Buckeye Reporter

The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), Ohio's primary small business advocacy group, has announced its legislative priorities for 2025. These priorities are directed at the Ohio Legislature during this session.

Chris Ferruso, NFIB Ohio State Director, emphasized the importance of maintaining a favorable tax environment for small businesses. "As Ohio faces a fiscally tighter budget, lawmakers must avoid increasing taxes or shifting tax burdens on small businesses," Ferruso stated. He added that small business owners are experiencing high levels of optimism and are eager to expand their operations. The Legislature should support this optimism by avoiding detrimental policies.

The NFIB outlined several key areas of focus:

- Preventing Tax Increases: The organization aims to preserve the business income deduction (BID) and prevent property tax burdens from being shifted onto commercial properties. According to NFIB, any reduction in BID or an increase in property taxes equates to a tax hike on small businesses.

- Unemployment Compensation Modernization: The NFIB advocates for modernizing Ohio’s unemployment compensation system to ensure long-term solvency and certainty for employers.

- Reducing Health Care Costs: The organization supports transparency in costs and incentives for employers who provide health benefits. It opposes policies that could lead to higher health insurance premiums.

- Preventing Energy Cost Increases: NFIB backs policies ensuring reliable and affordable energy supplies while opposing those that raise energy costs for small businesses while offering discounts to large users.

- Workforce Development & Licensure Reform: The group endorses TechCred, which allows employers reimbursement opportunities for upskilling their workforce.

These priorities reflect the organization's commitment to supporting Ohio's small business community amid economic challenges.