MANATEE, Fla. — Fear and confusion abound when local small business owners think about the health care proposals going through Congress.

Some worry about massive government red tape and intense oversight; others fear they won’t be able to afford offering coverage to their employees without cutting back elsewhere. Still some are flummoxed by all the debate and have adopted a wait-and-see attitude until a bill is passed and signed.

Dennis Cathcart, owner of Tropiflora, a 33-year-old wholesale and retail nursery specializing in orchids, bromeliads and other tropical plants, says his business is already highly regulated by the government and doesn’t need any more intervention.

“I’m not keen on the idea of the government running anything,” he said. “I lean toward private enterprise. This could be a paperwork nightmare.”

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