In Mayor Kevin Johnson’s final State of the City Address, he announced two major tech firms, AnPac BioMedical and Flipboxx, would be calling the Capital City their home. However, those companies do not necessarily fall under the small business label.
“Those are more larger companies because this is not their only location, if you will,” said Peter Tateshi, CEO for the Sacramento Metro Chamber.
He argues the Mayor has spurned economic development with the Golden 1 Center and new hotel chains, but more is needed for small business expansion.
“When you’re looking at developing a small business, you need to have a market. If you’re going to develop retail, if you’re going to develop opportunities for businesses, you need to have the homes that support it right here because you need to build some customers,” Tateshi argued.
According to the Sacramento Metro Chamber CEO, if Sacramento’s next mayor focuses on economic development in the city as a whole, opportunities for small businesses will happen organically.