I don’t know if this suggestion is hard to implement or not but maybe in the long run Taxation and legislation would be implemented to the game whereas as a company you have the ability to lobby legislations/law that may benefit or make your business a bit challenging. And every say X number of days the mayor of town would be elected, each candidates will have positive/negative impact to your business ( I.e. higher taxation, celebration or festivities hence increasing sales of certain good, minimum wages and so on).
This would add additional layer of challenge and reality into the game.