Improve Hayward Business Climate

By Roy E. Gordon

Haywards' downtown was put into a Redevelopment Agency in 1975. The agency has been amended nine times and all that we have to show for the 27 years of redevelopment is a new city hall, Albertsons, townhouses and a parking garage.

The business permit process to too time consuming and punitive. Several business owners have complained to me that it has taken them nearly two years to acquire the necessary permits to open their businesses. Some restaurants have been informed that they need a 3000 gallon grease container installed prior to expanding or opening a new restaurant. That seems unreasonable since the collection trucks that normally pump the grease out of the containers hold less than a 1000 gallons.

Restaurants and other businesses move to locations on our borders to attract Hayward citizens and their money without having to be governed by our punitive regulations. This is sales and property tax money that could be used to improve our library, sidewalks, streets, animal shelter, safety and after school programs for our children. We need to attract businesses for the citizens of Hayward.

Hayward officials have talked about a multiscreen theatre for years, while both Union City and San Leandro have built their new theatres. While Hayward talks, other cities do!