Local Business, Education, Labor, Goverment Officials Collaborate on Job Creation Efforts

San Bernardino, CA – Congressman Joe Baca (D-Rialto) came together yesterday with over 200 individuals from across the Inland Empire - including government officials, business leaders, union spokesmen and local educators, to discuss and suggest possible ways regional planning can make best use of available resources and strengths to develop local jobs and support local economic growth.

In his opening remarks, Congressman Baca said, “The economic challenges facing the Inland Empire with job loss, unemployment, the housing crisis, and the loss of major employers are significant and require our urgent attention. Much like the President, jobs development and growth will be my highest priority in 2010. It is imperative that the decision makers at every level of the Inland Empire collaborate and work together to address job creation issues. We must take advantage of our resources to attract industry jobs that pay good wages and are sustainable. We must creatively craft a new economy which builds on what we have to address the job needs of the future.”

“We must explore all avenues to best use our resources here in the Inland Empire to create jobs,” continued Rep. Baca.  “We have excellent educational institutions in our area.  How can we get them more involved in job creation, and better utilize them to train our future workforce?  The Inland Empire is the transportation hub of Southern California, and the engine that drives our state economy.  How can we take advantage of this, and increase the flow of goods moving through our area?  How can we promote new transportation projects, like the Gold Line Rail, to bring additional funding and jobs to our area?” 

“We must continue to promote development in our area,” added Rep. Baca.  “We need to better work with the Census to promote an accurate count, so our area receives the economic development funding it deserves.  How can we overcome the obstacles, both fiscal and environmental, that have held us back, like the Endangered Species Act?  These are all questions we must find collaborative solutions to.  President Obama has recently announced he will create a new program to infuse $30 billion in community banks to promote small business lending.  We must all come together to ensure our Inland businesses take advantage of these policies to promote growth and create new jobs.”

With the Mayors of San Bernardino and Colton in attendance, business leaders and owners heard Dr. Anil Puri of the Mihaylo College of Business and Economics at California State University Fullerton share in his regional economic forecast. Dr. Patil shared that the Inland Empire has lost 110,000 jobs and that unemployment is at the highest rate in 30 years. He also said that the end of the current recession may be in sight with job growth continuing slowly through 2013.  Vickie Nasman, Regional Manager of the State Employment Development Department confirmed these unemployment figures, and provided additional regionalized information.

George Huang, an economist with the San Bernardino County Economic Development Agency, shared that the Inland workforce has actually declined by 2.3%.  But Haung was positive about the future of the Inland Empire. He indicated that the American Recovery and Recovery Act (ARRA) has actually empowered the county to expand some programs and has been a boost for the local economy. Congressman Baca has been the only local Congressman to vote in support of ARRA. 

Huang spoke of the advantages of the Region including a willing and capable workforce, available land for development, excellent education facilities especially at the postsecondary level, and an increasingly improving transportation complex with airports, rail, freeway, and trucking industries.

The City Managers from Colton, Fontana, Ontario, and San Bernardino, in turn, shared the relative challenges in each city, generally citing an anti-business climate, revenue shortfalls, rising unemployment and the housing crisis as immediate impediments to job growth.

Joe Ayala, School Board Member in City of Rialto, said the region needs to re-examine outsourcing policies and to avoid duplication wherever possible.  Oscar Hermosillo, owner of Soltec Solar asked how to best promote green jobs.  The industry is having problems with zoning, lack of finances, and other approval processes.  Diane Struvi of Fort Erwin stated that the National Training Center is a well kept secret. They train all branches of the military and there are jobs to be had at the Fort.

Carlos Gomez of Laborers Union Local 783 mentioned that construction has been the hardest hit industry in this recession.  Lenny Caprino of UDC Solar Manufacturing Company has developed a hand held computer and photo device that can be manufactured here in San Bernardino. “I have a product, the problem is finding funding to set up shop and begin to build the devices.”  And Salvador Lopez commented not to forget the mom and pop businesses. They serve a vital function in communities. Many large and small businesses have closed, but mom and pops have kept going.