As a small business owner, I welcome the addition of a business advocate and business roundtable to improve the process.

While many who seek election are eager to bad-mouth the local economy to victory, it is great to see the City Council move forward to address the concerns of local business.

Many would have us believe that the national contraction and poor economic policies by the state of California somehow are caused by the city of Simi Valley. Most who are propagating this myth are seeking elective office, so let’s review reality.

We have a hardworking Chamber of Commerce. Now we have an approachable single point of contact to streamline the process for us at the city.

Combine this with sales tax rates lower than in Los Angeles, the safest community in 20 years, an award-winning Shop Simi Valley First program, a small business loan program, and we have a recipe for economic prosperity.

Now, if we can get the state of California and Washington, D.C., off our backs, we can grow our Simi Valley businesses, hire Simi Valley citizens and build our community. Support Simi Valley first.
Alfonso Gonzalez
Simi Valley