BizFed PAC Endorses Councilwoman Elen Asatryan for Glendale City Council Re-Election

GLENDALE, CA—Councilwoman and former Mayor Elen Asatryan received the endorsement of BizFed PAC, a leading voice for the business community across Los Angeles County, as part of her campaign for re-election to the Glendale City Council. As a small business owner herself, Councilwoman Asatryan has made economic development and small business success central to her work on City Council. 

During her tenure over the last three and a half years, she has led efforts to streamline permitting processes, improve access to city services, and reduce delays that often hinder business growth. Councilwoman Asatryan championed and was instrumental in cementing economic development and efficient systems (specific to permitting processes) as two of the City of Glendale’s four annual priorities upon her election in 2022. 

Some of Councilwoman Asatryan's initiatives in her role include:

• Overhauling permitting and entitlement processes to make doing business easier

• Launching Glendale’s Annual Small Business Summit

• Opposing all new tax proposals including small

• Bringing SBA & regional economic partners to the table for local business support

• Stopping passage of an extreme plastics ban that would negatively impact food and beverage providers and stood against banning gas leaf blowers without incentive programs

• Initiating changes in procurement for points for locally owned, minority owned and women owned businesses.

  
  

BizFed PAC represents a broad coalition of employers, business organizations, and industry leaders committed to advancing economic growth, job creation, and a strong regional economy. The endorsement highlights Asatryan’s proven record of supporting small businesses, improving government efficiency, and fostering a more business-friendly environment in Glendale.

“Councilwoman Elen Asatryan has been a staunch champion for small businesses and economic development. She has led efforts to reduce red tape, streamline permitting processes, and improve access to city services so businesses can open faster and grow more easily. She is a tireless leader on business-friendly policies and events that drive the local economy—in addition to spearheading the Glendale Small Business Summit and Women’s Equality—that ensure Glendale can provide economic opportunity for its diverse communities. BizFed PAC is proud to endorse Elen Asatryan for re-election to the Glendale City Council,” BizFed PAC said.

Asatryan spearheaded Glendale’s “Let’s Grow Glendale” Small Business Summit, connecting entrepreneurs with capital, technical assistance, and permitting support. She has also expanded outreach to minority- and women-owned businesses and championed policies that make it easier for local businesses to open, expand, and succeed. 

“Small businesses are the backbone of our local economy,” Councilwoman Asatryan said. “As a business owner myself, I understand the challenges entrepreneurs face, and I’ve made it my mission to ensure City Hall is a partner—not a barrier to our mom and pop shops and local businesses. I’m honored to earn BizFed PAC’s endorsement and will continue working to cut red tape, support job creation, and build an economy that works for everyone.”

One of the driving forces for Asatryan’s initial run for City Council was the frustration regarding programs coming out from the state and federal government, but not reaching the business community. At the time, she established the COVID Resource Center where volunteers worked around the clock helping disseminate information in different languages, helping thousands of small businesses fill out applications who didn’t know how to navigate the government or had language barriers.

Asatryan has also been a strong advocate for fiscal responsibility, opposing new taxes on small businesses while advancing alternative revenue strategies, improving operational efficiency, and supporting public-private partnerships. She has a proven track record of getting resources and targeted financial assistance such as grants, tax breaks, low-interest loans for Glendale’s business community.

She was the lone vote against the most recent city budget, raising concerns that it was built without a clear foundation in long-term fiscal planning. Councilwoman Asatryan has consistently emphasized that a responsible budget should begin with revenue strategy, sustainability, and a comprehensive financial outlook—not last-minute cuts. When the City Council was informed of a significant deficit late in the process, she pushed for additional sessions to fully review and understand the numbers before a final vote, underscoring her commitment to transparency, accountability, and responsible governance.

Her work on regional boards, including the Burbank Airport Authority and the Valley Economic Alliance (VEA), reflects her commitment to strengthening economic competitiveness across the region. Prior to her seat on the VEA board, Councilwoman Asatryan was a relentless champion for Glendale at the VEA. In 2025, she was honored for this advocacy.

In addition to her focus on business and economic development, Asatryan’s re-election campaign is centered on affordability, public safety, and government accountability—ensuring Glendale remains a safe, vibrant, and accessible city for residents, workers, and businesses alike.

In 2025, as a result of Asatryan’s efforts, Glendale was recognized as the Most Business-Friendly City (Large City category) by the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC) at the 30th annual EDDY Awards.

For more information, visit www.electelen.com.