Bureaucracy is Stifling California Small Businesses

This article was originally featured in The Sacramento Bee. By Javier Palomarez President and CEO, United States Hispanic Business Council (USHBC) Edited By Chase Clements, Commerce Content Manager

In his recent op-ed published in The Sacramento Bee, USHBC President & CEO Javier Palomarez delivers a powerful message: California’s small business owners are being left behind while regulators drag their feet.

In “Bureaucracy is Stifling California Small Businesses,” Palomarez calls out the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) for delaying approval of Verizon’s proposed acquisition of Frontier. This merger isn’t just a telecom deal it’s a pathway to closing the digital divide, expanding broadband access, and unlocking hundreds of millions in contract opportunities for entrepreneurs across the state.

“Entrepreneurs in the state are already fighting an uphill battle,” Palomarez writes. “High taxes, increasing operational costs, worker shortages and a burdensome regulatory environment are adding fuel to the fire.”

As rural businesses shutter in places like Mendocino, Napa, and Los Angeles counties, the need for reliable connectivity and a fair shot at growth becomes more urgent than ever. For California’s small businesses, access to high speed internet is more than a convenience, it’s a necessity for survival in the modern economy. 

The United States Hispanic Business Council stands firmly behind this call for action because it’s what’s right for the business community. The CPUC’s inaction represents a broader pattern of neglect, where unnecessary red tape holds back communities that are otherwise primed for success.

This isn’t about politics. It’s about progress.

Small businesses across California deserve better. They deserve infrastructure that supports growth, leadership that listens, and a system that works for them, not against them.

We encourage all business owners, community advocates, and policymakers to read the full op-ed here, and join us in urging the CPUC to approve the merger without further delay.

The future of California’s economy depends on bold, timely decisions. This is one of them.

Read the full article here