Chamber, landlords and small-business owners urge council to slow business-tax process

Representatives from the National City Chamber of Commerce, the San Diego Regional Chamber, the Southern California Rental Housing Association and dozens of local small-business owners said the city should not rush a business-license reform measure to the November ballot.

Molly Kirkland of the Southern California Rental Housing Association said in public comment that rental-housing stakeholders were concerned the highest rates could apply to rental housing and that the proposal lacks phasing or sufficient stakeholder review: "We do ask that you vote against placing this measure on the ballot...it's been granted, you know, 8 potentially, but it would be, you know, kind of all or nothing, not phased in." Several speakers added that the draft ordinance — more than 50 pages — was released late and left too little time for businesses to evaluate legal and practical effects.

Cynthia Fuller Quinones, a landlord and small-business owner, said the tax increases costs regardless of profit margins and "hits small businesses like mine the hardest," asking the council to direct staff to negotiate with business groups and the chamber. The National City Chamber representative told the council that many businesses could see license fees increase by multiples of current amounts, and urged a collaborative process rather than immediate ballot submission.

Multiple business owners described sector-specific concerns—real-estate brokers and realty agents testified about commission structures; auto dealerships and manufacturers warned of large nominal increases for high-volume sellers; small vendors and home day-care operators said limited margins make any additional fees difficult to absorb. Several speakers asked the council to delay and form a working advisory group to refine the proposal.