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Across Minneapolis, you'll find new ideas taking root in old buildings. An abandoned storefront becomes an event center. A former retail space transforms into a furniture shop, a gallery or a gathering place. This is what small businesses do: We reimagine, reinvest and help rebuild the places we call home.

For more than two decades, I've been part of that work. As someone who has successfully run G&L Furniture and now leads several local initiatives — including Grassroots Real Estate Development, the Abyssinia Cultural and Event Centers, and the Unity Project — I've made it my mission to help revitalize the Lake Street corridor in south Minneapolis. My goal is simple: invest in community-rooted entrepreneurs, create spaces where culture and commerce thrive, and give neighbors the tools to build wealth and lasting opportunity.

But that kind of work takes more than passion. It takes policy support, too.

One of the things that helped us reinvest money into our small businesses, to hire more people and expand our business, is the state and local small business tax deduction that was passed in 2017 under the leadership of President Donald Trump.

Now, as Congress begins work on a new tax package, there's talk in Washington about letting the state and local small business tax deduction expire. That would be a mistake — and it would hit small-business owners at the worst possible time.

Minnesota is home to more than 520,000 small businesses. We make up more than 99% of all businesses in the state and employ more than 1.3 million people. Whether it's your neighborhood coffee shop, local contractor or nonprofit event space, small businesses are central to the health of our economy. But we operate on thin margins, and we're already navigating one of the highest state and local tax burdens in the country.

The state and local small business tax deduction has helped us reinvest in our communities. It has meant more resources to hire, upgrade equipment, improve buildings and weather uncertainty. At a time when we're asking small businesses to lead local revitalization efforts, we should be giving them more tools — not fewer.

Ending it would effectively raise taxes on the very entrepreneurs who are driving job creation and economic growth in every corner of the country.

Thankfully, Minnesota has sent a strong delegation to Congress — leaders who understand the value of small business. Sixth District Rep. Tom Emmer serves as majority whip and will be instrumental in securing support for any final tax package. Seventh District Rep. Michelle Fischbach sits on the House Ways and Means Committee, where this legislation will take shape. Eighth District Rep. Pete Stauber serves on the House Small Business Committee. And First District Rep. Brad Finstad has consistently shown up for Minnesota's small towns and family businesses.

These leaders have a real opportunity — and responsibility — to ensure the voices of small-business owners are front and center in this debate.

I've always believed in the power of local business to shape the character and future of a city. Every space we bring back to life, every team we build, every customer we serve — that's a step toward a more connected, vibrant community. But we can't do it alone. We need policymakers who recognize that the success of Main Street is tied to smart, sustained investment.

As Congress debates the future of the 2017 tax cuts, I urge it to protect the state and local small business tax deduction. It's not a partisan issue — it's a practical one. Because when small businesses thrive, communities do, too.

Abe Demmaj has small-business experience in the Northeast, Lake Street and Nicollet Avenue areas of Minneapolis, and in the University Avenue corridor of St. Paul.