In the wake of devastating fires, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass signed an Emergency Executive Order on Friday, offering a financial lifeline to affected businesses by waiving their 2025 business taxes. This new measure builds upon Mayor Bass’ previous postponement of the 2024 city business tax deadline. She emphasized the importance of rebuilding and supporting the local economy, as reported by the Mayor's website.

Mayor Bass stated, "My directive to City Hall is clear – we are going to do everything we can to rebuild our communities, and that certainly includes not taxing business owners who are already going through so much," as noted by the Mayor's Office. Having to grapple with the effects of the wildfires, businesses now have one less burden on their shoulders, thanks to the immediate action taken by local governance.

Collaborating with Mayor Bass, Councilmember Traci Park, representing the Pacific Palisades, is bringing to the table a motion to deliver prompt and substantial support to struggling businesses. "By waiving these taxes, we are sending a powerful message: aiding our businesses is a top priority," said Park in her commitment to providing relief to those in distress, signaling that the legislative gears are turning in favor of those businesses who need it the most.

The emergency order, dubbed EMERGENCY EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 3, spells out the criteria for tax relief eligibility, targeting those businesses ravaged by the fires on or after January 7 or that have been impeded for a duration of 60 or more consecutive days due to the fires. Having lost their primary residences, fire-displaced victims are also expected to receive a reprieve from the Transient Occupancy (Hotel) Tax, as long as they have been forced to seek temporary refuge in hotels and similar lodgings from the flames that continue to pose a threat, as per the contents of the Mayor's order.