Newsroom
Contact: Doug Perkins
or Lisa Sutherland (619) 234-3491
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 15, 2002
WEAVING A TAPESTRY OF BUSINESS AND LIVEABILITY IN SOUTH COUNTY
Looking back at SCEDC's past to see its future
San Diego, CA - November 15, 2002 - Does business growth have to conflict with quality of life? The role of the economic development organization is to conduct a creative give-and-take of fundamental desires that often conflict.
To pursue a regional vision promoting only livability could ignore necessary business growth, forcing residents into a dreary lifestyle of long commutes from "bedroom communities" to their places of business. Yet, concentrating strictly on the interests of industry too often creates an environment that is not appealing to residents. Even the most aggressive business developer wants a safe, pleasant park or lake where he can play with his children or relax at the end of the day.
South County Economic Development Council founding members, which included County Supervisor Greg Cox, housing developer Scott McMillin, auto dealer Tony McCune and journalist Patrick Osio came together in 1989 with a vision for a region that weaved together business growth, residential growth and quality infrastructure to create the best possible place to live, work and play.
A region must first have an active workforce to grow economically. SCEDC has provided 150 South County businesses with loans, grants and resources to create more than 800 jobs for South County residents over the past 12 years. NLP Furniture benefited from SCEDC's support in 1999 when the Council wrote a proposal to the US Department of Health and Human Services, resulting in a $400,000 grant allowing the company to expand and create 60 new jobs. Knight "&" Carver, a ship builder in National City, created 70 jobs with a large loan from South County in 1999. The Council is developing resources to make loans and grants available to local businesses on a regular basis from this year forward.
SCEDC considers transportation the region's framework because it connects South County businesses to their customers and employees. Consequently, the Council has been a vocal supporter of SR-125, which will run north/south and connect SR-905 with SR-54, and the 905 expansion, designed to increase access to Otay Mesa and reduce congestion at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. SCEDC has a standing Transportation Committee and has crafted numerous position papers and organized several pubic forums to address infrastructure needs associated with economic development. Where additional roads can reduce wait times at the border and capital projects like a Crossborder Air Terminal can bring tax revenue to South County, SCEDC will be in the fray supporting expansions of infrastructure and commerce.
For the first three quarters of 2002, Mexico ranks as the fifth largest individual trading partner with the United States. SCEDC spends much of its effort reinforcing strong ties between Mexico and San Diego businesses and government resources. But how can political leaders on either side of the border make the best decisions without solid research?
SCEDC formed a partnership with the California Trade and Commerce Agency to research and produce the first ever study of the needs of suppliers to the maquiladora industry because a significant percentage of the crossborder trade comes in the form of maquiladora commerce. By examining import/export records from both the U.S. and Mexico by industry clusters, the study cross-indexed the $27 billion industry. This summer, SCEDC initiated the "Border Values Study," which estimated, among other findings, as many as 11% of customers at South County shopping centers drive up from Baja to shop. Through these and future data-driven studies, SCEDC is becoming the first resource to business and political leaders seek out when examining the rich dynamic between Mexican and San Diegan businesses.
Encouraging business across an international border is not enough to build a strong economic base, though. SCEDC is charged with attracting businesses to settle "south of the 8."
SCEDC created an unlikely, yet powerful reason to tempt certain businesses considering a move to South County rather than the high-tech hubs of Sorrento Valley or Orange County. Chula Vista has one of the highest concentrations of Asians in San Diego County and, thanks to SCEDC, is also home to the Minato Gauken Japanese Saturday School. The Council actively recruited the school to South County, and in turn, the presence of the school proved a deciding factor for Tokyo-based DNP America to relocate its rear projection television component manufacturing operation to Chula Vista last summer. DNP management commented positively on the value of employees finding harmony between work and home.
As part of its efforts to advance economic development in the South County region, South County EDC organizes seminars and bus tours, participates in trade shows and provides businesses considering relocation with information and contacts. In an effort to extend South County's welcome around the world, the Council has sent business delegations to tour Asia and hosted numerous delegations from the Pacific Rim, Canada and throughout the United States.
A business owner can connect with the rest of the world in South County. Commuters can find a comfortable home close to work and family in the same region. How could these communities be the same place? Because twelve years ago South County EDC's founders dared to envision a region that made room for both business and life. In this case, history is expected to repeat itself.
South County EDC is a 501(c)3 non-profit with one-third of its Board of Directors consisting of public officials representing South County jurisdictions; the remaining members are representatives from the small and large businesses in the South Bay region. South County EDC organizes an Economic Summit every year, which gathers national, State, and local leaders from the United States, Mexico, and Canada to explore the evolving business and infrastructure needs of the region.
SCEDC is funded in part by grants from the Cities of Chula Vista, Coronado, Imperial Beach, National City "&" San Diego, County of San Diego and the San Diego Port District.
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