future tax increases, ensuring long term fiscal stability, and creating an environment conducive for job growth.”

NFIB’s latest research shows that small business optimism rose in December following the election to the highest reading since June 2021. Twenty percent of owners reported that inflation was their single most important problem in operating their business (higher input and labor costs), down three points from October and surpassing labor quality as the top issue by one point.

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For more than 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 nonprofit, nonpartisan, and member-driven. Since our founding in 1943, NFIB has been exclusively dedicated to small and independent businesses, and remains so today. For more information, please visit nfib.com.