Got a Gripe About Federal Regulations? SBA Ombudsman Wants to Hear It

The U.S. Small Business Administration’s national ombudsman will visit Kansas City this month to talk with small business owners about their complaints over federal regulations.

The ombudsman, Brian Castro, will hold an SBA roundtable forum on regulatory fairness from 9 to 11 a.m. Aug. 25 at Kansas City’s federal courthouse, 400 E. Ninth St. in Kansas City, Mo. The forum will be in the training room on the fourth floor.

The meeting will be an opportunity for entrepreneurs to talk about problems with excessive fines, unfair enforcement, audits and other government action. The ombudsman’s office will then be in a better position to initiate fairness reviews.

Attendees will also be able to report a regulatory concern privately at the forum.

Anyone from the small business community, chambers of commerce and trade organizations, along with local media, can attend the forum. Participants must RSVP by Aug. 18. They can do so by contacting Barbara Caldwell at (816) 426-4902 and barbara.caldwell@sba.gov or by contacting Robbie Moore at (816) 426-4900 and robbie.moore@sba.gov.

One word of caution: Your phone, camera, laptop or iPad won’t be allowed in the courthouse.