City of WL persues "Most Business Friendly Community Award"

Very recently - the City of WL requested the local Business Improvement Area to peruse its' members as to the City's strength in helping Small Business and where improvements can be made as the City was recently invited to compete for the "Most Business Friendly Community Award"

The deadline for returning comments to the BIA Office is today at 5:00pm

The questions being asked include:

1) Do you feel that the number of regulations affecting small business have been reduced or streamlined by the City? If no, please indicate specific area where improvements could be made

2) Is it easier for small business to operate across jurisdictions? i.e BizPal, Inter jurisdictional business licenses, etc. If no, please explain.

3) Does the City’s front-line staff demonstrate good customer service? If no, please provide details.

4) What would attract small business to locate in Williams Lake?

5) Is the current tax rate ($11.20 / $1000 of assessment) and ration of commercial property tax to residential tax (2.13:1) reasonable? If no, please suggest an appropriate ratio.

6) Is adequate information or assistance available from the City for new or existing business? If no, please provide specific examples.

7) Are the contributions of small business celebrated by the community? If no, how could this be accomplished?

8) What might be some important elements of an economic plan for small business the City could assist with?

9) Are you aware if the City has climate action policies in place? If you are aware of such policies, how do they benefit our small business community?

While I won't go into great detail here - it is curious less than 5 months before the voters' in Williams Lake vote for a new City Council for the 2011-2014 Term that the City are asking these 9 questions when these questions should have been asked in the first quarter of 2009 when the economy was in real rough shape and the City should be asking these questions year after year and not because it happens to be an election year.  Also - Question #5 is very interesting given that even if all small businesses said that there is a need to change the tax ratio - it will be the next Council that decides the tax ratio for business as it will be that Council that ultimately decides the 2012 Budget and very well might have different priorities that this current City Council