By Tom McClimon
October 13, 2008

“Franchised businesses are a leading contributor to our national economy. Over one million franchised businesses provided over 11 million jobs last year,” stated Conference of Mayors Past President Trenton Mayor Douglas Palmer. As Chair of the Conference’s new Task Force on Franchising and Small Business in Cities, Palmer brought the mayors attending the Conference’s Leadership Meeting in Palm Beach up-to-date on the work plan of the task force.

“My goal is to help us mayors better understand the franchise business world and what it takes to get them started in our communities.” Palmer outlined his vision to have mayors attend upcoming annual meetings of the International Franchise Association to meet with franchise owners and operators. The next annual meeting of the IFA will be February 14-17, 2009 in San Diego where plans are underway to have a session with mayors and franchise owners and operators. Over 3,000 franchise business owners and operators will attend the IFA annual meeting.

Stamford (CT) Mayor Dannel P. Malloy raised the need for the Task Force to also examine the issue on how small businesses on Main Street are being impacted by the nation’s fiscal crisis and what might be done to assist them.

Mayors interested in becoming a member of the Task Force should contact either Palmer or Tom McClimon on the Conference staff. The first meeting of the task force is planned to take place during the Conference’s Winter Meeting, January 17-19, 2009, in Washington (DC).