A Prescription for a real California recovery

A growing number of politicians and newspaper pundits have been forecasting that California has turned the corner and is not in serious trouble due to recent improvements in the state's employment numbers and a very modest decline in migration out of the state. Even Governor Jerry Brown has been quick to celebrate his tax and budget successes and now speaks about "California's special destiny ... more vibrant and more stunning in its boldness."            

Contrary to the above upbeat scenarios, many analysts feel that the state remains on a collision course with mediocrity at best rather than manifest destiny. One such observer is Joel Kotkin, executive director of NewGeography.com and a distinguished presidential fellow in urban futures at Chapman University. His concerns are based upon the fact that California's unemployment remains the third highest among all the states; the state still has one-third of the nation's welfare recipients, the state has the highest poverty rate in the country, and the state's education system is in need of serious reform even with the promised new tax dollars.

Kotkin suggests that the Governor and state legislature must address the following areas in order to restore California's economic prominence.

- Get real on the budget priorities and correct the mounting government employee pension costs.  

Californians per capita now owe almost five times more to Wall Street than do the residents in our chief

rival state Texas.

- Redirect the climate-change crusade. Keep stressing energy conservation but adopt more people friendly

approaches. Expensive green energy programs have forced up prices and impacted the middle and working

class population lifestyles disproportionately causing them to leave

the state.

- Focus on basic industries. Tech and entertainment industries can no longer drive enough jobs to support  

this huge state. California is blessed with the country's richest soil and huge fossil-fuel reserves that could  

bring new revenues to the state and create new jobs for a broad number of Califonians, especially those in  

the hard pressed interior of the state. Also of particular concern is the state of the California water system

and the need to proceed with the peripheral canal.

- Reform the education system, including both the University of California system but also the K-12 system

and union rules.

- Invest in economically needed infrastructure. In addition to the peripheral canal, look to permitting the

construction of low-polluting, economically efficient gas-fired power plants rather than trains to no where.

State leaders should look to fixing roads, bridges, ports, and improving inter-city trains and buses.

- Prioritize blue-collar opportunities. California's greatest challenges lie with a widening class divide.

Bolstering manufacturing and restarting construction will create much needed jobs for the skilled trades.

California needs more skilled machinists, electricians, and irrigation technicians and fewer ethnic studies or

humanities grads.

The author Kotkin believes the governor and state leaders need to make these changes in order to stimulate the economy and bring California back to its historic potential.

People do business with people they know.

The Alhambra Chamber of Commerce makes it easy to meet new

business contacts every month at its Business After Hours Mixers.

Here's a list of our professional Accountant/CPA members

Wells Fargo Bank, 701 E. Main St., Alhambra,

had its grand opening Feb. 23.

The store's manager, Michael Nguyen, unveiled a historical mural inside the store, which features scenes of local entrepreneurs from Alhambra's history. Members of the Wells Fargo mural design team were on hand to discuss the 8-foot-high, 12-foot-wide work of art. From left: Joseph Chow, Wells Fargo district manager for central San Gabriel; Valarie Gomez, Alhambra Chamber president; Councilmember Stephen Sham; Mayor Barbara Messina; Michael Nguyen, Wells Fargo manager, Alhambra main store; U.S. Rep. Judy Chu; Vice Mayor Dr. Steven Placido; Cecilia Garcia, Chamber ambassador;

and David Di Cristofaro, Wells Fargo market president,

Greater Los Angeles Division

Friendly and knowledgeable Evike team members are ready to assist Airsoft enthusiasts from beginners to highly skilled players.  

Evike returns to Alhambra

Visit Evike.com at 2801 W. Mission Rd., Alhambra, 91803

Phone: 626-286-0360, or visit their website at evike.com