Buchanan talks jobs with Manatee-Sarasota restaurant owners
U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Longboat Key, held a private meeting with about a dozen restaurant owners in Manatee and Sarasota counties on Wednesday at the Holiday Inn-Sarasota Airport to discuss some of the financial issues facing their businesses.
Buchanan has called for an overhaul and simplification of the tax code to lower rates for individuals and small businesses. The area’s 1,500 restaurants employ more than 29,000 people in Buchanan’s district, according to the National Restaurant Association.
The meeting comes on the heels of a study released this week ranking Bradenton one of the best small cities in the U.S. to start a small business. According to the personal finance website WalletHub, Bradenton was ranked 114th out of 1,261 small cities around the country. Sarasota came in at No. 391.
“When our small businesses succeed, the Suncoast succeeds,” Buchanan told the group. “Your hard work helps to drive our economy and create jobs.”
This story was originally published April 20, 2017 at 2:15 PM with the headline "Buchanan talks jobs with Manatee-Sarasota restaurant owners."