The restaurant industry is a tough one — I work just as hard in my business as I do working on my business, making sure I can keep up with my bills. But I’m worried that a new proposal in the Maryland legislature could make it even harder for small businesses like mine to get by.

As a local Baltimore entrepreneur who built my own catering and food truck business from the ground up, I truly appreciate that Maryland lawmakers are trying to find ways to make our state a great place to work and live. However, some of the measures lawmakers are now considering could have unintended consequences, potentially harming businesses like mine and making life more difficult for everyone in Maryland.

The most notable of these is the proposed 75-cent fee on retail deliveries, such as those by Amazon or DoorDash, that are supposed to help pay for the cost of upgrading our state’s transportation infrastructure. While this may sound like a good idea at first, in reality, the fee would reduce potential revenue for businesses and increase costs for consumers who use delivery to meet their needs.

Many local restaurants and other kinds of businesses, like my own Deddle’s Donuts — named to honor my mother — in downtown Baltimore, use delivery to connect with customers and reach new audiences. As a small business owner, taking advantage of every potential revenue stream and source of customers is vital to my success.

If the proposed bill becomes law, the delivery tax would suddenly make people less likely to order deliveries from my shop, making it harder for me and other business owners like mine to succeed.

I support building a budget that takes care of Marylanders and our unique communities, but the solution likely starts with supporting businesses like mine. I make sure the extra revenue we bring in goes toward hiring people who have trouble reentering the workforce because of a previous incarceration. When we grow and thrive, so do our communities.

In my neighborhood, people are worried about rising costs of everything. I’m trying to manage these rising costs at my own donut shop, and Maryland families are struggling too. A paycheck doesn’t go as far as it used to, and imposing additional costs for deliveries would make Marylanders feel the pinch even more as they shop for the food and essentials they need.

I’m not alone in my concern. A recent poll from the University of Maryland found that more than 60% of Marylanders are opposed to the proposal, including a majority of both registered Republicans and Democrats. At a time when consensus is hard to come by, it really says something that this kind of delivery tax is so unpopular across the board.

At a time like this, Marylanders need solutions that will break down financial barriers — not add new ones — to ensure their doors stay open. Ultimately, this new tax would do just the opposite and harm hardworking Maryland families and business owners along the way.

Robin Holmes is the owner of Baltimore’s Deddle’s Donuts.