Getting Long Beach Back to Work

I am sure you agree that Long Beach needs jobs!

That's why I am asking my colleagues on the City Council to approve two measures I have placed on the agenda.

1) Revamping the business license law to allow small, home based plumbing, masonry and construction businesses. We have many out of work residents who have worked in the building trades and want to operate a one person business from their home. I am asking that our code be revised to allow this -- but obviously with protections so the character of residential neighborhoods are not negatively impacted.

2) Reducing or waiving business license fees and taxes to encourage business to locate here or to remain here. While we don't have the highest business license fees and taxes, these are sometimes a block to getting business to locate here or to remain here. My proposal asks City Manager to develop a way we can waive or reduce these fees as incentives. These fees would be reduced or waive with the creation of jobs by these businesses.

The City has very few of its own means at its disposal to provide incentives to business to create jobs.

These two proposals are a start.

We need to put Long Beach back to work. Our unemployment is the highest in the county.

Would appreciate your thoughts.