Letter: Do We Want To Help Local Businesses?

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A question for my fellow Laguna residents: exactly how hard do we want to make it to operate a successful business here? If our goal is to run even more local entrepreneurs out of town, leaving empty storefronts behind, then voting for Measures Q and R is a great idea. But if we want to actually help local businesses succeed, then Q and R would be foolhardy in the extreme.

California is of course notorious for its unfriendly business climate, with sky-high taxes and onerous regulations. Measures Q and R would make the problem even worse, forcing businesses to wait up to two years and foot the bill for an election costing up to $150,000 if they want to make any meaningful improvements to their buildings or make a minor change in the use of a storefront. That includes adding an outdoor restaurant patio, or opening a new coffee shop. And that’s on top of the difficult, slow approval process that already exists. Unless they’re based in Seattle and have a mermaid on their sign, not many coffee shops can afford that kind of additional expense or uncertainty – especially with our economy taking a turn for the worse.

If we want Laguna to remain a hub for creative and unique local businesses, then it’s time to draw a line and say enough is enough. Approving Measures Q and R would be a terrible mistake.

Heidi Miller, Laguna Beach

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