Don Morgan: A Stronger Pasadena – It Starts with a Stronger Economy

There are so many ways we can make Pasadena better for everyone. It is up to our next mayor to set clear priorities about the most important steps we must take to improve the quality of life in Pasadena.

As both a businessperson and a researcher who studies how cities can deliver better services, for me the answer is very clear ¬–¬ if you want a stronger city build a stronger economy.

The fact that this seems obvious to most of us doesn’t mean it isn’t important, particularly in the context of politics where our leaders can be distracted by competing priorities at City Hall. That’s why I am working to sharpen our focus on economic fundamentals – because when our economy gets better it helps us achieve all of our important goals, from making our streets safer to working in partnership to make our schools stronger.

To put economic policy front and center I am bringing together economic experts and small business and community leaders for a community forum on Wednesday, January 28 at 5:30pm at the University Club of Pasadena (175 North Oakland Ave). We are inviting the whole community to participate and if you would like to attend, please RSVP at www.Morgan2015.com/events.

I’m proud that our panel includes experts like Tim Cadogan, Founder and CEO of OpenX, Chuck Carroll, the Vice President of Citizens Business Bank and a leading voice on non-profit lending, and Marley Majcher, small business owner and author of a well-regarded guide for aspiring entrepreneurs.

The good news is our economy is improving – with unemployment falling to 5.9% this year, down from the difficult high of 9.7% just four years ago. But unemployment is still above the “full employment” years in the middle of the last decade, when the rate hit a low of 3.6 percent.

And the sad fact is that while the economy has improved dramatically for some, the gains have not been very evenly distributed. And as the economy has improved, the costs of living in a city like Pasadena have also begun to rise rapidly, particularly the cost of housing, meaning that middle class and working class families are under even more pressure.

A city government can only do so much. There are international, national, state and regional forces the all affect our economy here in Pasadena. But just because we can only do so much doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do everything in our power, because when our economy is improving for everyone it makes every single goal of our city government easier to achieve.

First of all – let’s not forget the obvious. A stronger economy means more tax revenue, which can be invested in better roads and transit, open space and parks, libraries, police services and schools. Fundamentally, cities are economies. And a mayor should stay focused on that fact throughout his or her term.

When wages go up, more of our workforce can afford to live right here in town, meaning shorter commutes, less traffic and better response in an emergency (particularly when it comes to police officers, firefighters and nurses).

And when there are more jobs and opportunities we create a virtuous cycle – not only is there more tax revenue to invest in solving problems, there are fewer problems to solve because the crime rate goes down and economically secure families help raise educational achievement.

The facts here are quite clear – there is a direct correlation between rising employment rates and falling crime rates. And the data also clearly show that children from economically secure families do better in school for a multitude of reasons, from coming to school well fed to parents with more time to read to their children and help with homework.

In my work helping to bring cities, non-profits and businesses together to solve problems I know that diagnosing an issue is only half the battle. We need concrete solutions implemented effectively.

There are clear and concreted solutions available to us — from working to make it easier to start a small business or a micro business to stronger connections with world-class economic innovators like Caltech, the Art Center College of Design and the Jet Propulsion Lab.

In my work with local cities we have implemented common-sense policies like matching non-profit resources to needs at local schools. I know we can use similar strategic partnerships to create more jobs here in our community.

Every true solution starts with real community involvement. That’s why I hope you will join us January 28 at 5:30pm at the University Club. I’m looking forward to seeing you there.

 

Don Morgan teaches government innovation at USC and runs a local small business helping non-profits become more effective. He is a candidate for Mayor of Pasadena. Morgan’s official campaign website is www.Morgan2015.com.