By Nick McClintock

SHIRLEY – Gov. Bruce Rauner is kicking off the month by promoting the importance of small businesses.

Rauner went to four locations across the central portion of the state, including Funks Grove Maple Syrup in Shirley, and DoMor Equipment in Eureka.

Rauner said the majority of people working in the state work for small businesses. He added two out of every three new jobs come from small businesses.

Rauner said he has heard many concerns from employers, mostly concerning bureaucracy.

“We have twice as many regulations on our businesses as Missouri has, as Kentucky has, as the states around us have.” Rauner said. ” We have unreasonable, excessive regulations that push our businesses out of the state.”

Rauner also used the opportunity to tout his plan for freezing property taxes, saying that issue should be left up to individual communities and their voters. “A lot of regulations, restrictions, filings, requirements, fees, are very difficult to small business, we have to cut the red tape.” Rauner said. ” And the number one tax burden they talk to me about , is property tax.”

Nick McClintock can be reached at [email protected].