Carlsbad, CA
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2024 Carlsbad Business Survey is Open
The City of Carlsbad has launched its 2024 Carlsbad Business Survey. This survey is a confidential and convenient way for local business owners and leaders to share feedback about Carlsbad as a place to do business.You can take the survey here: carlsbadca.gov/BusinessSurvey
It should only take about 15 minutes to complete.
About the Survey
- The survey is intended for business owners, executive management, and senior leaders who have knowledge of the overall operations and direction of the business.
- Responses will be anonymized and aggregated with other responses. No individual or business information will be shared or published.
- The survey asks about different aspects of current business operations, such as workforce and hiring needs, access to clients and customers, and permitting and regulatory concerns. It also asks about future growth expectations and feedback on the business climate in Carlsbad.
- The survey is conducted every two years to ensure the city understands current challenges and trends in the business community.
- The City of Carlsbad appreciates your time and participation in this survey. Your feedback will help improve services and support for the local business community.
- For any questions related to the survey, please contact our economic development team at business@carlsbadca.gov.
Thank you for taking the time to ensure the City of Carlsbad is better informed about the state of the business community!
Doing business
The economic development team is here to serve and support the city’s business community. Whether you are a small business or our largest tech employer, the city wants to make sure your business thrives in Carlsbad. The city team is here to help with getting your business license, bidding on projects and contracts or meeting with our development services team about permits and processes. You can learn more about the benefits of starting or expanding a business in Carlsbad at our Doing Business in Carlsbad story map. If you are a business looking for a new space in Carlsbad, please email economic development staff at business@carlsbadca.gov.
Useful resources
Looking to start your own business? Our questionnaire is designed to link small businesses with local resources, providing information to tackle some of the top challenges prospective small businesses commonly face.
The Guide to Opening an Eating Establishment provides insight on where you can open an eating establishment in our city and how the process works. Useful information for food truck and sidewalk vendors can be found on our website as well.
New state and local environmental regulations are being phased in over the next couple of years. Find information on these regulations, as well as resources for your staff and customers, on the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle page.
Talent attraction & retention
One of the City Council’s strategic focus areas is bringing quality jobs to the city in today’s globally competitive economy. Carlsbad's Life In Action initiative is a resource for employers looking to land that perfect candidate. It provides additional tools, such as a hiring toolkit with media assets, brochures and infographics, to make the case for why the job in Carlsbad is the right one.
The Carlsbad Job-Readiness Room is a free program that helps residents build job skills and bolster their chances of landing a new job in Carlsbad. The platform is powered by Bendable, a learning marketplace that allows people to discover new knowledge and skills through online courses, in-person events and other learning resources.
Economic Snapshots
Carlsbad Economic Snapshot FY 2022-2023 Q3
Economic Development Strategic Plan
Carlsbad Economic Development Strategic Plan
Biennial Business Report
The biennial business report provides an understanding of specific attributes of Carlsbad’s business climate, including workforce and hiring needs, access to clients and customers, and permitting and regulatory concerns, among other issues for Carlsbad’s business community.
Connect with us
Carlsbad has a range of options for businesses to establish, grow and thrive. If you are ready to learn more about doing business along the creative coast or have general questions about doing business in our city, contact the Innovation & Economic Development Department at business@carlsbadca.gov.
News headlines
Securing Carlsbad's long term financial health
Carlsbad’s fiscal year runs July 1 to June 30. Every spring, as city staff finalizes the preliminary budget to be presented to the City Council, we consider not just our immediate financial forecast, but the long term outlook too. On April 4 we shared an update on our long-term projected revenues and expenses with the City Council.
- Carlsbad has always been known as a financially healthy city.
- Planning ahead is one of the reasons we have been able to maintain a strong fiscal position, even during recessionary times and unanticipated emergencies.
- We put money away for ongoing infrastructure maintenance so we don’t face costly repairs later.
- The City Council has a robust set of policies that ensure we have money saved for a rainy day, responsibly manage our pension obligations and reinvest any funds left over at the end of the year into community priorities.
As cities move from development mode to maintenance mode, the community’s needs change, as do sources of city revenue. Carlsbad has been approaching this time of life for several years, and we are experiencing these changes.
- Developer fees have funded much of the infrastructure and community amenities we have today, including pipes, roads, parks and libraries.
- As the pace of development slows, so does the revenue from these fees.
- At the same time, our infrastructure is aging, and the cost of maintenance and replacement is significant.
The presentation to the City Council focused on four of the most common ways cities close a projected future gap between revenues and costs:
- Increase efficiency
- Align fees to the actual price of providing services
- Reduce staff and services
- Develop new sources of revenue
There is no one-size-fits-all solution. Fortunately for Carlsbad, we knew this new stage of life was coming and have the luxury of time to be thoughtful and strategic in how we respond. You are encouraged to read the staff report, which goes into detail on all these issues, or you can watch the presentation and discussion online.
The City Council asked staff to come back with more information about potentially increasing the tax visitors pay when they stay in Carlsbad hotel rooms, timeshares and short-term vacation rentals. The transient occupancy tax, as it is known, is currently 10% in Carlsbad and hasn’t been increased since 1990. Carlsbad voters would need to approve the increase, and the next opportunity to put it on the ballot would be November 2024.
In the meantime, we are preparing to present a balanced budget to the City Council next month for review. We are very proud of our city staff, who have worked hard to reduce spending, find efficiencies and develop new ways to deliver services at a lower cost.