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Thousands of Utah small-business owners will soon be receiving ballots to direct a key state lobbying group on issues to pursue when the 2011 Legislature convenes in January.
The balloting is being conducted by the Utah chapter of the National Federation of Independent Business.
State NFIB Director Candace Daly said in a statement that the balloting will guide her group in its advocacy efforts and evaluations of lawmakers, no matter what party they represent.
"The issues of most concern to small-business owners are affordable health care, low taxes and sensible regulation," she said.
Ballot questions include:
• Do you favor moving public-employee pension systems from defined benefit plans to defined contribution plans?
• Should Utah amend land-use and building codes to require the use of energy-efficient systems and renewable materials in new commercial and industrial building construction?
• Should states impose penalties on employers who hire illegal immigrants?
• Should the state give a tax credit to employers who create a job for someone who has been unemployed for four weeks or more?
• Should the Legislature limit the ability of business owners to treat workers as independent contractors?
Anthony Malandra, a San Francisco-based spokesman for NFIB's western region, said the balloting is being conducted in all 50 states, with each state's ballot designed for specific local issues. A national ballot to gather members' input on federal issues will be sent to members either next month or early next year.
Such balloting represents "our central tether," Malandra said. "We do not diverge from the balloting results" when lobbying and evaluating lawmakers' effectiveness on identified issues.
"Obviously, if bills change as they work their way through the process, it's up to each state director to make the decision whether we will support the end product," Malandra said.
Malandra estimated that Utah's NFIB membership represents 7,500 small businesses. Most have 50 or fewer employees, while the majority have only five or six employees, he said.