Following Councilmember Nury Martinez’s resignation from office last year, a special election is being held on April 4. Ballots will be mailed out soon. If no candidate received a majority of the vote in April, a run-off between the top-two vote-getters will be held in June. Our editorial sent out surveys to the seven candidates, all of whom responded, to get a sense of where they stand on the issues. Over the next few days, we will be publishing their responses, lightly edited for clarity. Their responses are presented in the order in which they responses to the survey.
Previously: What three ordinances would you pass to help your district?
Question: What would you do to promote economic growth in your district and the city as a whole?
Isaac Kim: This is a loaded question with many answers. I would love to talk to you more about it.
Rose Grigoryan:
In the city:
I will encourage small business development. In this post-covid period, we have to provide resources and support to small businesses (tax incentives, access to funding…), thus we can enhance job creation.
I consider is essential to invest in the development of new technologies and encourage entrepreneurship by providing resources, such as incubators and accelerators, for start-ups.
We should foster a business-friendly environment by reducing regulatory barriers and streamlining the permitting process.
In my district:
It is really important to invest in infrastructure upgrades, such as roads, bridges, and public transportation, to make the district more attractive to businesses, especially new ones.
Once I am at office, I will assign a deputy who will be responsible for the workforce development. We should invest in education and training programs by partnering with local educational institutions and businesses. We have to equip residents (especially youth) with the skills needed for in-demand jobs.
Antoinette Scully:
I don’t agree with growth and development for the sake of growing, but I do agree with an accessible, walkable, bikeable city. I agree with more housing for our communities and more stores to shop locally, especially multi-use structures. I support strategies to develop city infrastructure in a way that meets the needs of a changing climate and population boom in the future.
Imelda Padilla:
Promoting economic growth in my district and the city as a whole is how I will lead.
My approach will be twofold: (1) Support the creation of good-paying jobs, especially green jobs, in the Sun Valley industrial corridor and (2) Support innovation and entrepreneurs interested in investing and growing in the region. I also think we need to support small businesses in the local communities so they continue to be competitive against larger corporate entities.
I will work with my fellow council members to create policy and programs that fosters economic innovation across Los Angeles.
I will monitor the major transportation and commercial developments in the region, including the Panorama Mall, the California High Speed Rail in Sun Valley and the Van Nuys Corridor Light-Rail to ensure that these development projects do not displace local residents, but instead increase our quality of life with amenities our families, seniors , and youth will benefit from.
Douglas Sierra:
We must restructure how we encourage small businesses to grow in Los Angeles, particularly in the Valley.
Infrastructure investment and economic revitalization efforts have hit other West LA districts, but the Valley also desperately needs these direct funds.
Permits are also a nightmare to get. They are the primary cause of bottlenecks for small businesses. At times, this is even before they sell their first product or have the opportunity to expand to their full potential.
We’ve seen some progress to ensure that the gig economy keeps its vigor with legal street vendor permits where there is demand, but we need to do more to ensure equity in the small business world.
The permitting process is archaic and limits innovative and ready-to-hustle entrepreneurs from participating in our economy to the fullest extent.
We need to create a community that allows everyone to thrive and succeed.
I firmly believe that equal opportunity in owning a business is the best way to accomplish that.
Marco Santana:
One way L.A. can create more jobs and keep existing ones is to support businesses.
The city of L.A. needs to do a better job of being responsive to the needs of businesses, such as improving the city infrastructure so a business doesn’t suffer when a main street is impassable, or the water line ruptures forcing that business to close for days.
We also need to look at the small yet big impacts of having things like working lights and urban forestry to invite more walkable communities/businesses.
We can create a lot of good-paying jobs and advance efforts for local hiring by modernizing our infrastructure: fixing roads, repairing water and sewer pipes, supporting better internet access, and investing in public transit like East Valley Light Rail Transit and the Sepulveda Pass Transit Project.
We also need to consider how businesses have changed due to Covid’s impact and how the city can support these changes. For instance, what is the impact of more work-from-home policies and businesses having less brick and mortar buildings? How can we strengthen the positive changes, such as restaurants offering al fresco dining options?
We can also keep our job creators and attract more business interests in the community by building more housing that matches the affordability of the district, including more workforce housing. This will lead to a housing/jobs balance allowing Angelenos to live where they work.
We need to streamline processes that will allow businesses to operate, cutting through red tape: this has proven to be most impactful for small businesses just starting up and can cause delays, leading to their business succeeding or failing.
I currently serve on the board of a nonprofit (ICON-CDC) that operates through a City Business Source Center contract and see firsthand the negative impact of a complicated bureaucracy.
I also see the positive impact that having an advocate can make. I want to push to have a part of the district undergo the Jobs and Economic Development Incentive Zones (JEDI) process; working alongside a Business Deputy for CD6 will be crucial, especially as we look to utilize the funding the transit lines will bring.
Marisa Alcaraz:
Economic development is about creating opportunities, and economic justice is a pillar of my platform and one of the central issues that I have championed for more than a decade.
As a society, we need to invest in the creation of jobs that pay good wages and have benefits. We know that when we have a healthy middle-class, our local economy thrives. I have direct experience working on important policy initiatives that boosted the wages of Angelenos, offering them upward mobility. I have also ensured investment in our WorkSource Centers, helping to connect residents to job and training programs.
We need to prepare our young people for careers of the future and create pipelines that can lead to well paying positions with the city. That is why I am working to create the City Fellowship Program, which will recruit, train, and educate recent graduates for city employment.
I have been part of the senior leadership team with Council District 9 that has ushered in an unprecedented $4 billion in economic development with projects like the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art and Banc of California Stadium. For those projects, we successfully fought for Project Labor Agreements (PLAs), local hire, job-training, and greater participation from local businesses. I intend to bring this quality of investment to CD 6 as we advance forward.
Another example of good policy that I helped to develop was the creation of new economic development zones, like Good Food Zones, Urban Agriculture Incentive Zones, and the Jobs and Economic Development Incentive (JEDI) Zones.
In CD 9 for example we designated the historic Goodyear Tract for a JEDI Zone. The more than 200 businesses located within this zone are eligible to obtain a variety of incentives, including case management of the City development permit process, permit fee reductions, business consulting, and façade improvements. This is an example of something we can replicate in other parts of the City like Council District 6, which is due for an economic renaissance, especially with new investments like the East San Fernando Valley Light Rail Transit Project.
Council District 6 offers great opportunities for economic development where we can create more jobs, push for fair wages, and improve the quality of life for this working-class community. Having worked behind the scenes on high-profile initiatives, I know what it takes to get the job done and achieve the tangible results that drive meaningful change.