All posts by Jeremy Bryne

Enhancing the Capital’s Business Environment

Business news,

blackboardSacramento’s candidates for the position of Mayor were presented with a list of “things to do” in an effort to enhance the city’s business environment. This list was compiled by an ad-hoc group of business leaders from the region. Included in this are details of how the city should reform its finances, culture and procedures.

However, it was recognized by this group of business leaders that Sacramento has got a good reputation for already providing a positive business environment. The quality of life there is good and there have already been some economic improvements. However, the statement concluded that: “Sacramento falls short on leveraging these and other assets to make our city a desirable place to conduct business.”

Three of the goals of the document are: a) the appointment of private business leaders to a council of economic advisors; b) move over to a budget cycle of two years; c) engage in the use of “external contracts to implement cost savings and improve public services.” As well, increasing tourism and deal with homelessness are major items that have to be addressed.

Sacramento Metro Chamber, in conjunction with the Downtown Sacramento Partnership and Region Business (the new advocacy group) drafted the six page document.

Java Mama in Folsom Closing Shop

Business news, , ,
Photo by Thomas Hawk
Photo by Thomas Hawk

Java Mama Folsom, a coffee shop which also has play areas for children, is closing down in February. The store opened in January 2014 confirmed the decision on its Facebook page. Java Mama’s last day of business will be on February 26.

Owner Rachel Cabalse explained on Facebook that she has to close in the face of an increase in her rent.

“I have worked harder and longer hours as an attempt towards making Java Mama profitable, or quite honestly just merely staying in business. With my savings being just enough to cover a tank of gas, I have to admit that what I’m doing isn’t working,” she said.

Java Mama utilizes 1,750 square feet of space in the Broadstone Marketplace in Folsom. Within that space is a coffee shop with play areas for children, but the store is designed to be more than just a child-friendly coffee shop.

There are other Java Mama shops, although the store is not a franchise. Owners purchase licensing rights to the name and business plan. There was another Java Mama shop in San Diego when the Folsom branch opened, but it closed. According to the Java Mama web-site there are still stores operating in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; and Fort Wayne, Indiana. There is a third shop in planning in Washington, DC.

Touring the Culinary Neighborhood

Restaurants,

culinaryHow does one get to know a city? One way is through its culinary reputation. In Sacramento – California’s capital city – there is a culinary tour through which consumers can explore food and wine traditional to the area “by touring farm-to-fork establishments and going behind the scenes to meet chefs who are passionate about sourcing locally for their seasonal menus.”

There are six stops on this tour, spanning Sacramento’s Kay District. Described as being “eclectic” during the daytime, this neighborhood “buzzes with activity from the mix of mid-rise and high-rise office buildings. After dark, The Kay draws its energy from a diverse mix of hotels, restaurants, nightlife and entertainment venues. The Kay District is eclectic and a study of contrast. Visitors can dine in a sleek modern restaurant with historic landmarks in the background, spend the night in a hotel which once was a public market, or catch a live show in one of Sacramento’s historic vaudeville houses.” So it makes for the perfect location for a full-on culinary experience.

But this tour is more than just about food and drink. Participants will benefit from a variety of “entertaining stories about the food scene as well as the capital’s culture and history,” learning about Sacramento’s “rising culinary recognition and why the area is an up-and-coming hot spot in California.”

One will also get a “taste” for Sacramento’s “architecture and history that make the region an exciting culinary destination.” You’ll explore alleyways you may never have come across, “learn about local farm-to-fork menus” and get a true flavor of the area’s art and culture scenes.

This really is a great way to discover Sacramento. Indeed, as James Michener once said about travel, “If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion, and avoid the people, you might better stay home.”

Sacramento Job Growth Outpacing State

Employment, , ,
Jerry Brown's official picture as Attorney General and as Governor
Jerry Brown’s official picture as Attorney General and as Governor

Data shows that the Sacramento region is showing great strides towards recovery, with a gain of almost 23,000 jobs in December compared to the previous year. That number represents a 2.5 percent increase in jobs. California as a whole gained 265,000 jobs during the same period, an increase of only 1.5 percent.

The unemployment rate in the Sacramento region has also been in decline. It fell from 6.3 percent in December 2014 to 5.5 percent this past December. The unemployment rate for California shrank from 6.8 percent to 5.8 percent during the past year.

California and the Sacramento area are far from immune to job declines, especially with global markets recent volatility. The worry about another increase in the unemployment rate was alluded to by California Governor Jerry Brown while speaking to legislators, warning them to be cautious when considering spending surplus state revenue during his State of the State speech last Thursday.

The government sector shrunk by 3300 jobs during December in the Sacramento region, and the construction sector lost 400 jobs. Retail trade increased by 800 jobs, while the leisure and hospitality industry added 1600 jobs.

