Saving Our Small Businesses
DC’s small businesses are our city’s lifeblood — essential to the economy and to workers. Right now, they’re struggling more than ever. Our city should be doing everything it can to make it easier to get in business and stay in business.
Valor Brewpub
Chander’s friend Gaynor Jablonski runs Valor Brewpub, a Barracks Row spot for grabbing a beer and honoring our country’s veterans. He's preparing for the longest winter ever for his small business.
Places like Valor make DC a great place to live and work, and it's time to step up and make sure they survive this crisis.
DC Small Businesses Back Chander
Mark Menard
MARK MENARD, CO-OWNER/OPERATOR, TRUSTY’S FULL SERVE
“I know Chander will be a great Council Member because he hears people, he listens, gets the facts and acts upon them. He will help whoever and wherever he can.”
MIKE bowers, owner, bowers fancy dairy products
“Chander represents all of Washington. He’s somebody who’s very fair-minded and he sees things multidimensionally. Because of that, he can bring a good balance to the Council.”
Chris Martin
CHRIS MARTIN, OWNER, MARTIN-DIAMOND PROPERTIES
“Chander is a collaborator and facilitator and his slogan, “a true independent,” is authentic. He would be an excellent moderate voice on the DC Council, weighing the needs of residents and businesses equally.”
JOSHUA HANKERSON, SMALL BUSINESS OWNER
“Keep doing what you already are doing, Chander, supporting businesses in a really difficult time.”
SEAN PICHON, OWNER, PGN ARCHITECTS
“Chander is open to ideas and listens well - attributes of a real community leader. He is able to translate ideas into actual targets and results, which is why I support him to be our next Council Member.”
Mike Bowers
GAYNOR JABLONSKI, OWNER, THE UGLY MUG & VALOR BREWPUB
“Chander is an independent thinker who can look at things not just from one position or another, not Democrat or Republican — just what’s best for the city. That’s what we need right now.”
MATTHEW WEISS, RESTAURANT OWNER
“Chander will be a champion for small business on the Council. My interactions with him on the ANC have been cordial and reasonable. That hasn’t been my experience with all ANCs.”
The Capitol Lounge
“I first walked into this institution more than 20 years ago. Everyone was welcome here. You checked your party affiliation at the door in favor of delicious ten cent wings. This place rebuilt after a fire, but couldn’t survive the pandemic.”
My Plan
We need to help our small businesses survive and the city government must do its part. Here are three things we can do:
Combine Business Improvement District (BID) taxes and repurpose funds into grants for small businesses and make sure that only bona fide small businesses - not multi-million-dollar corporations - benefit from these programs.
Push District government to establish a revolving fund to help businesses with their rent.
Make government agencies partner with small businesses, act efficiently and streamline the bureaucracy. Remind them that they work for us, not the other way around.
I’m a small business owner myself. I’ve run my own emergency planning company for the past decade. I understand how hard it is not knowing whether there will be a next paycheck, or how big it will be. And I have experienced the obstacles that stand in the path of getting even the simple tasks such as licenses, permits and approvals done as well as paying business taxes and insurance without getting any of the benefits.
As an elected ANC Commissioner for the past eight years (four as Chair and Vice-Chair), I have helped our local small businesses navigate the bureaucracy, and mediated with neighbors to create an environment of mutual trust and respect. I have fought to make city officials listen to the needs of residents and business owners. When we bring people together and find common ground, we get results. It is the pledge that enabled me to be so successful a Commissioner and it is what will make me successful on the DC Council.
The Council will need to do more to support their recovery, for the health of our community and workers. When I am on the Council, that will be my highest priority because we can come back stronger together!