Yesterday I spoke on the steps of Colton Hall in Monterey because I wanted to address a deepening concern that I have with regard to the future of the City. I chose to speak there because that is where California began and California’s first constitution was written.
It is interesting to note that the history of the California Constitution is one that reflects a historical mistrust of special interests and the state. But the first Constitution reflected a desire to come together as a state and be part of a larger union. Signed 160 years ago this month, the Constitution’s purpose was to create a government that would “secure” the permanent welfare and happiness of the people of the new State”.
It is pretty obvious that purpose is in clear disrepair for the State. And as I have talked to numerous Salinas residents these past several months in the midst of an election cycle it is clear there is frustration with government at all levels.
And while I believe the record clearly demonstrates local governments and Salinas in particular has been doing more with less for years...I am forced to acknowledge there is real discontent with the City of Salinas despite a number of positive things going on in the City. We’ll talk about one of those things in just a moment.
In order to build the great City we desire to be we need to attract investment. The last time I was here I spoke about the efforts Salinas was making to revive its commercial areas. The second key strategy is to support or initiate activity around job creation opportunities that play to our strengths, or areas that good progress is already underway.
Two critical keys to attracting investment so we can diversify our local economy, create new jobs and ultimately expand our tax base are a peaceful city and effective and efficient government.
My views on what we have to do to reverse, in the words of Bishop Richard Garcia, in his pastoral letter of this past weekend, the gang violence that is “ravaging our community” are pretty well known. In a week we will know if Salinas residents will choose to make an investment in peace.
Make no mistake this City has paid a horrible economic price for gang violence in form of a low tax base, lower property values, loss of tourism dollars. The issue of sufficient structural capacity and resources does not pertain to just the pursuit of a peaceful city. It also pertains to delivering city services in an effective and efficient manner as well as pursuing economic opportunities.
Regardless of the outcome of Measure K, the City of Salinas will need to continue to look at ways to reinvent and reform local government in an affordable manner that meets community expectations and priorities. Public Safety requires a significant investment in personnel and resources. However, other areas of government while also requiring capacity may be able to achieve desired outcomes by working differently.
Let me suggest four areas that will need to be looked at closely in the coming months. The first is in the Planning and Permit department. We simply have not met Community expectations in that area. I can give you a number of understandable reasons why there have been issues looking at the issue from the inside. I have appointed a group of 10 individuals with the Council to get that department back on track. They begin meeting next week.
We are going to have to look at the implied social contract that says the public sector gets better benefits because it gives up the upside of a larger salary in the private sector. That will be challenged on a few levels…security in insecure times along with a perceived higher wage structure doesn’t set well. Now it should be pointed out that while I believe this is a question that should be posed to all levels of government Salinas employees distinguish themselves by contributing 7 – 9% towards their benefit package. That makes them unique in the public sector business.
Can we continue to re-invent City departments as Recreation is doing by becoming the Parks and Community Engagement Department. For instance does a traditional public works department give way to a more nimble, flexible department that oversees a Conversation Corps and works with organizations like Rancho Ciello and their City Corps concept to provide summer jobs, jobs for at-risk youth, potential apprentice programs for the trades. The idea to explore is can we make social progress and at the same time deliver more service at a more affordable cost.
The big discussion will need to center how can we best work with County government and possibly even the educational community. Salinas lacks sufficient facilities to meet the demands of youthful population. Taking inventory of facilities and potential green space are just a few places to start the dialogue. The proposed soccer complex is a social game changer, creates real economic opportunity and requires full city county cooperation. Most are generally in favor of the project but the truth is that it isn’t anybody’s structural priority and let me absolutely assure this project could be a significant force for good uniting the community, families around a sport the vast majority of young Salineans play and enjoy. We need new structures that accommodate the reality the City and County are working together.
The message is clear…city government, like the County, State and Federal government will have to change some current ways of doing business…and because the City is the most accessible it takes the first blows.
Salinas over the years has worked best when it has come together despite differences around a common purpose. You can look back at the history of the California Rodeo, which will celebrate its 100th anniversary this coming summer. Parts of its roots were to bring people to the community and lift the city out of economic doldrums. I’d say that idea has turned out pretty well. A group of folks got together with a plan and here we are today.
Well Salinas had a plan for economic development. Hire a Director to get in the game, pursue some competitive advantages like an Enterprise Zone and play to our natural strengths. Prior to becoming Mayor I had a chance to meet with Sharan Sarris a former Toyota Auto Executive. She and I often talked about whether or not it would be possible for Salinas to get in the auto game. That relationship along with bringing in the Rocky Mountain Institute to assess our best chances to think about economic and environmental opportunity has served us well.
Putting that combination of people and events in motion leads us to today thanks to a lot of hard work by Sharan and Jeff and others. I am pleased to introduce Ehab Youssef who I will be introducing to the media following our meeting. Accompanying Ehab is the Green Vehicles Management Team of Mike Ryan and Lee Edward Colin. They will be announcing that the City and Green Vehicles are pleased to announce that we have an agreement to locate GV’s manufacturing facility at the Firestone Business Park in Salinas. You may be interested to note Ehab is a Salinas native and attended Lincoln Elementary School, Washington Jr. High School and Salinas High.
This is potentially an exciting moment for the city. It really be may be the spark that reverses the loss of traditional manufacturing with the Salinas have a foothold on the green manufacturing sector. But in order to be competitive we are going to have work closely with County, in all likelihood the state to find sufficient means to help capitalize some of the other companies Ehab and his group have begun introducing to Salinas.
Salinas needs to continue to come together around providing the resources for a peaceful city, the political will to reinvent and reform local government and to marshal the necessary resources to attract investment for new economic opportunities. If we do that I predict that Salinas will help lead the way for a California renaissance and become the crown jewel of the Central Coast.
Luis Valdez once quoted a philosopher who said” Give me a place to stand and I will move the world”. Let’s stand here and move Salinas forward as we have in the past.
