Mayor Karen Bass recently convened a meeting with Boyle Heights small business owners to share the findings of the Business Steering Committee's 90-Day Progress Report. She used this gathering to outline the report's discoveries and to understand the concerns of these business owners in Los Angeles. The business owners spoke candidly about the various hurdles they faced in setting up and running their businesses in the city.
As stated in the official press release, Mayor Bass reaffirmed her agenda to shape Los Angeles into a supportive environment for business establishments. She commented, "For too long, we have considered Los Angeles is hostile to businesses, and City Hall a hindrance, not a facilitator. But now, we're eager to announce – Los Angeles is open for business." This pledge aligns with Executive Directive 4, signed earlier in the year, to reassess the onerous procedures and costs affecting city's small businesses.
Initial results from the 90-Day Progress Report propose several measures to be taken by the end of 2023. These proposals encompass creating departmental action plans to tackle procedural delays, offering virtual and in-person counter services to businesses, employing strategies to expedite contract payments, and establishing both a Small Business Cabinet and an ED4 Community Business Taskforce. The latter will foster a platform for small businesses to have a stake in the Steering Committee's decisions and to contribute their own remedies.
Mayor Bass's belief in supporting small businesses emerges at a crucial juncture when numerous businesses are combatting various adversities triggered by the pandemic and the resulting economic slump. As reported earlier, the 90-Day Progress Report provides an authentic review of governmental processes and an exploration of immediate possibilities to enhance how City Hall nurtures nearly 500,000 businesses operating in Los Angeles.
The Mayor's Office intends to periodically appraise processes, timelines, taxes, and fees that impact small business owners and entrepreneurs. They also plan to evaluate how the city's various departments can engage more effectively with businesses and gather useful feedback to prioritize pressing matters. Furthermore, the Steering Committee is set to submit regular reports to monitor improvements and pinpoint other areas that need attention. Future progress reports will be made publicly available as they arrive.
