Congressman Neal Dunn rolled up his sleeves and got his hands sugary recently at NFIB member business Tasty Pastry Bakery in Tallahassee.
It was all part of NFIB’s Small Business Challenge program, which invites lawmakers to spend a day “on the job” with a small business owner. The campaign allows lawmakers to experience first-hand the day-to-day challenges of entrepreneurship, and gives them a taste for what it’s like to be a small business owner. Or in Congressman Dunn’s case, a taste of some of the finest sweet treats in Tallahassee.
Tasty Pastry Bakery owner Mark Cross said business is up right now, but he credits the work of lawmakers like Congressman Dunn who are focused on improving the economy and creating opportunities for small businesses to succeed.
“Small business faith in the economy is much stronger than it’s been in the past 10 years,” said Cross, who has owned his business since 1963 and has been a member of NFIB for 42 years.
After Congressman Dunn successfully baked a few batches of Tasty Pastry’s well-known gourmet chocolate chunk cookies, he sat down for lunch with small business owners from Tallahassee to talk taxes, healthcare and business. Congressman Dunn heard from NFIB members, and shared some insights about what he’s been working on in Washington, DC to help small business owners.
“There’s a lot of good news out there for you,” Congressman Dunn said. “We have the best economy of my lifetime – 4.8 percent growth last quarter, a million new jobs since the tax cut act, four million people with bonuses, 2.8 percent wage growth.”
Although the economy is holding strong, Congressman Dunn stressed the need to continue to cut regulations on small business owners and find solutions to the rising cost of healthcare. He also talked about the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, and the need to permanently extend the small business-focused provisions of the bill.
“The tax cuts are going to go away in seven years unless we make them permanent, and we’re working very hard to do that this year,” Congressman Dunn said.
While there’s always more to be done, Cross says he’s seen the results of the work of lawmakers like Congressman Dunn right in his bottom line.
“I was really happy to meet the Congressman and talk to him, and hear what he’s doing to help the economy and how it’s helped small businesses like ours,” Cross said. “We’ve been able to reinvest – buy new baking equipment, buy new vehicles, invest in our company give raises and bonuses to our employees – all of these things are a result of a better economy.”
