Let’s not even ask if Solano tax funds to support economic development should be used to compete against the private sector already doing pretty much the same things. Google articles on Solano government tax dollars used to compete against smaller private organizations. Get the scoop also at Solano Business News SolanoBusinessNews.com, the blog at FixFairfield.Org, etc.
Where did the tax-funded Solano Center for Business Innovation get its company name? Why are they making themselves look more like other non-tax funded Solano organizations doing similar things?
Solano Center for Business Innovation has been asked to change its name. However will the follow through? Who wants to fight government to force their NGO to change their name?
The companies Solano Center for Business Innovation decided to emulate will also include the same key words. Look carefully at how SOLANO CENTER FOR BUSINESS INNOVATION calls itself. Just the key words were rearranged. The top company name simply cut and pasted the words they wanted from the company names below:
SOLANO CENTER FOR BUSINESS INNOVATION
SOLANO BUSINESS INCUBATOR™
CALIFORNIA BUSINESS CENTER™
SOLANO BUSINESS CENTER™
INNOVATION INSTITUTE™
Not only is Solano Center for Business Innovation following their coat tails by their company name, Solano Center for Business Innovation has chosen to offer related though not identical services. Solano Center for Business Innovation might even be charging higher prices by allegedly not having clearly told all their clients know about the private market’s lower cost options. Solano Center for Business Innovation keeps their marketing costs lower through connections provided by Solano Economic Development, which also gives Solano Center for Business Innovation free office space. Solano Business Incubator has offered free office space to both Solano Economic Development and Solano Center for Business Innovation, but naturally the tax funded organizations find it easier not to let the public know too much.
The private funded organizations along with Solano Center for Business Innovation generally offer:
• Information & Workshops. Solano Center for Business Innovation charges. The others offer it usually for free these days. Two small libraries and free books.
• Networking
• Financial help. The private entities can be angel investors, and also loan money to small businesses.
• Office equipment.
• Computer support.
• Green technology innovations
• Help avoid taxes and government red tape.
• Support Services: This includes free office suite rent for the first one or two months on a month to month lease. Longer leases at www.CaliforniaBusinessCenter.com include just about everything from internet to free marketing help, and free website to furniture and receptionist, plus Solano conference rooms. Professional suite rentals start at $375/mo. Solano Virtual Offices™ are $75/mo.
Past local tax supported attempts to fight privately funded small business development programs continually flopped. Tax payers got stuck with the bill.
VALLEJO BUSINESS INCUBATOR Was huge flop.
Just look at the Vallejo Business Incubator example that lost probably over $400,000 invested into a converted hair salon next to Goodwill on Vallejo’s Tennessee Street. Solano Business Incubator guesses the real figure to be much higher when all the government support is fully tabulated. Vallejo Business Incubator’s tax based supporters prefer to remain quiet about the details.
Other related secret plans to provide services similar to California Business Center, Innovation Institute™, and/or Solano Business Incubator™ have come up over the years, and were squashed when the smarter government people had enough say on the matter. As it’s hard to get complete information on what’s happening, Solano Business News and linked sites never warrant the accuracy of its statements which can only be construed as allegations that need further research and brainstorming.
Despite funds and time spent fighting off tax funded trouble makers, California Business Center continues has offered the most cost effective programs since it was innovated in January 2000 from the previous owners who couldn’t compete against local government game playing. The previous owners lost millions of dollars and much head ache. Some say the previous owner died younger because of this. But the private organizations say and have shown their programs are here to stay cost effective for many more decades, whatever the government and its buddies may be planning next.
While many Solano city council members are angry at how Solano tax dollars are miss spent, they don’t usually control the majority vote on their respective city councils in Benicia, Dixon, Fairfield, Rio Vista, Suisun City, Vacaville and Vallejo.
When will local government learn that the private sector does it better than they can? The solution is to work together and not against each other. Business people all know that win-win is the best business strategy. Will government get it?
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