San Leandro Expands Efforts to Welcome New Businesses

On Tuesday, Sep. 3, Mayor Stephen Cassidy and the City Council announced a waiver of the City business license tax for all new businesses that start in San Leandro over the next 12 months.

“The San Francisco Bay Area and local San Leandro economies are booming,” stated Mayor Cassidy. “Entrepreneurs of all sizes - from major companies to start-ups or just one person with a great idea – call San Leandro their home. We invite a new wave of entrepreneurs to set up shop in San Leandro, and we will help launch your business by not charging a license fee for the next year.”

The Business License Tax Holiday will be in effect immediately, and will run for a period of one year. Businesses that are new to San Leandro, this includes start-ups and businesses relocating, will be exempt from the tax through the end of 2014. San Leandro will waive a zoning conformance review fee for new businesses. It is still necessary for businesses to acquire a business license, but not fee will be charged for those that qualify for the program. The Business License Tax Holiday excludes out of City contractors, businesses not physically located in San Leandro, residential and commercial property owners, amusement devices and waste disposal sites.

The new program is only one component of San Leandro’s business-ready mindset. Businesses in San Leandro enjoy numerous advantages including:

• An Unparalleled, Strategic Location: San Leandro offers close proximity to the Oakland International Airport and Port of Oakland, two major freeways, two BART stations, and access to a world-class, highly-educated workforce.

• High-Speed Internet Access via Lit San Leandro (www.LitSanLeandro.com):  Through a public-private partnership, a fiber optic network circles San Leandro’s industrial and commercial core offering businesses virtually unlimited internet connectivity. San Leandro has installed nearly 11 miles of fiber optics, with an additional 8 miles coming in 2014. Lit San Leandro offers speeds up to 10 gigabits per second, roughly 2,000 times faster than the average U.S. internet connection.

• Flexible Industrial Space for Innovation: San Leandro has maintained almost a quarter of its land area for industrial uses, offering flexible and affordable real estate for innovators and entrepreneurs.

• Fast-track Permitting: San Leandro’s one-stop permitting center moves businesses efficiently through the permitting process with minimal red tape. In 2012, San Leandro approved an “Open for Business” pledge, re-affirming our commitment to supporting local businesses and providing exceptional customer service.

• Low Cost of Doing Business: At the conclusion of the Business License Tax Holiday, businesses will find that San Leandro’s Business License Taxes are among the lowest in the region. San Leandro does not charge any taxes on payroll or gross receipts.

• Investments in Infrastructure: With a brand-new Downtown Parking Garage, a $50 million upgrade to our wastewater treatment plant, and several ongoing street improvement projects, San Leandro has demonstrated a commitment to providing the infrastructure that businesses rely upon.

Please visit the Business License Tax Holiday webpage to learn more about the program.  For more information about San Leandro’s innovative efforts to attract and retain business investment, please contact Jeff Kay at (510) 577-3319 or jkay@sanleandro.org.