The Business Perspective

For California to maintain its position as the 8th largest economy in the world, our education system needs to prepare ALL students for a competitive workplace. California is making progress by implementing substantial changes to our educational standards, better testing and accountability systems, and granting local control over funding. California high school graduation rates have improved from 75 percent in 2010 to an all-time high of 81 percent in 2014. We are on the right track.

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Last Friday, the California Employment Development Department released the Employment Report for June. The California unemployment rate stands at 6.3 percent, the County of Los Angeles is 7.4 percent and the City of Los Angeles is 7.7 percent. The U.S. unemployment rate is 5.3 percent. While all of these numbers are better than a year ago, the growth in jobs in L.A. City and County is lagging far behind other metropolitan counties in California. Here are the comparisons: San Francisco – 3.5 percent; Alameda (Oakland) - 4.6 percent; San Diego – 5.0 percent; Orange – 4.3 percent; Santa Clara (San Jose) – 4.0 percent. All of these metro counties have a lower unemployment rate than the United States except L.A. County. 

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The Federal Highway Trust Fund will expire on July 31 and California’s highways are falling apart. The businesses and residents of California are angry and frustrated by the lack of focus on transportation at both the State and Federal level. Tax revenue is growing in Washington DC and Sacramento but none of that new revenue is going to transportation.

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The World Cup Championship victory by the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team on Sunday was exciting and inspiring. It was especially moving because it took place the day after the celebration of the 239th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and founding of our nation.

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