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Solano County planners to discuss Highway 12 economic analysis

By Sarah Rohrs/Times-Herald staff writer /timesheraldonline.com
Posted: 07/10/2012 01:00:51 AM PDT

A new study leaves little doubt that Highway 12 improvements could drive a significant economic engine for communities along the corridor.

The Solano Transportation Authority commissioned the Solano Economic Development Corporation (SEDCORP) to examine various improvement scenarios along Highway 12 and their impacts on local economies.

The Solano Transportation Authority board will discuss a draft of the report beginning at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Suisun City Hall, 701 Civic Center Drive.

A main objective is to take an innovative approach to planning highway improvements, SEDCORP President Sandy Person said.

In usual circumstances, an economic analysis is done after a project has been developed, Person said. The report attempts to look at economic improvements before a project has been developed, she added.

"This gives us a head start on goals-setting and land-use planning and other steps," she said.

Currently, the Highway 12 corridor -- from the Lodi airport to Highway 29 in Vallejo -- represents $10.7 billion in revenues to all businesses, households and governments, according to the report's draft summary.

Even minimum improvements to Highway 12 -- many which are being done now for safety reasons -- will boost the region's employment, revenues and worker income, according to the summary.

More extensive improvements, such as wider shoulders, more passing lanes and better intersections, would bolster economic benefits even more.

The maximum improvement scenario looks at economic impacts by widening the corridor to a four-lane divided highway with significant intersection improvements.

This latter scenario would create 7,609 new jobs, result in more housing, and increase sales and property taxes by $42.2 million, according to the summary.

Numerous Solano communities are grappling with the need for greater Highway 12 improvements, Solano Transportation Authority Director of Planning Robert Macaulay said.

Some of those include safer and wider shoulders east of Rio Vista, a new intersection at Bird's Landing, and replacement of the Rio Vista Bridge. No funding has been found for any of these projects.

Contact staff writer Sarah Rohrs at srohrs@timesheraldonline.com or (707) 553-6832. Follow her on Twitter @SarahVTH.

Highway 12 economic study to be released Thursday in Rio Vista

Times-Herald staff report/timesheraldonline.com
Posted: 06/27/2012 01:01:16 AM PDT

A study that takes a look at Highway 12 improvements from an economic standpoint will be released 6 p.m. Thursday at a workshop in Rio Vista.
The Solano Economic Development Corporation and the Solano Transportation Authority conducted the study.

It is designed to evaluate the potential economic benefits and needs of the corridor from Lodi through Napa, and preliminary results were discussed at a breakfast meeting earlier this year.

The Rio Vista presentation will take place at the D.H. White Elementary School multipurpose room, 500 Elm Way.

Consultant Economist Robert Fountain of Benicia is expected to talk about the economic effects of widening Highway 12 to handle more cars and provide better efficiency.

The corridor in Solano County faces significant challenges, particularly in Rio Vista, where replacement of the Rio Vista Bridge has been identified as a big need.

The current study does not include Vallejo, though the city will see some impacts from Highway 12 improvements, planners have said.

Study shows better Highway 12 would boost economy

Trucks and other cars travel on Highway 12 outside of Fairfield . (Brad Zweerink/Daily Republic file)

By Barry Eberling
 

From page A3 | June 28, 2012 | Leave Comment

 

FAIRFIELD — Improving Highway 12 through Solano County and the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta should boost regional business activity that already tops $6 billion annually, according to a new study.

How much ranges from 3 percent to 10 percent, depending on the amount of improvements. Widening Highway 12 to four lanes would generate more job and housing growth than a more modest approach of making only safety improvements to two-lane segments of the highway, the study found.

The Solano Economic Development Corp. prepared the draft Highway 12 Corridor Economic Analysis for the Solano Transportation Authority. Robert Fountain of Regional Economic Consulting did the analysis.
Fountain and the Solano EDC will conduct a workshop on the study at 6 p.m. Thursday at D.H. White Elementary School in Rio Vista.

Study findings are just one more factor for local, regional and state officials to consider when planning a future for Highway 12. Others include the cost of the improvements and environmental factors.

“We have a game plan for the Interstate 80 corridor,” Solano Transportation Authority Executive Director Daryl Halls said Wednesday. “Highway 12, we’re still having that conversation.”

The draft study begins by looking at existing economic conditions along 52 miles of Highway 12 from Highway 29 in Napa County to east of Interstate 5 near the Lodi airport. It measures economic activity generated by businesses, governments and households within ZIP codes along the highway and comes up with a gross regional product of $6.4 billion.

Manufacturing and food processing is the biggest economic sector. This includes everything from the Budweiser brewery in Fairfield to General Foods in Lodi to wineries to farms. Next comes government employment, which ranges from Travis Air Force Base to Solano County government to schools to the cities of Fairfield, Suisun City, Rio Vista, Isleton and Lodi.

The Highway 12 corridor as measured by the study is home to 161,707 people and 67,145 jobs.

One possibility for the future Highway 12 is to keep it two lanes in rural areas and make improvements only for safety, not capacity. This would add $183 million to the gross regional product, or a 2.9 percent increase, the study estimated. It would add 1,193 jobs and 965 households.

