October 26, 2020
Price and tax waiver will assist roughly 300 companies which have been unable to open because of COVID-19
San Francisco, CA — Mayor London N. Breed and Treasurer José Cisneros at this time introduced San Francisco will present $2.5 million in help for leisure and nightlife venues within the type of extra charge and tax waivers. These companies have been largely unable to open because of COVID-19 and want help now. Waiving license and enterprise registration charges and taxes for these companies is a part of Mayor Breed’s efforts to help San Francisco’s financial restoration, as is aligned with the coverage suggestions from the Financial Restoration Job Pressure.
“We have to do extra to help these companies that contribute to San Francisco’s distinctive and vibrant tradition, which is a cornerstone for our financial restoration as a metropolis,” mentioned Mayor London Breed. “As we get well and sustain our progress on reopening, we need to make certain these companies are nonetheless round to carry music, performances and pleasure, in addition to present jobs for thus many. Leisure and nightlife are such an necessary a part of why folks stay and go to our metropolis, and we hope these extra charge waivers cut back a few of the monetary stress they’re experiencing.”
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, San Francisco’s leisure and nightlife companies and venues have both not been capable of function in any respect, or in a really restricted capability, which has decreased their means to outlive. These companies embody music venues, golf equipment, bars, eating places with stay performances, all of which contribute tremendously to San Francisco’s tradition. Regardless of not with the ability to function, these companies have been nonetheless required to pay sure license and enterprise registration charges and taxes.
“When San Francisco faces an unimaginable problem, your entire neighborhood pulls collectively,” mentioned Treasurer José Cisneros. “This tax and charge aid will take away a looming burden from many companies who’ve been shuttered by COVID-19.”
The Metropolis will present monetary aid for about 300 companies which are permitted as leisure venues and which have gross receipts of lower than $20 million, representing a complete of roughly $2.5 million in help for these companies. Aid shall be supplied by waiving these companies’ regulatory license charges and Enterprise Registration Charges for 2 years and by waiving their Payroll Expense Taxes for 2020. This can be a charge waiver, not a deferral, so companies won’t must pay again these charges at a later date. Companies will nonetheless be required to file all enterprise tax returns.
“Our leisure venues are a big a part of the explanation folks flock to San Francisco and rave about our tradition,” mentioned Ben Bleiman, President of the San Francisco Leisure Fee. “They’re additionally significantly susceptible throughout these instances because of their enterprise fashions. We should do all we are able to to help these companies, in order that now we have locations to have the ability to come collectively as soon as we’re capable of come collectively once more. Thanks to Mayor Breed for her continued help of our leisure and nightlife venues.”
Waiving these charges aligns with the Financial Restoration Job Pressure’s coverage suggestions of preserving operations and lessening regulatory burdens for companies. Moreover, the ERTF advisable supporting arts and cultural organizations, and this new coverage offers monetary aid for these organizations, lots of which have been unable to open since March.
These new charge waivers construct on Mayor Breed’s prior help for San Francisco small companies. In August, Mayor Breed and Treasurer Cisneros introduced they might proceed to defer assortment of Enterprise Registration Charges and the Unified License Charges till March 1, 2021. These deferrals stay in place for different companies.
Mayor Breed’s different lately introduced efforts to help small enterprise and humanities and cultural organizations embody:
- Extending Shared Areas permits by way of June 30, 2021 and dealing to make components of this system everlasting past that date.
- SF Shines Program, offering $1.6 million in grants and design providers to help neighborhood companies that have to buy furnishings and fixtures and reconfigure area so as to meet well being necessities for working.
- Directing practically $6 million in funding for artists, educating artists, arts organizations, and cultural staff, together with a brand new common fundamental earnings pilot program for San Francisco artists.
- The Cultural Districts Neighborhood Constructing and Affect program will award $265,000 to every legislatively accepted Cultural District working to protect, strengthen, and promote their cultural communities.
For the reason that starting of the COVID-19 pandemic, Mayor Breed has launched a number of initiatives and packages to help companies in San Francisco:
- Enterprise tax deferrals for small companies with as much as $10 million in gross receipts. Mayor Breed and Treasurer Cisneros notified small companies that their first quarter companies taxes might be deferred till February 2021. No curiosity funds, charges, or fines will accrue on account of the deferral.
- $10 million Staff and Households First Paid Sick Go away Program, proving as much as 40 hours of paid sick depart per worker.
- $9 million Emergency Mortgage Fund offering as much as $50,000 in zero-interest loans for particular person small companies.
- $2.5 million Resiliency Grants offering as much as $10,000 grants to over 300 small companies.
- $3.2 million for the African American Small Enterprise Revolving Mortgage Fund.
- $1 million for Neighborhood Mini-Grants to Assist 300 Small Companies in Underserved Communities.
- $2.5 million in help for working artists and humanities and cultural organizations financially impacted by COVID-19.
- Supporting nonprofits funded by the Metropolis so staff don’t lose their incomes.
- Issuing a Moratorium on Industrial Evictions for small and medium sized companies that can’t afford to pay lease.
- Capping the fee at 15% on third celebration meals supply corporations.
- Advocating for extra assets for small enterprise and staff by way of the federal CARES Act.
- Establishing Metropolis Philanthropic www.Give2SF.org Fund, the place donations will help housing stabilization, meals safety, and monetary safety for staff and small companies impacted by coronavirus.
- Launching a one-stop Metropolis web site for companies and staff searching for assets, contacts, and updates throughout the COVID-19 emergency: www.oewd.org/covid19.
This press launch was produced by the Office of the San Francisco Mayor. The views expressed listed below are the writer’s personal.
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