For over five decades, NFIB has surveyed small business owners about their biggest challenges. The results are strikingly consistent: Taxes, inflation, and labor quality remain the top concerns for small business owners. Chief Economist William Dunkelberg highlights the decades of collected data in a recent opinion-editorial in Forbes.

“Overall, government (federal, state, and local) is associated with nearly all the top problems faced by small business owners, directly (e.g. taxes, spending) or indirectly (regulations, monetary policy),” said Dunkelberg.

The survey findings reveal a broader pattern, government action or inaction is deeply tied to the problems small businesses face. Throughout the long history of the NFIB Small Business Economic Trends survey, taxes remain overwhelmingly the single most important problem. This long-standing concern is especially urgent today, as more than 32 million small businesses face a massive tax hike at the end of the year if the 20% Small Business Deduction expires.

NFIB data shows that more than eight in 10 Americans and strong bipartisan support in Congress believe that making the 20% Small Business Deduction permanent should be a top priority for Congress. This crucial deduction protects owners’ right to grow their business, hire, and give back to their communities. Stand up for small businesses and urge your elected officials to protect the 20% Small Business Deduction.