May 5, 2015 (Lansing)
– The state’s leading small business organization, the National Federation
of Independent Business (NFIB), offered the following comments in regard
to the failure of Proposal 15-1 at the ballot box today:
“Voters have
made it clear that they want a straight up proposal that addresses road funding
and not unrelated issues such as school and local government funding, the
earned income tax credit or other issues,” said NFIB State Director, Charlie
Owens. “Small business owners understand the importance of roads and are
supportive of efforts that build on prioritizing current spending before
embarking on an overall tax increase for the entire funding need.”
Owens
pointed out that back in early 2014 when there was a budget surplus, NFIB
members preferred that the money be used for roads rather than an income tax
cut. “When you consider that the income tax is the business tax for most small
businesses it says a lot that they were willing to forgo a tax cut in favor of
road funding,” said Owens. “Our small business members also supported the
original House funding plan offered up last year.”
“The outgoing
2014 legislature created an obligation on the new legislature (that took office
in 2015) to hold off on any plan until the fate of Proposal 1 was decided,”
said Owens. “That obligation is now lifted and lawmakers can start with a clean
sheet of paper.”
