Small businesses from across Washington will gather in Sea-Tac on Oct. 3 for the 2003 Statewide Small Business Conference, where they hope to develop solutions that will improve our state’s business climate.

The daylong Conference will offer breakout sessions to address crucial, business-related public policy issues and opportunities for small business owners to collaborate directly with other businesses and policymakers regarding the challenges facing their business.

The Conference will focus on ways for improving the business climate and will be followed by an in-depth “Agenda for Reform” report, which will present specific recommendations that result from the Conference.

Agenda items include:

• Workers’ Compensation
• Environmental Regulations
• Employment Regulations
• Taxes
• Health Care/Health Insurance
• Liability Insurance
• Workforce Training
• Access to Technology

   Conference sponsors include: Washington Policy Center, National Federation of Independent Business, Independent Business Association and Verizon. Over 50 other business organizations and chambers of commerce are co-sponsoring the Conference, ensuring a large and diverse group of attendees.

The Policy Center held two planning meetings with Conference co-sponsors in late May to ensure that the event will be relevant and helpful for both business owners and policymakers.

“What makes this project innovative is its grassroots approach. Past attempts to aid the business community have involved studies that only highlight problems and originate from policymakers,” said Policy Center president Daniel Mead Smith, “leaving out the most important source of information and provider of innovative solutions: the business owner.”

Learn more or register online at: www.SmallBusinessConference.com.