Montana Business Owners Certain on Three Key Issues

Survey of Montana small-business owners calls for curbs on property seizures Minimum wage, personal security questions also included on poll

A survey of Montana small-business owners released today shows no uncertainty on three key issues facing Main Street, mom-and-pop business owners.

Unique among almost all advocacy organizations, the National Federation of Independent Business, America’s largest small-business group, bases its lobbying positions in Washington D.C. and Helena solely on what issues members say – through regular balloting – are vital to their survival. The 2006 Montana State Ballot asked their opinion on three key issues now before voters and lawmakers.

In the wake of last year’s U.S. Supreme Court Kelo v New London, Connecticut decision, which greatly expanded a government’s ability to seize private property under the eminent domain rule, Montana small-business owners were asked if that right to seize private property for private – not necessarily public – commercial enterprises should be restricted by the state, which the court’s decision also granted states the right to do. A near-unanimous 94 percent of Main Street, Montana business owners said, ‘yes,’ four percent said ‘no,’ and two percent were undecided.

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