Caveat: Obviously I am aware of the death and misery that the globe is suffering from now. And, of course I wish no ill will on anyone. But this might be a good time to reflect. I only offer my impressions about our local past and a caveat on our local future. The Los Alamitos General Plan was approved in March 2015, after 3 ½ years of meetings, research, and over $100,000.00 of investment. It is the document that the voters said should drive the City’s decision-making process through the year 2035.
Yes, everything in the City is interrelated, but the Plan separates the various elements. I am going to focus on only one portion, the Economic Development Element. The ‘Vision’ includes, among other components, enhancements to the quality of life and diversification and expansion of the tax base. The strategies associated with these include: maintaining industrial uses, create a competitive retail environment, sustain and improve the City’s fiscal balance, and attract private investment.
The next logical step was to set up goals and policies to implement the strategies. The major goals include a focus on fiscal decision making, fiscal impact disclosure, and ongoing funding. The Plan also makes clear, and requires mitigation of any negative fiscal impacts, including reliance on one-time revenues or unsustainable deficit spending.
A major focus also includes a distinctive shopping and entertainment corridor and districts that attract consumer spending. This is to include a town center that is amenity-rich, multi-modal, that is a unique regional destination, to provide street furniture, shading, pedestrian circulation, and gathering spaces, and a parking district to facilitate shared parking solutions and encourage pedestrian-oriented mixed-use buildings.
And finally, as set forth in Policy 4.1, an economic development responsibility is required of each elected official, and City employee, including the adoption and regular update of a comprehensive economic development strategy.
Fast forward a few years, and not only do we not have these things, but our fine little city is on the brink of bankruptcy. And nobody seems to know exactly how we got to this point. It is not my intention to lay blame. But I do offer that the current City administration, elected and paid, need to tell us what our future holds and exactly how they are addressing the issues. And do so before any more state of the city extravaganzas.
I wish you all a safe future.
Elliott Singer
Los Alamitos