Partners Across the Region

by Maria S. Salinas

As a convener of thought leaders throughout the Southern California community, we are pleased to welcome Paul Granillo, President and CEO of the Inland Empire Economic Partnership and a member of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Governors, as the guest author of this week’s Business Perspective.

Two years ago, we were experiencing the worst economic downturn of our lifetime due to the pandemic. Almost instantaneously, many of our largest sectors came grinding to a halt, causing thousands of people to lose their jobs. Sadly, it could happen again.

Of the 380 Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA’s) in the United States, Los Angeles and the Inland Empire are the second and twelfth largest in the nation, respectively. Combined, we make up nearly 18 million of California’s 40 million residents. Those 18 million Californians live, work, and play in one of the most sought-after locations in the world. From Palm Springs to Santa Monica, and from Temecula to the California-Nevada border, people choose the SoCal way of life.

Economically, the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach cannot function without the warehousing and distribution centers in the Inland Empire, with 20% of Inland Empire residents commuting to job centers in Los Angeles and Orange Counties. Regardless of whether we support the Dodgers or the Angels, our regions are partners.

Therefore, there are several important shared issues we should keep in mind.

First, none of us should ever again take for granted the fact that global pandemics, natural disasters, and cyber-attacks against our infrastructure can and will occur. Employers in the public and private sectors, and we as individuals, need to continue to focus on disaster preparedness because, at some time in the future, we will be challenged again.

Second, Southern California and Inland Empire leaders must focus on diversifying our region’s economy. The Inland Empire’s economic downturn from the pandemic was less severe than that of Los Angeles County, yet sub-regions like the Coachella and Temecula Valleys suffered greater employment disruption because of their reliance on the leisure and hospitality industries. In line with Governor Newsom’s focus on having jobs where people live, regional leaders should actively be speaking with companies who are looking for a smaller office footprint and a better quality of life for their employees by reducing their daily commutes.

Third, focused effort must be made to change systemic issues within our region. Supporting cross sector and inclusive initiatives focused on growing the number of students who earn university degrees and creating promising jobs for those without a four-year degree will secure upward economic mobility in an equitable manner.

As we emerge from the pandemic and the economy it created, we need targeted investment and smart policies from our federal and state elected leadership. Billions of dollars are beginning to flow to counties and cities throughout the country, and we need to focus on triaging sectors of the economy which are still suffering the effects from the pandemic. Long term resiliency will require large investments in broadband infrastructure, minority owned businesses, healthcare access, and preparing our workforce for a more digital economy.

As partners, we must aim to do things differently when we discuss building back and strengthening our interconnected economy. By collaborating on regional solutions, we can recover with more strength and resilience than ever before.