Santa Monica Ignores Small Business

The Santa Monica Mayor, the City Council and the Chamber of Commerce are driving small business out of business. If left unchecked this will leave a downtown populated exclusively by big national chains and or empty storefronts.
 
The number of retailers and restaurants going bust was dizzying before Covid and the riots and is now just getting worse as SAMO authorities continue to make bad decisions like recently raising business taxes from 9.5 to 10.25% in addition to payroll taxes and Income taxes. SAMO taxes combined with stifling permitting and regulation can only be managed by large company with many lawyers. We currently have almost 20 certificates and papers taped all over our windows and walls without really even understanding what they are for.
 
During COVID SAMO as usual sacrificed small businesses to death while supporting big corporations. For example, you could go inside the Target on Wilshire and cough all over their books while at the beloved Thunderbolt bookstore next to Heroic you could not even shop curbside.
 
During the Sunday protests, the city secured the 3rd Street promenade and then implemented a 4pm curfew. The result was the small businesses on 4th, 5th and 6th street were asked to be vacated, there was zero security and the looters ran amok . After the looting was over and the criminals drove off in their SUV’s , police started arresting individuals for breaking curfew which was shown on news channels like some sort of brave achievement.
 
Today Wednesday June 3rd while LA County announced a curfew at 10pm, SAMO announced a curfew of 6pm. While restaurants are emptying out in SAMO, they are filling up in the rest of LA county further destroying the last strands of hope for Santa Monica small business. While typing this note a customer who stopped for 10 minutes for food was issued a $60 parking ticket. Of course big markets have their own free parking lots while small business customers feed meters and pay fines.
 
We are going to circulate this letter and launch a new hashtag called #SantaMonicaIgnoresSmallBusiness. We shall also seek  other small businesses to sign a petition requesting lower taxes, streamlined regulations, rent relief, insurance, free street parking and solutions for the homeless. See the 12 specific recommendation on page 2.
 
SAMO Resident and small business owner
 
Jeffrey Merrihue
Chef-Owner – Heroic Italian
 
Ways Santa Monica Could Save Small Business From Extinction
 
1.  Year one tax holiday for small business start ups
2.  Year two: 10% flat tax on sales covering business, payroll and income tax
3.  Reduce permits, licenses and premises postings from 22 to 3 for a single fee
a.     Business
b.     Liquor
c.      Health
4.  A single insurance plan ($2000/ month?) covering premise, fire, flood, employee liability and all other with no small print
5.  30 minute free parking at all meters for quick shopping and pick up stops
6.  Small Business retail and restaurant rents capped at 10% of net sales (a common success factor)
7.  Buildings, Malls & Promenade to feature a minimum of 30% (?) independent and small businesses
8.  Discontinue overtime pay which forces employees to work double shifts at two restaurants for minimum wage
9.  Cultivate and celebrate local small business in a sustained manner
10.  Allow restaurants to continue to sell wine to go with food
11.  Seek a humanitarian solution for the homeless
12.  Other