Senator recognized for supporting small business

RITZVILLE - A local lawmaker has been recognized for his efforts to help small businesses across Washington state.

Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, received the Guardian of Small Business Award on Monday, June 27, from the National Federation of Independent Business.

Schoesler represents the 9th Legislative District, which includes Adams County, Ritzville, Lind and Washtucna.

"I'm very honored to receive this award from NFIB for my long support of small businesses," Schoesler said. "These businesses have long been the backbone of Washington's economy, so it's important for our state to create and maintain a business climate that allows them to grow and prosper, especially at a time when our state is struggling with record inflation and ongoing supply-chain problems."

In a the letter announcing the award, the federation's Washington state director, Patrick Connor, credited Schoesler with strong leadership.

"The Guardian award should be reserved for those lawmakers who most reliably support small business, particularly when challenged by competing

interests," he wrote.

The letter also chastised other lawmakers who went along with gubernatorial edicts targeting local businesses.

"At a time when too many small businesses were shuttered – many permanently – due to government-mandated pandemic restriction, several legislative actions like ratifying the governor's ongoing state of emergency and executive orders, imposing costly new penalties and workplace restrictions, and adding enormous new energy and transportation costs through a cap-and-tax regime and low carbon fuel standard, further threaten small-business recovery," he wrote.

But Schoesler didn't just go along; he did his part to support local businesses rather than mandates.

"We are tremendously grateful that you stood with our state's small business owners 100% of the time," the letter to Schoesler said.

Schoesler has served the 9th Legislative District since 1992, when he was first elected to the state House of Representatives. Schoesler was elected to the state Senate in 2004.

He currently serves on the Senate Labor, Commerce and Tribal Affairs Committee, which focuses on business issues in the state.