Introduced by: President Young
A Resolution Entitled
A Council Resolution concerning
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Shop Small - Spend Big! On Small Business Saturday, November 26, 2016
For the purpose of celebrating the seventh annual Small Business Saturday in Baltimore City, honoring all small businesses for their many contributions to the economy and the quality of life in this country, and encouraging Baltimore City residents to Shop Small - Spend Big! at our City’s Main Streets, downtown shops, and the many varied and exciting neighborhood retail establishments, on Small Business Saturday.
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Recitals
Baltimore is one of many cities that join American Express, the U.S. Small Business Administration, and many other organizations in a nationwide campaign to support small businesses by highlighting their diverse offerings and encouraging shoppers to make purchases from small business merchants on Saturday, November 26, 2016.
At the inaugural celebration of Small Business Saturday six years ago, New York City’s then Mayor stated: “Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and the glue that holds communities together, and we’ve always sought new ways to support them - something that became even more important when the national economy downturn began.” At that year’s kick-off he noted that small businesses now employ about half of the workers in the private sector and create about 65% of new jobs.
In Maryland, small businesses - those with fewer than 500 employees - comprise 97.7% of all employers and employ 48.5% of the private sector workforce.
The Chairman and CEO of American Express created the “shop small” idea as a small business version of big box stores’ Black Friday and online outlets’ Cyber Monday, traditionally 2 of the busiest shopping days of the year, noting that it is in everyone’s best interest to see small businesses thrive - companies that participated in the event enjoyed a 28% boost to sales. In recent years small business have served 95 million customers and done $14.3 billion of business on Small Business Saturday.
In Baltimore City, Baltimore Main Streets, a program of the Baltimore Development Corporation that was founded in 2000 to revitalize commercial districts, support small businesses, and foster economic growth in Baltimore City, currently focuses its efforts in 9 designated business areas - Belair Edison, East Monument Street, Federal Hill, Fell’s Point, Hamilton-Lauraville, Highlandtown, Pennsylvania Avenue, Pigtown, and Waverly. Over the more than 10 years of its existence, the program has produced at least 414 new businesses, creating more than 663 part time jobs and 1,124 full time jobs.
In celebration of Small Business Saturday, the City Council Of Baltimore urges Baltimore City residents and visitors to shop the City’s Main Streets, downtown shops, and the many neighborhood retail establishments that contribute to the economic, social, and cultural fabric of our City.
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the City Council of Baltimore, That this Body celebrates the seventh annual Small Business Saturday in Baltimore City, honors all small businesses for their many contributions to the economy and the quality of life in this country, and encourages Baltimore City residents to Shop Small - Spend Big! at our City’s Main Streets, downtown shops, and the many varied and exciting neighborhood retail establishments on Small Business Saturday.
And be it further resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be sent to the Mayor, the Director of the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore, Inc., the Director of Baltimore Main Streets, the President of the Baltimore Development Corporation, and the Mayor’s Legislative Liaison to the City Council.