Why do so few new businesses come--successfully--to town?

By Roxann Ploss

Prospective small businessmen in Palm Springs face a daunting sea of red tape which makes opening stores here both difficult and unattractive. What can be done?

We have, essentially, a brand new Planning Department. Unfortunately, we may have to be patient a bit longer to see how they adapt to the bureaucratic nightmare they've been given. However, one easy step would to put all of the permit forms on a table and find a way to consolidate them. Get rid of the nonsensical duplicated efforts. If it is a paperwork backlog, find volunteers who can help sort out the mess, just as the Police Department does. During the short time Planning Director Katherine Lottes was here, I and several other reasonably intelligent women offered on more than one occasion to donate many hours a week just to do paperwork. There are more just like us but no one takes the time to ask.

If there is a need for more on-site inspectors, retirees should be brought back on a strictly part-time basis until the backlog is addressed. Look through the department to isolate areas of wasteful spending so that these part-timers can be paid. I can think of one example right now without even going to the department. Ask me about mailers. We must expedite the process; we are losing potential businesses for this very reason. I've spoken with people who have reached the point of desperation, not getting answers to questions, filing paperwork that gets shelved for days and days. What is needed is a much higher level of efficiency. People within the various departments need to SERIOUSLY talk to one another about how best to minimize the paperwork, the duplications and maximize their depleted staff.

And let us not forget about the agents for the three major landowners downtown. I am continually told horror stories about agents who ignore emergency calls from tenants whose businesses suffer while the agent chooses not to respond...for whatever reason. We have all read the stories about rent-gouging which has forced out even long-term businesses. If landlords can find some financial reward for keeping shops empty, the town suffers. I propose what they have done in Long Beach: impose a long-term vacancy tax or fine. The monies thus realized can be used to renovate the less attractive parts of downtown. It's one way to force a turnaround.