Economy
Small Business, Local Commerce & Economic Freedom
California should make it easier for ordinary people to build local businesses by reducing bureaucracy, lowering pressure on small operators, and keeping wealth circulating inside communities.
Small businesses are what give communities life.
They create local jobs, neighborhood identity, walkable commerce, community culture, local ownership, economic circulation, and independent opportunity.
A thriving small business environment creates cities people actually want to live in.
When local businesses disappear, communities lose charm, uniqueness, local wealth circulation, entrepreneurship, and civic identity.
And more money flows upward into a handful of massive corporations instead of staying inside local economies.
The Core Principle
A healthy economy should make it easier for ordinary people to build something of their own.
- entrepreneurship
- local ownership
- risk-taking
- independent commerce
- community investment
California should reward entrepreneurship, local ownership, risk-taking, independent commerce, and community investment, not bury small operators under endless bureaucracy while large corporations absorb market share.
Lower Pressure On Small Businesses
Small businesses do not have the same resources as massive corporations.
They often struggle under:
- licensing complexity
- permitting delays
- legal costs
- compliance burdens
- tax pressure
- startup barriers
- administrative overhead
California should reduce unnecessary barriers that make it harder for ordinary people to:
- open shops
- start restaurants
- launch local services
- build creative businesses
- operate independently
Lower Taxes For Smaller Operators
California should encourage growth by keeping taxes lower for:
- smaller LLCs
- independent businesses
- local startups
- family-owned operations
- early-stage entrepreneurs
We support:
- lower tax pressure on smaller businesses
- targeted relief for businesses under defined revenue thresholds
- incentives for reinvestment into local communities
- simplified filing systems
- easier startup pathways
The goal is helping small businesses survive long enough to grow.
Remove Excessive Red Tape
Too many businesses spend more time navigating bureaucracy than serving customers.
California should streamline:
- permits
- inspections
- startup filings
- local approvals
- licensing systems
- fee structures
Overcomplicated systems often unintentionally favor:
- major chains
- institutional capital
- large corporate operators
Government should protect health and safety without creating unnecessary systems that only large corporations can easily navigate.
while crushing independent businesses trying to enter the market.
Keep Commerce Local
Strong local economies keep money circulating inside communities.
Small businesses support:
- local workers
- local suppliers
- neighborhood investment
- community events
- local culture
- regional identity
California should encourage:
- local shopping districts
- mixed-use downtowns
- walkable commerce
- regional entrepreneurship
- community business revitalization
Thriving local commerce creates stronger and safer communities.
Support New Entrepreneurs
Many people never attempt to start businesses because the system feels too expensive, too risky, too confusing, and too bureaucratic.
California should expand:
- small business education
- startup mentorship
- simplified business formation
- local business grants
- technical assistance
- community investment programs
More people should feel capable of building something for themselves.
Revitalize Smaller Cities
Small businesses are also critical for helping smaller cities and rural communities grow.
California should invest into:
- regional business development
- local manufacturing
- community storefront revitalization
- broadband expansion
- transportation connectivity
- flexible commercial zoning
Economic opportunity should not remain concentrated in only a few major metro areas.
The Goal
The goal is building an economy where ordinary people can compete, local communities can thrive, entrepreneurship is encouraged, commerce feels human again, wealth circulates locally, and cities retain identity and culture.
California should not become a state where only giant corporations can survive.
The future should belong to people willing to build, create, risk, and invest in their own communities.
- ordinary people can compete
- local communities can thrive
- entrepreneurship is encouraged
- commerce feels human again
- wealth circulates locally
- cities retain identity and culture