Economic Development
“The days when every Simi Valley resident had to drive ‘over the hill’ to work or shop are long gone. Building and maintaining a robust local economy means good jobs in town, residents commuting on freeways less and being with their families more, and tax revenues for the City to provide vital services. Everyone wins when our local businesses thrive.”
- Glen Becerra
- “Give Simi Valley City Councilman Glen Becerra credit for putting his money on the line to support his city. Becerra recently dipped into his private campaign fund to buy an ad in the Los Angeles Daily News touting Simi Valley’s sharply lower sales tax rate versus buying stuff in what’s rapidly becoming the people’s republic of Los Angeles County. In case you have not heard, the L.A. County sales tax has been hiked to just a smidge below double digits at 9.75 percent. For folks headed to the Simi Valley Town Center versus the Westfield shopping center in Woodland Hills, the sales tax is unchanged at 8.25 percent. ‘Shop Simi Valley for lower taxes,’ the ad reads.” From “Simi Valley pol takes a swipe at LA’s tax bite,” Pacific Coast Business Times, July 10-16, 2009.
- From a Simi Valley Acorn article on Nov. 4, 2005, on the opening of Simi Valley Town Center: “It exceeded my expectations,” said Councilmember Glen Becerra of the mall. “I think the community should be really proud of what was accomplished here because it took a whole town to pull this off.”
- In a Ventura County Star story May 11, 2008, on the Shop Simi campaign: "We're not going to be able to keep everything in Simi Valley. We don't sell Mercedes here or BMWs. We have some limits as to the services and products we provide, but I think it's important to educate people why they should shop here."
- "The reason we were looking at this is because a lot of potentially productive land for jobs was being taken up by what I think we all consider nonproductive use, which is self storage," Becerra said. "My understanding is that, according to guidelines set up by the self storage trade association, each community should have a certain amount of square feet per residence, and we are already overbuilt - and have plenty to meet residents' needs, plus some." From “Amendment aimed at curbing proliferation of self-storage," Simi Valley Acorn, Nov. 9, 2007.
Aug. 6, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MAYOR CALLS FOR CITY COUNCIL FINAL ACTION ON LOCAL EMPLOYMENT AUTHORIZATION
Over the past six months, the City has been reviewing the federal government's E-Verify system, a system being developed and designed by the government to provide certainty that those hired to work in the United States are legally permitted to do so. Currently the City complies with all laws regarding hiring practices and contractually obligates contractors to ensure that their workers are also legally permitted to work in this country. Today, Mayor Paul Miller asked City staff, on behalf of the City Council, to bring back to the City Council, a comprehensive plan, including E-Verify, for the City Council to consider implementing in order to ensure that workers for the City and its contractors are authorized by law to work here.
Earlier this year, City staff had provided the results of independent studies of this system, which staff believed had left questions as to the system's reliability, and indicated that federal actions were continuing to be taken to improve it. As a result, the City Council asked staff to continue their review and to bring it back to the Council for further consideration. The Mayor is asking for that consideration to take place at this time.
"Unfortunately, this has become an issue in the current election, with some alleging that the City Council is not supportive of this program. Nothing could be further from the truth, as I know that each and every Council Member is supportive of doing all that we can to eliminate the hiring of those not authorized to work here in order to maximize work opportunities for our residents. This includes E-Verify. While we can debate the statistics of the independent review of E-Verify indefinitely, it is more important that we focus on teh City Council's goal of preserving jobs for those who are legally entitled to them, and bring this issue to a local conclusion. As a result I have asked City staff to bring back to the next City Council agenda a comprehensive approach to ensuring that our jobs remain open to those legally authorized. This should include E-Verify, as well as other program that may be available to assist in closing any deficiencies perceived to exist in the E-Verify system. I know that our City Council will be supportive of this approach."
Additionally, the Mayor will ask for City Council concurrence to work with the Chamber of Commerce to ensure that Simi Valley businesses are taking similar actions to ensure that local jobs are kept available to those legally authorized to work, while at the same time not imposing burdensome governmental requirements on the private sector. The next City Council meeting is on August 30.
