How State Overregulation Is Strangling Nebraska Small Businesses
Last month, I had the privilege to attend the Golden Triangle Tour to visit a hog farm, ethanol plant and the USDA Meat Research Center. When the owner was asked by a candidate for the Legislature (and registered Democrat) what the Unicameral could do better to help him he unequivocally said: “less regulation burdens”. Thankfully, I had some time to chat individually with the hog farm owners as well and this was echoed again—it is hampering his margins and ability to run his business. Unfortunately, this is pervasive across our agricultural bedrock economy and is deterring some farmers/ranchers from continuing their operations or simply to not return to Nebraska (Brain Drain) and run their family operations.
This is not isolated only to the agricultural sector of our economy. Across District 20, entrepreneurs tell me the same thing: Nebraska’s regulatory environment is choking small business growth. A new restaurant requires approximately 47 separate permits and licenses. A contractor needs to navigate a maze of state and local requirements that can add weeks to every project. And every day of delay is a day without revenue.
Meanwhile, our neighboring states are rolling out the red carpet. Iowa has streamlined their business licensing into a single online portal. South Dakota markets itself as the most business-friendly state in America. Where does Nebraska rank? According to the Tax Foundation’s 2026 State Tax Competitiveness Index, we’re 22nd…Middle of the pack…Mediocre. Wyoming and South Dakota are #1 and 2, respectively1. Full disclosure: the corporate tax portion of that ranking has Nebraska at #14, which on the surface is not terrible, but with the aggregate of the taxes (property taxes place us at #46!) we simply are not moving the needle on our competitiveness. I have written about property taxes in a previous blog post.
That’s not acceptable for a state with our talent, our work ethic, and our location competitive advantages.
I’ve spent my post-military career in the private sector, managing complex programs at companies like Rockwell Collins and BAE Systems. I’m a certified LEAN Champion and have an MBA — which means I’ve been professionally trained to identify waste, streamline processes, and deliver more value with fewer resources. That’s exactly the mindset state government needs—and it differentiates me from our incumbent, John Fredrickson.
My deregulation plan has three pillars: First, a comprehensive permit audit — every state permit and license will be reviewed for necessity, and any that don’t serve a clear public safety purpose will be eliminated. Second, working with the Secretary of State to create a one-stop digital licensing portal so entrepreneurs can handle all state requirements in one place, in one day. Third, a regulatory impact statement requirement — before any new regulation is imposed, the legislature must see a cost-benefit analysis showing the real impact on businesses and families.
John Fredrickson’s approach has been to expand government programs and add new oversight layers. That’s not what our business community is asking for. They’re asking for breathing room. They’re asking for a government that gets out of the way and lets them create jobs, serve customers, and build prosperity.
District 20 is full of entrepreneurial talent. Let’s unshackle it.
Know a small business owner fighting red tape? I’d love to chat with them. Let’s build a movement for regulatory reform.
#CutTheRedTape#SmallBizNE#AndersonForNebraska#FreeEnterprise