Lansing, MI – Gallup has released its annual update on Americans’ confidence in major U.S. institutions, with small businesses once again topping the list. The national survey of more than 1,000 voters shows 70 percent of people have the most faith in small business. Only two other institutions earned majority-level confidence, with the military and science coming in at 62 percent and 61 percent, respectively.

“Small businesses are the connecting force of our communities, embodying the spirit of American entrepreneurship and resilience,” said Brian Calley, President and CEO of the Small Business Association of Michigan. “It’s for good reason the public continues to place their steadfast trust in small business owners.

“This overwhelming bipartisan support for small businesses is a powerful message for our policymakers as well as Michigan voters,” Calley continued. “It’s crucial that Michigan’s leaders and voters reflect this unified voice and craft legislation that nurtures, rather than hinders, the growth of our small business sector throughout the entire state.

“To support small businesses, voters must understand the truth behind the deceptively-worded Invest in MI Kids ballot proposal, which would have a disproportionate negative impact on small businesses. Voters deserve transparency and given the degree of trust they have in small businesses, it’s unlikely they’d intentionally act to harm them. But harm them, they will.”

Under Michigan’s current tax structure, thousands of small business owners file their taxes at the individual level, meaning the tax burden on them would increase exponentially if this ballot proposal succeeds. Seventy-seven percent of those affected by this new tax structure would be small business owners. However, none of this is disclosed in the ballot proposal petition language.

Regarding the Gallup survey, large party gaps were found when it came to most institutions, especially the presidency, the police, and the U.S. Supreme Court. However, faith in small business transcended political lines, with Democrats measured at 68 percent confidence, Independents at 67 percent, and Republicans at 79 percent.

The Gallup poll asked about confidence in 18 institutions this summer, with more than 1,000 likely voters surveyed. More information on the Gallup Poll Social Series is available here.