P.O. Box 1222, Madison, WI 53701 | www.prodane.org | office@prodane.org | (608) 257-4985
According to the State Journal, Pigs are flying and Hell is freezing over because "some in Madison's business community are applauding a new initiative by the leftist, grass-roots political party Progressive Dane."
The new initiative was developed by Progressive Dane’s Economic Issues Taskforce (EITF), with input and support from area small business owners and workers and was approved by the PD GMM last month. We’ll be hosting a meeting with small businesses and other interested parties to gather feedback on the following ideas:
- Amending City Purchasing Policies to Favor Local Businesses: Each additional dollar that circulates locally boosts local economic activity, employment, and ultimately tax revenue.
- Increasing Micro-lending Opportunities: Support low-income workers who want to start a small business by increasing funding for existing microlending programs and creating new ones.
- Encouraging Small Businesses to Buy Their Store-fronts: Buying property protects businesses from rent increases, promotes stability, provides tax advantages and allows businesses to recover their investments should they relocate.
- Creating a Transportation Pool for Small Businesses: By allowing employers to buy bus passes at a discount similar to that which big employers are given, Madison can encourage use of the Metro system, increasing Metro’s revenue, and help smaller businesses provide an employee perk at discounted rate.
- Allowing some portion of Facade Improvement Grants to be used by locally-owned small businesses, and possibly allowing them to be used for interior improvements.
- Requiring proposals for new developments to include Economic Impact Statements detailing how they will affect small businesses.
- Helping businesses deal with problems caused by road construction perhaps by creating a City Ombudsperson position to help businesses navigate city processes.
- Establishing a process for notifying tenants/businesses (in addition to the building owner) of construction and other projects in their area.
- Promoting use of TIF for small businesses – perhaps through "small cap" TIDs where some of the increment within an existing TID can be set aside specifically for small business enhancement.
- Encouraging the creation of small business incubator space, such as shared office space.
- Creating a health care purchasing pool to make insurance accessible for small businesses.
So far, these proposals have received very positive reviews from the business community:
Susan Schmitz, president of Downtown Madison Inc., a diverse group that promotes business and other interests in the central city, said the initiative "is definitely a change, in terms of PD versus the business community."Obviously, they've been talking to small business and listening," Schmitz said. "That's a good thing. I don't think it's the end of disagreements. But it's OK to disagree. It's OK to come from different places."
Sandi Torkildson, owner of a Room of One's Own Bookstore and former president of the Greater State Street Business Association, who opposed PD on the minimum wage and lobbying, said she helped forge some of the proposals and applauded the party for reaching out.
"I think they are sincere in wanting to help small, locally owned business thrive in Madison," she said.
Torkildson said she's especially enthused about the potential to condo-ize business spaces, which would protect businesses from rent spikes and stabilize small, local enterprises. She also liked the proposal to create an insurance pool.
"I don't go to a single business meeting where merchants don't talk about affordability of health insurance," she said. "Small businesses feel like they're living on the edge."
Stephanie Rearick, owner of Mother Fool’s coffeehouse, noted, "These ideas are working in other areas of the country. They are cost-effective for small business and will actually improve the city’s bottom line, as they promote sustainable economic development."
PD looks forward to working on these initiatives to make Madison and Dane County and even better place for small and local businesses.
Posted by prodane at October 10, 2005 10:29 PM
We, the members of Progressive Dane, join together to form an independent political party in Dane County with a major focus on local issues. We pledge to work to improve the quality of life in Dane County for all people, particularly those marginalized by economic and social discrimination. We will work to improve our local government by making it open, easier to understand, and accessible for all citizens of Dane County. We are working to achieve positive policy change by electing accountable progressive officials and mobilizing citizen action.
Progressive Dane's "In The News" blog keeps you up to date on the latest news from (and about) PD. Check here for information on PD's policy initiatives and to read about what our endorsed elected officials are up to.
