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Economic
Development a Government Concern
Published Saturday,
February 8, 1997
Our County doesnt
have a healthy economy. If youve spent your life here, youve
seen the damaging effects of declining mining and logging operations.
Recent arrivals see the following conditions: 1) they drive down
the hill to make a decent living; 2) they apply for low-paying local
jobs along with 50 or more other candidates; 3) their kids leave town
after high school graduation to find decent jobs. Further, a lot
of folks just plain dont have jobs.
Economic growth is essential for our County. Can we agree on that?
Lets ignore that endless debate about good growth vs
bad growth. Instead, lets ask what entity can
best solve the problem. That entity is government, not quasi-government
groups or private enterprise.
Why government? First, County government is the only institution
with the authority, resources and accountability to promote economic growth.
Second, County government is the cause of our anti-business environment.
And third, amateur groups like the Economic Resource Council (ERC) and
the so-called Action Team are not accountable to anyone.
County government has authority, even though our current Supes have no
courage to exercise it. They admitted in December that they hadnt
done much for business. They are simply fumbling away our future.
We would have an economic development program by now if the County had
hired a decent consultant months ago. The usual uninspired approach
is to buy a marketing plan and start begging corporations to relocate.
Instead the County designated the ERC as an agency, promised a paltry
$38,000, and (according to The Union on January 18th) put the ERC in crisis
by not paying $28,500 of it. Its up to the ERC to come up
with the same uninspired approach, but with no budget.
We could have had a film commission, like Placer County, any time in these
last two years, if the supervisors had simply voted funds for a single
half-time staffer and a minimum budget for promotion. That doesnt
take a whole lot of resources and produces disproportionately large benefits.
A second reason why government should promote economic growth is that
government damaged it in the first place. Those who are regulated
by the Planning, Building, or Environment Health Departments can tell
you some great stories about road-blockers and log-jammers. Well,
we could have had bad regulations overturned, bad bureaucrats disciplined,
and processes streamlined by now, if the leadership had the will to do
so. Instead, we have a study group, described below.
The most important reason economic growth is the province of government
is its accountability. If nothing comes out of the ERC or Action
Team, what difference will it make to them? Those teams dont
owe you any answers. In a normal county, the Supervisors would promise
growth and make the moves to accomplish it. In our little Bangladesh
of the Foothills, the Supes distance themselves from the problems.
And our non-government groups will fail. They are underfunded, poorly
conceived and have no obligation to succeed. The Union published
articles on January 18th and February 3rd about the ERC and the Action
Team.
ERC President Monty East said, This shows what can be done when
we come together and all work together. Thats what we need
right now. This is a critical time. Not deep. Not moving.
Not inspiring.
By the way, the upshot of the ERC article is that the ERC doesnt
have any money, and itll ask you and me for a contribution soon.
This is much like the Gentle Giant project, so be sure to read The
Union for the next several years to see if this situation improves.
The Action Team (no, I dont make these names up) is
described as a new ten-person group dedicated to untangling regulations.
Incongruously headed up by bureaucrat Terry McAteer, Nevada County Superintendent
of Schools, members include two supervisors, Karen Knecht and Peter Van
Zant. This is hardly a prize crew, given that Terry is a regulation
enforcer and the Supes are regulation makers by avocation. Someone
should remind Knecht and Van Zant that THEIR Action Team meets
in the Rood Center every Tuesday.
Ill bet IBM, Hewlett-Packard, and Intel are holding their collective
breaths, just waiting for us to clean up our act. I hope they can
hold their breaths for years, during which time more committed counties
across the nation beat the pants off us.
Barry Schoenborn is a technical writer, and a ten-year resident of
Nevada County. You can write to him at barry@wvswrite.com. The opinions
of columnists are not necessarily those of The Union.
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