Victories for small businesses

NFIB Oregon Small Business Victories: January 2018

National Federation of Small Businesses, Oregon 

 

Victories

Defeated the Gross Receipts Tax – Twice in Less Than a Year

NFIB was a key member of the coalition that overwhelmingly defeated Ballot Measure 97 in November of 2016. The measure would have amounted to $3 billion in new annual revenue for the Legislature to spend without any restrictions, and at a cost of $600 per Oregon household per year. The Legislature tried again in 2017 with HB 2830 – another failed attempt at basing business taxes on gross sales in Oregon rather than on profits.

Stopped Bills Aimed at Subjecting Businesses to New Lawsuits

A trio of bills (HB 2169, HB 2080 & HB 2081) would have had serious legal consequences for small business facing a claim of unpaid wages, including replacing “prevailing party” with “prevailing plaintiff” for attorney fees, authorizing the creation of a lien on the real or personal property of an employer, and creating a presumption of guilt unless the employer could prove it did not take certain actions. NFIB testified against all three bills – all three were defeated.

Defeated Efforts to Escalate Human Resources Issues into Lawsuits

SB 292 would have created a new unlawful employment practice for “creating the new Human Resources department for every employer in the state by treating workplace conduct issues the same way the law treats workplace discrimination.” NFIB helped defeat the bill.

Halted Efforts to Drastically Increase Liability Insurance

Numerous bills have been introduced in the last several sessions that would have raised or eliminated the $500k cap on non-economic damages (pain & suffering) in a wrongful death case, skyrocketing commercial and medical liability insurance. NFIB has helped stop all of these attempts.

Challenges

Opposing New Taxes on Business

Even with tax revenues projected at more than $1 billion than Oregon has ever taken in, Oregon legislative leaders and government labor groups continue to seek ways to increase taxes, both legislatively and through ballot measures. NFIB will be working with legislators and coalition partners to oppose efforts aimed at raising taxes on all small businesses.

Protecting and Expanding the Small Business Tax Cut

In 2013, NFIB helped secure a new small business tax classification with a starting rate of 7%, down from 9.9%, a significant tax reduction for qualified small businesses. NFIB is working to keep that special rate and expand the pool of “qualified” small businesses while others are looking to restrict its future use – or completely repeal it.

Opposing Employer-Paid Family Leave Mandates

NFIB is working to oppose all efforts to implement a new employer-paid family and medical leave mandate on Oregon’s small businesses. Paid sick time, minimum wage and other recently adopted mandates are already cutting into the bottom line for far too many small employers.

Defeating Energy Cost Increases

NFIB stands with our allies and coalitions to push back and defeat efforts to grow government on the backs of small business owners, including proposals to create a Cap and Trade system, requiring businesses to buy carbon allowances from the state and raising energy prices.