BY SANDY THEIS
Enquirer Columbus Bureau
COLUMBUS -- Bob Taft, the Republican candidate for governor, wants to reduce the number of state forms small businesses are required to file and eliminate unnecessary state regulations that apply to them. If elected, he said Friday, he will appoint a small-business council to review state regulations and recommend changes.
Mr. Taft suggested one rule that can go: All businesses are now required to file a report with the Division of Unclaimed Funds, even if they have no such funds.
"While manufacturing and agriculture are still the foundation of our economic output, it is clear that our future economic prosperity is becoming more and more tied to the success of small businesses," he told a news conference.
The announcement took place at Kenneth's Design Group, a hair salon that has grown from $150,000 in sales in 1987 to $10 million in sales last year.
Kenneth employees and representatives of other small businesses attended the event, during which Mr. Taft received the endorsement of the National Federation of Independent Business - Ohio.
NFIB Vice President Dan Danner said Mr. Taft won the endorsement over Democrat Lee Fisher because of his views on the issues.
"Bob Taft supports needed tort reform," he said. "Lee Fisher opposed tort reform in the Ohio Senate. . . Bob Taft opposes new state health care mandates on new businesses. When our group that interviewed the candidates asked Lee Fisher, he declined to answer."
Fisher spokeswoman Judy Barbao defended Mr. Fisher's record for business, noting that he, too, has called for a panel to streamline government regulations.
Both he and Mr. Taft also support eliminating a tax businesses pay on their inventories.
Mr. Fisher's spokeswoman said that as attorney general, Mr. Fisher launched an "early warning policy" to alert businesses of problems before litigation, a policy she said saves costs for businesses and taxpayers.
He is especially attuned to the problems of small businesses, she said, because his wife, Peggy, is a small-business owner.
Mrs. Fisher owns a Cleveland-based travel company.
