Seattle – Small business owners and policymakers from around the state will gather in SeaTac next week to discuss the state’s business climate and ideas for how policymakers can make Washington more supportive of businesses and job growth. Washington Policy Center’s biennial Small Business Conference comes as Boeing announced its decision to build a 2nd 787 line in South Carolina rather than here, a move which shows Washington faces serious competiveness challenges from other states.
What: WPC’s Statewide Small Business Conference
When: Tuesday, November 10th, 7:30am – 1:30pm, with optional 2-3pm session
Where: SeaTac Hilton (17620 International Blvd, Seattle)
How: Call 206-937-9691 for more information
The conference will open with a legislative update panel featuring new state Commerce Department Director Rogers Weed, Rep. Reuven Carlyle (D-Seattle), and Rep. Kevin Parker (R-Spokane). As small business owners themselves, Carlyle and Parker bring valuable insight to the legislature and are eager to discuss these issues with others. Commerce Director Rogers Weed understands that small businesses will lead the way out of recession, saying that “government doesn’t create jobs, businesses do,” and pointed out that “about 80% of our state’s economy comes from private sector activity.”
The conference will feature interactive breakout sessions on health care reform, unemployment insurance reform,environmental regulations, technology policy (privacy and digital goods taxation), workers’ comp. reform, regulatory reform, business tax issues, and competitiveness issues. Participants will discuss the issues and then vote on their top recommendations. WPC will present these recommendations to the legislature during the next session.
Wells Fargo senior economist and vice president Eugenio Alemán will deliver the lunch keynote. An optional 2-3pm session will include a presentation on “Small Business Financing During the Economic Downturn” from the U.S. Small Business Administration, and Enterprise Washington will talk about tools for helping businesses and their employees learn about candidates and issues that impact their business.