National Write Your Congressman Index Finds Small Business Owners Optimistic About President Trump's First 100 Days Agenda

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Jan 23, 2017, 07:17 ET

DALLAS, Jan. 23, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- National Write Your Congressman (NWYC) finds small business owners voicing high levels of optimism for the incoming administration's plans for the U.S. economy and their own business prospects in its Q4 2016 Index. NWYC, an organization that gives small businesses a voice in American government, issued its Quarterly Index measuring small business owners and operators' sentiment towards Congress and their confidence in the U.S. government.

The Q4 2016 Index found its membership of small business owners expect the most direct and positive impact on their 2017 business results from five specific components of President Trump's first 100 days agenda: tax reduction, health care reform, regulation relief, elimination of corruption and energy production.

The renewed sense of optimism is based on small business owners' opinions that the overall business climate, long-term success of their business and revenue growth will improve as new the administration takes power.

"Every day, NWYC listens to small business owners across the country and this quarter's Index shows what we hear in the field -- that owners are encouraged by President Trump's first 100 days agenda and have a specific mandate for their members of Congress," said Randy Ford president of National Write Your Congressman. "The uptick in our members' confidence in the fourth quarter of 2016 is encouraging as we work to make their voices heard to Congress."

NWYC's poll represents the opinions of more than 1,000 NWYC members across 46 states in the construction, services, manufacturing and agriculture industries. Findings from the Q4 2016 Index include:

88 percent of respondents report that they are hopeful that America's new presidential and legislative leadership will improve their business results in 2017.
Twice the number of small business owners reported that Congress helped their business in Q4 2016 as compared with Q3 2016, further indicating increased optimism in the Trump administration.
While small business owners continue to generally distrust national and state government, their trust increased in the fourth quarter of 2016. In both Q3 and Q4 trust in local government was higher, continuing the trend that the more local, the more trusted.
While 52 percent of small business owners agree their elected Congress members know their opinions on important issues, only 24 percent agree that Congress takes action to meet their small business needs.

"As the engine driving the U.S. economy, small business owners are revved up for a powerful first quarter and NWYC will be working alongside our membership of construction workers, farmers, machinists and financial service providers to make sure their voices and opinions are heard by Congress," said Ford.

NWYC exists to provide members with non-partisan information and research along with the tools they can use to connect with their representatives in Washington and advocate for the policies and actions that will help their small business be successful for their families, their employees and their communities.

To view findings from each of NWYC's Small Business Indexes, visit: https://www.nwyc.com/publication/small_business_quarterly_index/articles

Demographic Profile
NWYC's Q4 2016 Index on the Sentiments of Small Business Towards Congress, conducted between January 4 – 11, 2017, is based on data collected from 1,039 respondents within NWYC's membership. Respondents represented individuals from 46 U.S. states. Ninety (90%) percent of respondents identify as small business owner/operators. Fifty nine percent (59.6%) of respondents employ between one and nine people and thirty six (36.1%) percent of respondents employ between 10-99 people. Predominant industries represented included: construction (18.5%), services (15.3%), manufacturing (15.3%), agriculture (12%), retail trade (10%), and finance (7%). Sixty seven percent (67.74%) of respondents are ages 45-64.

About National Write Your Congressman
National Write Your Congressman (NWYC) is an organization that gives small businesses a voice in American government. As the nation's largest, privately held, nonpartisan membership organization made up of small businesses, NWYC is dedicated to the delivery of constituent opinions to representatives in Washington. For more than 55 years, NWYC has provided small business owners and operators the tools necessary to connect with members of Congress and a platform to let their collective voice be heard. NWYC's team of experts provides unbiased, nonpartisan information and research on top issues and pending legislation relevant to small business owners today. NWYC presents both sides of the issue so that members can form an educated opinion and let their opinions be heard. For more information, visit: www.nwyc.com.

SOURCE National Write Your Congressman