This week, the National Federation of Independent Business released their 2022 report card, grading state legislators’ voting records on how small-business friendly they are.
According to the NFIB, “Every elected official and candidate for office claims to be a friend of small business, but NFIB’s voting records on Congress and state legislatures are the national standards for measuring the veracity of their claims.”
In the state of Arizona, 44 legislators received perfect marks. The grades this year were formulated using eight different bills. If the legislators voted “Yes,” they received a higher grade.
The following were SB 1783: “Establishes an alternative income tax for small business taxpayers,” SB 1827: “Creates an aggregate individual income tax rate cap of 4.5%,” SB1828: Reduces the assessed valuation of commercial property from 18% to 16% and creates a two-tier individual income tax rate structure of 2.55% and 2.98%,” HB 2838: “Creates an entity-level income tax for partnerships and S corporations,” SB 1093: “Reduces the assessed valuation percentage on all commercial properties in .5% increments over two years to 15% by 2027,” HB 2599: “Revises laws relating to occupational licensure, review of agency rules, and appealable agency actions,” HB 2822: “Sets the valuation factor, for property tax purposes, for most classes that include personal property acquired and initially classified on or after January 1, 2022, to 2.5%,” and SB 1157: “: Outlines requirements for filing a personal injury claim involving asbestos exposure.”
While a large portion of the state legislature received 100% scores, three received 0%. The politicians include Rep. Sally Ann Gonzales, D-Tempe; Rep. Martin Quezada, D-Phoenix; and Rep. Pamela Powers Hannley, D-Tucson.
“The Legislature is still in session, but the votes on key issues vital for small-business survival have been cast and we need not wait until the very end to publicize them,” said Chad Heinrich, Arizona state director for NFIB. “I think it impressive that nearly half of the Legislature had 100% pro-small-business voting records. That makes our claim to be a pro-small-business state a matter of fact, not political rhetoric.”
Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
