Small Business Statement on the Governor’s “What’s Next?” Address

August 30, 2023 Last Edit: June 5, 2025

Small Business Statement on the Governor's "What's Next?" Address

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE LANSING, MI (August 30, 2023) – Michigan’s leading small business advocacy association, the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), released the following statement today by NFIB Michigan State Director Amanda Fisher in reaction to Governor Whitmer’s Fall Agenda Announcement: “As expected, the governor included several anti-small business proposals in her ‘What’s Next?’ address announced earlier today,” said NFIB State Director Amanda Fisher (see press release – Small Business Has Concerns About Governor’s Fall Agenda – NFIB). “Unfortunately, every paid family leave proposal we have seen is a double hit to those small businesses who will have to deal with a tax hike AND the increased cost and stress of finding temporary replacement workers,” continued Fisher. “The majority of small business owners already do everything they can to provide paid leave and flexibility to their employees – this mandate could either cause small business owners to downsize, or close altogether. Couple this with the direct and indirect costs associated with elimination of non-renewable energy, and you have a recipe for a small business economic disaster.” Fisher did note one bright spot in the governor’s address: “NFIB has advocated for streamlining of the permitting process for years, so we were pleasantly surprised by the governor’s executive directive earlier this month and would be happy to support legislation that would make these policies permanent.”

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For 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.

Topics:

Taxes

State:

Michigan

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