California Offers Big Help for Small Business.

Byline: Mike Rappaport

Apr. 16--Lisa Gill and Eric Schaper needed $45,000 for hot dogs -- not to eat them, but to sell them.

But they had only $15,000 between them to buy the hot dog cart franchise. Thanks to financing from the Small Business Financial Development Corp., they opened in January, and Gill said the business is doing well. "We had to buy food, an ice maker, an ice chest, all the things you don't realize," Gill said.

The small business loan paid two-thirds of the fee -- and it left them with $7,000 for start-up costs.

The Small Business Financial Development Corp. opened its Inland Empire office in Ontario last November. Since …