Committee accepts substantive 'First Year Free' amendments, continues the item to next week

Supervisor Aaron Peskin introduced amendments to the "First Year Free" proposal to waive certain first‑year permit, license and business registration fees for eligible new small businesses between Nov. 1, 2021 and Oct. 31, 2022. The legislation, presented by Supervisor Ronen, targets storefront commercial businesses with estimated first‑year gross receipts under $2,000,000 and excludes formula retail.

Ronan described administrative details: enrollment and eligibility screening through the Treasurer‑Tax Collector's Office, an enrollment welcome package, and procedures for permanent departments to invoice the Treasurer. The amendment package clarified eligibility (including new locations for existing small businesses), entry and screening procedures, recovery language for extraordinary cases (e.g., if a grantee's gross receipts exceed specified thresholds within three years), and implementation funding. The Comptroller provided a fiscal estimate of ~$12 million included in the pending budget for FY2021‑22 to support the pilot.

Because the City Attorney deemed the amendments substantive, the committee accepted them by roll call and continued the item to the next week so the ordinance can be re‑noticed with the changes. Members praised the goal of reducing barriers for new small businesses while preserving fiscal safeguards.