Rural Laws: June, 1995 - Number #13
LA Business Opportunities
A recent survey by Hispanic Business Magazine of the top 50 cities
for Latino businesses ranked Los Angeles No. 10 because of the high
cost of doing business in the city. Los Angeles has a population that
includes 1.4 million Latinos and an estimated 75,000 Latino-owned
business, the most in any city in the US.
Business leaders in Los Angeles report that Latinos get a
disproportionately low number of government contracts and that they
lack political power. In 1993, Latinos received less than eight
percent of Los Angeles county government contracts.
Latino business leaders also report that they lack a strong
professional base and are burdened with the legacy of poor immigrants
and continuing prejudice. In the past year, city officials have tried
to help the Latino businesses with the creation of a computerized
minority contracting office, opening a government-funded, low fee
consulting service, and taking bankers on site visits to East Los
Angeles.
Vicki Torres, "Is LA Latino Friendly?" Los Angeles Times, May 1,
1995.
