Supervisor Peskin proposes small-business fee relief program, previews storefront vacancy tax for March ballot

Supervisor Aaron Peskin told the Board on Nov. 12 that he will submit a request to the city attorney to draft a small-business fee-relief program that would allow substantial reductions in city fees for small businesses.

Peskin, who said he is also proposing a storefront vacancy tax for the March ballot and is preparing materials for the Budget and Finance Committee, framed the request as a response to constituent complaints that fees and inspection-related costs are “feeding small businesses to death” before they can open.

“Approximately 8% of businesses in San Francisco have under 10 employees, approximately 95% of businesses have under a hundred employees,” Peskin said, arguing for a targeted fee relief program for the city’s small-business community. He said his office received data from departments showing instances where small operators face fees in the thousands of dollars in addition to tenant-improvement and rent costs while awaiting city approvals.

What’s next

Peskin said he will submit a city-attorney request to establish the fee-relief program and that he intends to introduce legislation to implement it. He also said he…