To:Mayor Bass and Los Angeles City Councilmembers:
On behalf of the undersigned family-owned local restaurants in the City of Los Angeles, we respectfully urge the LA City Council to REJECT the Costly Restaurant Ordinance currently under consideration. This ordinance unfairly targets family-owned local restaurants – yet again – at a time when we’re already struggling with the state’s new $20/hr minimum wage.
We are deeply concerned that this ordinance would impose additional unnecessary, duplicative and costly burdens on our local restaurants that would threaten our viability, jeopardize jobs and further increase food costs for LA families.
Los Angeles is home to more than 1,500 quick service restaurants. These independent small and family-owned businesses are locally owned by people like us, including people of color, women and immigrants. Many of us come from traditionally marginalized communities. We’ve worked hard to beat the odds, achieve small business ownership and build something meaningful for our families and neighborhoods.
To keep our businesses afloat after the state’s minimum wage hike, we’ve reluctantly and regrettably had to raise prices, lay off workers and/or cut worker hours. As a result, we’ve seen a drop-off in customers. Many restaurants have even shut down. Piling additional costly mandates on local restaurants would have direct consequences on our restaurants, on our employees’ livelihoods and on the communities we serve.
Not only would this ordinance be destructive for our restaurants, it’s also unnecessary. California law already requires local restaurants to provide every employee with extensive notices of their rights and training. Further, California just established a statewide Fast Food Council specifically charged with developing minimum standards for training and other workplace protections. It makes no sense for the City of LA to pass a duplicative and potentially conflicting city ordinance that would further strain local restaurant owners before the Fast Food Council even has a chance to function.
As small and family-owned businesses, we’re proud to be a part of the fabric of our communities. This ordinance doesn’t impact billion-dollar corporations. It impacts us, LA restaurant owners.
Not only do we provide a place for communities to gather and share a meal; we provide jobs and career training, pay taxes, support local charities, contribute to our economy, and invest in our neighborhoods. If we’re forced to cut back, or close, the entire community stands to lose.
Simply put, our family-owned local restaurants can’t survive additional costly burdens.
For these reasons, we strongly urge you to REJECT the Costly Restaurant Ordinance.