Davis Farmers Market

Restaurants

jams-997593_1280The Davis Farmers Market in Sacramento is a great place to visit every Wednesday, especially in the winter. Do you want to warm up with a nice bowl of home-made soup? Get your produce fresh every week here as well as home grown eggs, honey and wines. Open weekly from 2-6, it is located in Central Park, Third and C streets, just under the pavilion.

There are two restaurants there too: the Fuji Sushi Boat and Kathmandu which are great dinner options. For those who don’t like the idea of buying produce to make their own soups, they can warm up during the cold winter months with a hearty soup from the Upper Crust Bakery. The Fuji Sushi Boat has had fabulous reviews on Yelp with consumers referring to it as “jackpot” and becoming “addicted.”

Among the many awards the Davis Farmers Market has won over the years is the most recent one that was received in August of last year. USA Today ranked it No. 9 on its “10 Best Farmers Markets List.”

Rates Rising at USPS

Business news,
6870971111_eb3eb93d51_z
Photo courtesy Chase Elliott Clark

As soon as January 17 United States Postal Service customers can expect to see price hikes for at least two services: Priority Mail service and Priority Mail Express.

Small businesses will be the most effected by the 9.8 percent rise which covers commercial packages. The USPS joins other popular delivery services such as FedEx and UPS in raising prices. Last month those private companies raised their rates by 4.9 percent.

The faster Priority Mail Express will go up in price by an average of 14.4 percent. First class stamps will remain at the current 49 cents each. The USPS said that the changes in pricing is essential to keep the agency competitive.

“Unlike other shipping companies, the Postal Service is not implementing any new dimensional weight charges with this pricing proposal, continuing its commitment to deliver an excellent value for customers,” Katina Fields, a spokesperson for USPS.

“The Postal Service adjusts its shipping prices annually just like other shipping companies,” added Fields. “Unlike other shippers, the Postal Service doesn’t add surcharges for fuel, residential delivery or Saturday delivery. The new prices represent the first price increase in more than three years for commercial Priority Mail.”

Putting Money into the Homeless Plight

Housing,

housingHomelessness is a big issue in Sacramento. In the context of its greater state, Senator Ricardo Lara, argued that this news is shaming since the state of California is America’s “richest state.” As a result of this, a protest took place in Sacramento, whereby thousands of Californians laid down on the sidewalk or a piece of cardboard.

In view of this, a proposal outlined by state senators determined that the state of California would spend over $2 billion on permanent housing “to help the nation’s largest homeless population.” Former Senate leader Darrell Steinberg participated in this proposal. It is tragic that there are approximately 116,000 homeless people in California, which accounts for over a fifth of the country’s entire homeless population. Steinberg is currently running for Mayor of Sacramento.

Should this proposal be accepted, Steinberg’s campaign promise will go into effect. That being that he will “use his Capitol influence to write state policy that benefits the city of Sacramento.” Experts say that should this become law by the end of this legislative session, then “funding for new housing units could be ready by this time next year.”

California’s Fair Play Act

Employment, ,

jobsAmerica’s most rigorous laws addressing the inequality of gender salaries are embedded into the California Fair Play Act. What the law demands is that irrespective of job title, for men and women engaged in “substantially similar work,” pay should be the same. In addition, should an employee ask about their coworkers’ wage, employers are forbidden from engaging in any kind of retribution.

So what kind of impact will this have in the Sacramento region? The law will force small businesses in the region to make various adjustments so as to meet the requirements of the new law. Of course, as with any new law, there are critics. Some argue that it will result in an influx of additional lawsuits that will lead to the establishment of a “bad business climate.” Others though are all for it. For example, Eric Veldman-Miller already pays his six employees between $11 and $19 an hour. The highest paid employee happens to be a woman. He said “if it was a male, he would be making the exact same wage, that’s the job. It just so happens that we’re lucky enough to have her.”

At the end of the day this law is being fully endorsed by the California Chamber of Commerce. And, at least those bosses in Sacramento will have to conduct a review of all employee salaries.

But the California Chamber of Commerce supports the law. Those behind it say it will, at the very least, force companies to review the way they pay their employees.

Plastic Bag Ban Goes Into Effect January 1st

Business news, , ,

As of Friday, January 1st, shoppers will no longer be given free of charge either plastic or paper bags for their purchases. Plastic is completely banned, while customers can still purchase either paper bags or reusable plastic bags for 10 cents a pop. Sacramento is now one of over 145 counties and cities throughout California where plastic bags are illegal for free distribution.

The ban applies to pharmacies, convenience stores and groceries. It is designed to stem the flow of junky plastic bags into landfills, lining streets as trash, and polluting waterways. Consumers will have to bring their own bags shopping, or else buy bags for 10 cents each.

One consumer took the ban in stride:

“A lot of store trips are spontaneous,” said 65 year-old Bob Maurer of Natomas. He came to the store without any bags, and was forced to purchase a few to get his groceries to his car. “It means you have to keep a bag in your car all the time. But 10 cents isn’t that much. If it’s good for the environment, it’s a small price to pay.”