The backbone of the California economy is small business.  In the North Bay the majority of companies are small, with six or less employees. These are the companies that start here, grow here and usually stay here.  Our Secretary of State, in charge of processing business filings is woefully behind in doing her job.  It currently takes the Secretary of State’s office over 60 calendar days and 43 business days to process the paperwork required for a business to open.  The state’s inability to process the filings in a timely manner, which has been going on for years, sends all the wrong messages to business.

The Legislature, awakening to the need for action, has rightfully passed a bill to add $2 million to the Secretary of State’s budget to cut down the length of delay.  And Assemblymember Tom Daly, has introduced a bill to set a new standard so that by November 2013, business filings must be processed in no more than 5 business days.  Let’s hope that the new Democratic super-majority continues, as Speaker John Perez says, “to take other actions to make California a more attractive place for businesses to invest and expand.”  If the Legislature can work with business more productively, we will all benefit.