Advocating for Business Owners: Mazda Miles A Panelist at Small Business Day in Harrisburg

Mazda Miles, CMM, President of Perfection Events participated in a panel discussion about the priorities of small business during the recent NFIB/PA Small Business Day at the Capitol in Harrisburg.

The Small Business Day at the State Capitol event in Harrisburg includes the most active owners, partners and chief executive officers in the NFIB membership as well as members of NFIB's national board of directors and national leadership team. NFIB members hail from every corner of the state and represent a variety of industries. The 2015 Small Business Day partners also included the Pennsylvania chapters of the National Association of Women Business Owners, the American Rental Association, the American Subcontractors Association and the National Utility Contractors of PA.

The state budget was the hot topic of discussion for the panel, with panelists expressing serious concerns about how the proposed increase in personal income tax will directly impact small business owners.  There was also a lot of discussion over the proposed 10% increase in state sales tax, and the many new categories of businesses that would be subject to charging sales tax under the proposed budget. Timing of payments to subcontractors on government contracts was also a topic of discussion.

Mazda commented, “the two key items that concern me, and many other business owners, are the proposed 20% increase in personal income tax and the inclusion of previously exempt services in the state sales tax. When I present an event budget to a client that would be 6.6% higher than it used to be, the perception is that my services are now more expensive.  Clients working on limited budgets may be forced to spend less on the event and my services to now cover sales tax, so my profits are reduced and then reduced even further by an increase in personal income tax. The proposed PA state budget does not represent the concerns of small business owners.”

Speaking about the overall experience of being invited to participate as a panelist at the event, Mazda commented “it was such an empowering experience to use my voice to speak up for myself and on behalf of small business owners.  We all have so many priorities in a day, and advocating for our interests becomes secondary to all of the business issues we face. We have to change this. It is our responsibility as small business owners to recognize the critical importance of speaking out and ensuring that small business owners have an atmosphere to grow and thrive in Pennsylvania.”