An ad hoc Kansas City Council committee project to make the city more agreeable to small business sets out three key points. There are more than sixty other recommendations.
The project that began last Spring finds the city needs to make it easier for smaller businesses to operate and startup. Councilman Scott Taylor led the work and told colleagues it’s important because the less-than-large- businesses will bring jobs closer to where people live. Two main points from Taylor are making licensing simpler and cheaper. Taylor thinks the city should find a better way. The license tax brings in more than $20 million a year. Taylor also says his panel found a need for micro financing and Justine Peterson Housing and Reinvestment Corporation stepped up-- “they provide a lot of services along the way. So once they deliver that loan, that the company will expand and succeed.”
The committee findings come after 17 meetings with scores of small businesses. The study results will be available online.