Drive down Manatee Avenue in Bradenton, walk through the Lakewood Ranch Main Street district, or visit the industrial parks off U.S. 301 in Palmetto, and you will see what actually makes this economy run: small businesses. Restaurants, contractors, retailers, healthcare practices, logistics companies, and tradespeople employing their neighbors and serving their community.
These businesses are not asking for handouts from Washington. They are asking Washington to get out of the way — to stop layering on federal regulations, paperwork requirements, and tax complexity that consume hours every week that should be spent serving customers and building something.
The Real Cost of Federal Regulation on Small Business
The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) estimates that small businesses with fewer than 20 employees spend approximately $34,000 per year per employee complying with federal regulations. That is money that does not go to wages, does not go to expansion, and does not go to prices that customers can actually afford. For a small contractor in Bradenton with 10 employees, that is over $340,000 a year in hidden regulatory compliance costs — before paying a dollar in federal taxes.
Tax Policy That Punishes Success
The 20% pass-through deduction for small businesses — established in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act — is set to expire. If Congress does not act, millions of small business owners will face a significant tax increase that larger corporations will not face.
John Peters supports:
- Making the small business pass-through deduction permanent
- Keeping the corporate tax rate competitive so Florida businesses are not at a disadvantage
- Simplifying the tax code so small business owners spend less time and money on compliance
- Rolling back regulations that impose costs without meaningful benefits
What John Peters Will Do for Manatee County Businesses
John Peters has spent his career working alongside small business owners in this district. He knows that the most important thing Washington can do is create stable, predictable conditions — low taxes, clear rules, and a regulatory environment that does not change every time a new administration takes office.