Legislative Agenda & Task Forces

SBAM’s proactive policy agenda gives policymakers direction and insight from Michigan small business owners. These tenets represent our approach to creating an environment of success for small business.

Small Business Needs People – Business needs people with the right skills to meet their demand

People Need Place – People need communities that are growing and present a high quality of life to them

Place Needs Small Business – Our communities need small businesses to remain thriving

In the post pandemic era, many small businesses have changed where and how they work. Business operations are becoming increasingly dependent on cloud-based technology, more industries have trended toward remote or hybrid work models, and work is more mobile than ever. High-speed internet access plays an increasingly critical role in our workplaces.

SBAM has determined broadband expansion and increased access to high-speed internet services to be an important priority for the current and future success of small businesses. Our Broadband Task Force convened in order to provide valuable feedback and recommendations on how resources might be best deployed to support entrepreneurs, small businesses, and their employees.

With the uncertainty COVID-19 has brought to Michigan’s small business community, SBAM has organized a specific COVID-19 Policy Task Force to develop and drive a small business agenda on what steps need to be taken at a State and Federal level beyond the reopening schedule. While we begin discussing reopening our economy safely, we need to make sure legislators and regulators are mindful of the myriad of issues that need to be addressed in near and intermediate time frames.

We intend for this task force to remain active through at least the end of the year so expect this document to continue to be updated as changes arise.

Small businesses are significant investors in state government. While we are proud of the economic success that enables us to create opportunities for others and contribute toward the operation of government, we expect the burden to be shared fairly by all who benefit from government services. Michigan should aim to have a simple yet equitable taxation system that promotes economic growth and prosperity while cultivating an environment friendly to entrepreneurs and innovation. See what the Tax Task Force’s findings were by downloading the full report.