Ron Conway and San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee sat down with TechCrunch to chat about two crucial upcoming policies for the technology industry. First among them was Proposition E, a ballot initiative to reverse an old payroll tax policy that charged companies on their payroll, rather than on their revenue (“gross receipts”). Given that many technology startups aren’t making much in the way of revenue, Conway and Mayor Lee say the widely supported policy could save burgeoning startups millions. “The biggest gift the tech community today can give San Francisco is passing Proposition E to create jobs in San Francisco and small business,” Conway said on stage.
Conway was also quick to note that immigration reform is seriously needed for continued innovation. The US Senate may take up a minor reform bill, The Fairness In High Skilled Immigrants Act, which would end country-specific caps on high skilled visas (H1-B). However, it’s uncertain whether the Senate will be able to pass the bill that had broad support in the House of Representatives before the election recess.
Watch the interview below for more on the importance of tech citizenship and upcoming policies affecting the technology industry.