OPINION
Make Main Street Safe Again
Washington, D.C. has become a case study of what happens when crime goes unchecked, and small businesses are left defenseless.
Under the Joe Biden-Kamala Harris administration, our nation's capital deteriorated into a place where shop owners are forced to worry more about theft, vandalism, and violent crime than about serving their customers.
As a lifelong business owner, I understand that no business can survive, let alone grow, when employees and customers don't feel safe walking through the front door.
Recently, I led a U.S. House Committee on Small Business hearing on the impact of crime on main street.
The stories we heard were powerful and deeply troubling.
One witness, a third-generation owner of a neighborhood coffee shop in San Francisco, California described how his immigrant family spent decades building a local institution — only to see it become a target for repeat offenders.
A single individual stole from his store more than 35 times, harassed his employees, and frightened customers.
The offender repeatedly returned because local prosecutors refused to act.
Police responded quickly but could offer little meaningful help.
"It’s not about the cost of stolen goods," he told the committee.
"It’s about safety."
His testimony captured the exhaustion, fear, and frustration now weighing heavily on small business owners across the country.
These experiences are not isolated.
Crime is hitting small businesses harder than anyone else.
85% of small retailers have experienced theft, 64% have raised prices because of crime, and 43% of all cyberattacks now target small businesses — each breach costing more than $100,000 on average. Owners are shortening hours, hiring private security, and absorbing losses they cannot afford.
The challenges highlighted in our hearing mirror what we see in Washington, D.C.
In 2023, 52 businesses shut their doors, up from 40 just two years earlier, as owners were worn down by break-ins, vandalism, and streets that felt less safe with each passing month.
The city recorded its highest homicide total in nearly 30 years, and in 2024, the homicide rate climbed to 27.3 per 100,000 residents — the fourth highest in the nation.
These are not just statistics.
They explain why customers stay home, employees do not come back to work, and the lights go dark on main street.
This is more than a public safety issue; it is an economic emergency.
Crime acts as a hidden tax on small businesses.
Every theft hits the bottom line.
Every vandalized storefront drives up insurance costs.
Every cyber breach threatens a company's survival.
Over time, these burdens pile up until the margins disappear, jobs vanish, businesses close, and neighborhoods decline.
This crisis is a direct result of weak crime policies from Democrat lawmakers — policies that threaten the safety and security of every American.
Cashless bail, weak prosecution, and a consistent refusal to hold repeat offenders accountable send criminals a clear message: there will be no consequences.
That's why President Donald Trump's crime emergency declaration in Washington, D.C. was long overdue and why its results were immediate.
Since the order was issued, overall crime fell 27%, homicides dropped 61%, and robberies declined 54%, generating more than $450 million in societal savings.
More importantly, these steps restored the one thing small businesses needed most: safety.
This is what decisive leadership looks like.
When laws are enforced, criminals retreat.
When streets feel safe again, customers return, businesses stay open later, and communities begin to recover.
With Republicans leading in Congress, we are pairing these results with strong legislation to strengthen public safety, combat cyber threats, and ensure small businesses have the tools they need to protect themselves.
The truth is simple: crime is shuttering businesses and draining opportunities nationally.
But what's working in Washington can work anywhere.
You don't rebuild a community by letting criminals set the rules.
You rebuild it by making the streets safe again.
Through it all, one truth remains: small business owners are as tough as they come. They work long days, often sacrificing their own paycheck to ensure their employees get one. But even the toughest cannot face this epidemic alone. They deserve to know that when they call the police, help will come—and that when a criminal is caught, there will be consequences.
Protecting Main Street means protecting the American Dream. Safe streets create conditions for jobs to grow, businesses to thrive, and prosperity to follow. It is time to Make Main Street Safe Again and set the standard for every American city.
Roger Williams has been the U.S. representative for Texas's 25th Congressional District since 2013. A Republican, he served under then-Gov. Rick Perry as secretary of state of Texas, from 2004 to 2007. In the U.S. House he serves as Chairman of the U.S. House Small Business Committee.
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