For the legislative and political week November 29-December 3
Welcome to the November 29-December 3 edition of the NFIB California Main Street Minute from your NFIB small-business-advocacy team in Sacramento.
Retail Theft Ballot Initiative
- The Republican-leaning law firm of Bell, McAndrews & Hiltachk submitted a proposed ballot measure to the California attorney general’s office, November 23, requesting title and summary so it can begin collecting signatures.
- It’s quite straightforward. “Brazen retail theft, auto theft, porch piracy, and other similar crimes are out of control and are the direct result of the failure of our criminal justice system.
- “Since our politicians have allowed this crime wave to occur on their watch, the People must take action to restore law and order and punish those who repeatedly violate these laws.
- “Anyone convicted two or more times for these types of theft crimes must be incarcerated for up to one year. No exceptions. No excuses.” The law firm’s two-page request for title and summary can be read here.
Chairman Given Heave Ho
- The Legislature may be out of session, but it is never out of politics. Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon tossed Evan Low from of his chairmanship of the Assembly Business and Professions Committee and replaced him with Marc Berman, a more reliable ally.
- Berman’s big hobby horses are elections, cybersecurity, and education, according to his official biography. Despite its name, the Business and Professions Committee is not a biggie for NFIB and the small-business agenda, Labor and Judiciary are.
NFIB California in the Media
- State Director John Kabateck tells listeners of The Mike Stoker Podcast, In the Cabana that “Supply chain disruptions are a real problem,” and the state needs to take action to “not only unclog the ports but unclog the horrible regulations that are strangling small businesses.” Kabateck’s remarks start at the 14:22-minute mark.
- The Citizens Journal publishes NFIB California’s news release, California’s Main Streets Could Still use the Help.
Jobs Report
- Look for NFIB’s latest Jobs Report this Thursday. The big question is whether the historic highs in unfilled job openings will have increased, lessened, or plateaued.
Federally,
- Congress was off last week.
- On Monday, November 22, NFIB filed an amicus brief in the case Boechler, P.C. v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue at the U.S. Supreme Court. NFIB argues the decision of the Eighth Circuit upholding the Tax Court’s refusal to hear the taxpayer’s claim should be reversed. Read NFIB’s news release here.
- All attention and effort now turn to the U.S. Senate, as it sumo wrestles with the Build Back Better Act the U.S. House passed off to it.
- “Tucked into the $2.2 trillion bill are numerous place-based programs aimed at combating the nation’s epidemic of uneven development, with spatially targeted funding that would promote a more equitable distribution of economic growth across the country,” reports Brookings.
- Guess who we found in this Brookings list of some of those eligible for “place-based” federal moolah—You!
- Scroll down to “Uplift Incubators” and you’ll find $1 trillion – trillion – earmarked for the program, which “establishes a national network of incubator spaces for Main Street small businesses to spur economic development is unrepresented communities.”
- So, there you have it, small-business owners, you weren’t left out of the BBB Act. In fact, you were given a national mission as an uplift incubator in one of the place-based programs that will use spatially targeted funding to promote a more equitable distribution of economic growth. To borrow a Summer of Love response, Groovy, baby. Groovy.
- Meanwhile, NFIB’s federal lobbyists, no rose-colored-glasses-wearing lot they, will hammer away at reminding senators of the many small-business poisoned pills in the BBB Act, even if they have to invade your incubator space and ruin your spatially uplifting moment.
Next Main Street Minute December 6.
