TITLE
Recommendation to, by motion of the City Council, request City Manager to explore the possibility of contracting with the Long Beach Chamber of Commerce to provide services which will assist the City in economic development efforts aimed at attracting and retaining business and jobs.
DISCUSSION
Contracting with the long Beach Chamber of Commerce to Provide An Economic Development Officer, Economic Development Plan and Advisory Committee.
Recently the City Council unanimously approved an agenda item requesting the City Manager report on how the City could fund an "Economic Development" effort to attract and retain business in the City.
While certainly such an effort is needed to make Long Beach competitive, quite honestly government really doesn't create private sector jobs. So it makes better sense to utilize the local Chamber of Commerce to help the City.
The Chamber has the connections and the expertise to assist Long Beach in becoming a showplace for creating economic opportunities. Moreover, we need the "outside" perspective on how government can do better in creating and maintaining a business friendly environment. Most importantly, we need a long-range economic development plan for this City. A partnership with the Long Beach Chamber of Commerce could spur the economic development we need. We also need an "Economic Development Guide" that details why Long Beach is a great place to do business.
Many cities across the U.S. are contracting with local Chambers for similar efforts, including asking their chambers to assist in developing economic development plans and establishing economic development advisory committees to help guide efforts to recruit and retain business and jobs.
FISCAL IMPACT
The City could possibly fund this contract out of the Special Advertising and Promotion fund, which comes from the "transient occupancy tax."
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
COUNCILWOMAN GERRIE SCHIPSKE
FIFTH DISTR...
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