Washington’s state’s largest small-business group, the National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB) recently added its voice to the growing chorus of opponents to Qwest’s bid to deregulate its rates to business customers.

“Small-business owners would be the group most negatively affected if the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (WUTC) grants Qwest’s request that it be allowed to deregulate its rates to business customers,” said Mark Johnson, assistant state director of the 15,000-member Washington chapter of NFIB.

“Being the representative group for the most entrepreneurial people in the nation, we can sympathize in concept with Qwest’s desire for deregulation, because government interference is often our biggest hurdle to expanding businesses and adding jobs,” said Johnson. “Unfortunately Qwest has not shown that true competition exists for all its small-business customers in Washington state. This reinforces the need for the WUTC to continue regulation of this industry for the protection of the consumer.”

Recently, Washington Attorney General and Democratic candidate for governor, Christine Gregoire, said, “Signficant numbers of Qwest business customers throughout Washington have few, if any, competitive options. Allowing Quest to set its own prices for essential services may mean higher operating costs for businesses already struggling in a down economy.”

Johnson said small business concurs with the Attorney General’s opinion in opposition to Qwest.