ALBANY, NY (March 18, 2025) – Small business owners and business leaders from across New York traveled to Albany today to advocate their positions on a wide range of issues including high taxes and fees for the state’s massive UI Trust Fund debt and the MTA, abusive frequency of pay lawsuits, electric truck mandates, and other measures that impact the state’s business climate and affordability.

The event was hosted by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the nation’s leading small business advocacy association with 11,000 members throughout the Empire State. More than 60 Small Business Day participants gathered in Empire State Plaza to hear from business leaders and policy experts and discuss the key Main Street policy challenges and latest NFIB research. The event program concluded with small business owners meeting with lawmakers in their Capitol offices by region to advocate NFIB’s legislative priorities and share their experiences running a business in New York.

NFIB’s Small Business Day advocates speak with state Senator James Skoufis in his Capitol office:

NFIB member activists called on lawmakers to give serious consideration to Main Street issues as they work through this year’s budget and the remainder of the legislative session.

“Small Business Day recognizes the importance of small business owners to our state, and it also serves as a critical reminder to lawmakers that small businesses’ challenges can be made worse by legislative action and inaction,” said Ashley Ranslow, NFIB’s New York State Director. “From crushing UI taxes to outrageous frequency of pay lawsuits, our agenda is essential to the sustainability of New York’s small business owners and Main Street jobs. Small business is the backbone of New York’s economy, Main Streets, and job creation, and we are very proud of the work our members did today to advocate and tell their stories. We are grateful to the Senators, Assembly Members, and staff who met with our activists today.”

###

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.