Four years ago, I introduced a motion to create the city's first-ever Small Business Commission. My intent was to enable small businesses to have a more powerful presence within city government.This week, the Commission held its initial meeting. The members include Charles Lew, CEO of the Lew Firm, who was my appointee from CD2.
The success of small business in Southern California is directly tied to the region's economic performance. In Los Angeles County, some 200,000 small businesses generate over 1.5 million jobs.
The same holds true for CD2. The Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce reported that in 2018 firms in my district that employed fewer than 15 employees recorded a 3.7 percent increase in jobs. These firms now represent nearly 42 percent of total private employment in CD2.
The Commission, which is currently scheduled to meet quarterly, will provide the contacts, experience, and relationships to help small businesses in Los Angeles achieve greater prosperity in the future. As I told commissioners this week: "I am looking forward to you providing us with our to-do list."