Dan Murray, State Director of NFIB, or the National Federation of Independent Business here in Kansas, one of the state’s leading small business organizations, testified in front of the Senate Committee on Assessment and Taxation. Murray, along with small business owners across Kansas, are in full support of Senate Bill 359. 

“This bill which would provide much needed tax relief for small business owners. Senate Bill 359 would eliminate the state sales tax on most utilities that small business owners pay bringing parity with the residential sector. Tax related costs and compliance have historically created immense anxiety for small business owners. And right now, small businesses are managing challenges including labor shortages, rising inflation, supply chain disruptions, and COVID-19 variants. This bill would lower tax costs and compliance on businesses still struggling to recover from the pandemic and government-forced shutdowns,” Murray told legislators today.  

In NFIB’s most recent Small Business Problems and Priorities, our small business owners confirmed that taxes continue to be a significant problem for small businesses. The study found that tax rates and tax complexity are four of the top ten problems confronting small businesses.  

As you know, Main Street Business owners across Kansas are still trying to survive the mandates and regulations from the COVID-19 pandemic. NFIB’s latest member survey shows that the recent increase in COVID-19 cases has negatively impacted more than 60% of small business owners and nearly half have seen a significant supply chain impact.  

“NFIB’s data is a clear indicator as to why the legislature should pass tax relief for small business owners, who have made it clear that they are still struggling to recover. The most helpful thing that Kansas lawmakers can do for small business owners right now is to pass small business tax relief. It would not only help our hard-working Kansas job creators, but keep our state’s economy on the best possible road to recovery.”