ST. PAUL — Rep. Steve Green, R-Fosston, has received the Guardian of Small Business Award from the state’s largest small-business group in terms of entities, the National Federation of Independent Business Minnesota.
NFIB issues its Guardian of Small Business award at both the federal and state level to recognize legislators who have been supportive of small business on critical issues. Green said his background in small business allows him to understand the challenges entrepreneurs face in Minnesota.
“Small businesses are the driving force of our economy, especially in parts of the state such as ours,” Green said. “Unfortunately, Minnesota has not been the most welcoming place for entrepreneurs, especially when you consider our state's onerous regulatory and tax structure. We have made improvements in recent years, but more work remains and I look forward to continuing efforts to represent the men and women who have set up shop here or may consider doing so.”
To receive the award legislators had to demonstrate a supportive voting record for small business during the 2015-16 sessions of the Minnesota legislature. A press release from NFIB indicates it specifically credited Green with having “made many votes that were critical for small business, including a vote for significant tax reductions and reforms that included conforming Minnesota’s estate tax exemption to that of the federal, and a significant reduction in commercial property taxes that would make Minnesota much more competitive on a critical issue. He also supported legislation that provided employers a significant unemployment insurance tax credit that will reduce taxes by 27-29% and made a vote for reforming the healthcare component of workers compensation that is escalating out of control, and many others.”
“Representative Green is a real friend of small business and we are happy to announce that he has earned the NFIB Guardian of Small Business Award,” said Mike Hickey, NFIB state director.
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