Small businesses are the backbone of AD40 — yet they’re being squeezed from every direction. Rising rent. Higher insurance. Retail theft. More mandates. More fees. Less margin. While Sacramento passes laws, mom-and-pop shops are closing. One mandate can mean layoffs. One theft can erase profits. One fee hike can shut a storefront forever. Small businesses didn’t fail California. Policy failed small businesses. AD40 deserves leadership that protects local jobs, keeps shops open, and puts our comm