Small Business & Economic Growth: Cutting Red Tape. Creating Opportunity. Growing Maryland

Small businesses are the backbone of the Fifth District of Maryland. They create jobs, support families, and keep communities thriving. Yet too many small businesses face barriers to entry as costs rise, workforce shortages persist, and red tape ensnares them. Walter Kirkland is dedicated to creating a thriving economy where small businesses can grow, create jobs locally, and thrive right here in Maryland.

Cut Red Tape & Speed Up Growth

Starting or growing a small business shouldn’t be like navigating a maze.

Walter will:

• Work to create a 60-day business permit window

• Create a federal-state business concierge office to streamline the approval process

• Eliminate unneeded regulations to speed up growth

Because small businesses should be focused on growth – not waiting.

Support Local Businesses & Entrepreneurs

Small businesses deserve stability and support – not uncertainty.

Walter will:

• Create predictable tax policies for small businesses with less than $5 million in revenue

• Institute economic impact reviews to ensure regulations don’t hurt small businesses

• Increase access to capital & resources for local entrepreneurs

• Create the workforce businesses need

• Businesses don’t grow without people, and people need opportunities.

Walter will:

• Strengthen relationships with community colleges and trade schools

• Increase the number of apprenticeships and workforce development programs

• Offer incentives for businesses to hire locally so that Maryland’s workers have the skills they need for the jobs of today and tomorrow.

• Help Small Businesses Compete and Innovate

• Technology is revolutionizing the business world, and small businesses shouldn’t be left in the dust.

Walter will:

• Help small businesses take advantage of the latest technology, like artificial intelligence

• Provide small businesses with the tools they need to be more productive and competitive

• Ensure that small businesses benefit from innovation, not just big businesses

• Invest in Main Street, Not Just Wall Street

Walter understands that the only way for the economy to grow is from the ground up, not from the top down.

Walter’s plan includes:

• Policies that strengthen the local economy

• Policies that benefit minority- and women-owned businesses

• Policies that encourage investment in underserved communities

The Bottom Line

Walter Kirkland’s plan is simple:

• Cut red tape so businesses grow faster

• Help small businesses succeed with fair and predictable rules

• Ensure a strong workforce for local businesses

• Help businesses compete through innovation

• Invest in communities, not just corporations

And when small businesses succeed, the people of the Fifth District of Maryland succeed.