One-Stop Permitting Shop
Across our 77 neighborhoods, small businesses provide the economic backbone and cultural flavor that epitomizes what is unique about Chicago. Our city government should make it easier for small business owners to continue their operations and for soon-to-be small business owners to get themselves into the game. We need to lower the barrier to entry and continue operations for our city’s entrepreneurs to do this. Chicago needs to create a one-stop permitting ship to assist Chicagoans in business regulation, licensing, and permitting issues. A single office that can spearhead these permitting needs will help small business owners focus their time and effort on creating value for their customers instead of getting weighed down by jumping through bureaucratic hoops. This new agency should also have a digital aspect so that business owners can gain the necessary permits as quickly as ordering something on Amazon. Cities like Miami and Kansas City are already working on this front, and we cannot allow them to sprint ahead of us.
Vacancy taxes on commercial properties
Across our city, there are far too many vacant storefronts. Not only do we need to make it easier for business owners to set up shop in these properties, but we also need to incentivize landowners to seek out new tenants and incentivize them to have flexibility in bringing in new businesses. Often, landowners have clauses in their contracts with their lenders that make it more profitable to receive rebates for empty buildings instead of settling for slightly lower rents. These empty storefronts do not bring the revenue our city desperately needs, but they are also an eyesore that leaves the impression of a depressed economy. I will work tirelessly to fill storefronts in the district and across the city but will work to enact vacancy taxes to ensure that landowners in our community will match that tenacity.
Full concierge service to entrepreneurs
In addition to streamlining permitting for entrepreneurs, our city needs to go a step further and provide concierge-like services for those creating jobs in our communities. Across federal, state, and local governments, there are generous grants and other opportunities available to businesses. But for many business owners, they are either too complex or time-consuming to navigate. The city of Chicago needs to step up and bridge that gap to ensure that our businesses are getting the available help that they deserve. While incentives and subsidies will always be part of our economic development strategy, using our government’s know-how and connections are integral in supporting the Dynamism of our business environment.