Another possibility is to improve traffic flow on Highway 12 by adding more passing lanes and improving key intersections. This approach adds $332 million in economic activity for a 5.2 percent boost. It adds 2,286 jobs and 1,849 households.

Finally, all of Highway 12 could be widened to four lanes from Suisun City east through the Delta to Interstate 5 near Lodi. This adds $623 million in economic activity for a 9.7 percent boost. It adds 7,609 jobs and 6,154 households, according to the draft study.

The economic study is to go to the Solano Transportation Authority Board of Directors on July 11.
Other, already completed Highway 12 studies look at possible, new Rio Vista Bridge alignments and traffic issues. Solano Transportation Authority Director of Planning Robert Macaulay said the studies are in “silos,” each focusing on their own particular subjects.

“Now we go all into the one big area where we don’t have the walls that divide these studies anymore,” Macaulay said.

That work of synthesizing the various studies will likely take place before the Solano Transportation Authority’s State Route 12 Steering Committee, which has Solano County representatives, and the State Route 12 Corridor Advisory Committee, which includes representatives from other counties as well.

Reach Barry Eberling at 427-6929 or beberling@dailyrepublic.net. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/beberlingdr.

Solano EDC mulls benefits of Highway 12

By Melissa Murphy/ MMurphy@TheReporter.comthereporter.com

Posted: 06/29/2012 01:07:39 AM PDT

The "lifeblood" that is Highway 12 is under much scrutiny as it is closely evaluated for the potential economic benefits to the region.

Running from Lodi through Solano County to Napa, the highway is a major "vein" of transportation. Major safety improvements have been made along the corridor and possible structural improvements are being studied.

The Solano Economic Development Corporation was hired by the Solano Transportation Authority to complete an economic analysis of the Highway 12 corridor before major studies are completed.

Consultant Robert Fountain with Regional Economics Consulting addressed an audience of about 30 people gathered Thursday night in Rio Vista for a community outreach workshop. The highway runs through the city.

He explained that an analysis like the one conducted by Solano EDC is almost never done.

"This is done in the right order, where the economics is first," he said.

He said the study has already been an eye opener, revealing just how much traffic is on the highway. He said some larger highways in the state see significantly less traffic than the two-lane road.

The study has also shown that, unfortunately, the highway isn't doing much for Rio Vista, as trucks hauling goods pass through the small city without stopping. Instead, the city's revenue is heavily determined by the natural gas industry.

Fountain also noted that the money isn't in agriculture but rather food processing.

"This study is informing you of the economic choices," said Sandy Person, president of Solano EDC. "We're here out of respect to Rio Vista. You've been active and vocal and we want your voices heard throughout this process. The project will be defined by community participation."

Consultants developed three scenarios for consideration:

* Minimum improvement: This scenario includes safety improvements with little capacity enhancement;

* Middle improvement: This scenario includes a slight change in the number of lanes in key traffic areas; and
* Maximum improvement: This scenario is a four-lane divided highway, two lanes on each side with a median and extensive improvements of intersections and access areas.

All scenarios would add to the gross regional product and add to revenues, however, the maximum-improvement scenario would add $622.9 million to the gross regional product and $1.1 billion to the region's revenues.

How the bridge over the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta on Highway 12 will improve with the rest of the roadway also is unknown at this point, according to the consultants.

The presentations during the workshop are available online at www.solanoedc.org.

Residents are also asked to answer a couple of questions: What are your top priorities for the development of the corridor and Rio Vista and, if the economy expands, what improvements/amenities/investments do you think Rio Vista and/or the state should consider first?

Follow Staff Writer
Melissa Murphy at Twitter.com/ReporterMMurphy.

Highway 12 Economic Study results to be released

The Comprehensive Highway 12 Economic Study results will be presented by consultant economist Dr. Fountain at a workshop sponsored by the Solano Economic Development Corporation. The results will provide an insight as to what could happen to the Hwy 12 corridor if it were widened to enable more efficient traffic capacity. The workshop will be held at 6:00 PM, on Thursday, June 28th at the D. H. White Elementary School multi-purpose room, 500 Elm Way, Rio Vista Ca 94571.

A copy of Dr. Robert Fountain's report can be found here.

Early childhood education focus of Solano forum

By Karen Nolan/ KNolan@TheReporter.com/Posted:   05/25/2012 01:03:43 AM PDT

An advocate for high-quality, early childhood education on Thursday urged the Solano business community to speak out against state cuts to programs that benefit the youngest Californians.

"Your voice is tremendously important. You know what this means for your future workforce," Catherine Atkin, president of Preschool California, told attendees of the Solano Economic Development Corp. breakfast meeting.

Research focusing on what it takes to succeed in high school, career and college has consistently found that being an engaged learner in third-grade "is critical for future success," said Atkin.

To reach that third-grade target, "kids need to be born healthy, thriving at age 3, successful in preschool and ready for kindergarten at 5," she said, adding that too many California children don't meet those milestones.

"As early as 9 months, low-income children are already lagging in language acquisition," Atkin said. "Low-income children have heard 30 million fewer words by age 3 -- that's less than half the number heard by higher income kids. By kindergarten, they are a year behind their peers."

Those shortcomings can be seen in later test scores, where California students rank near the bottom in math and language arts, she said.

Such deficits can be overcome, she assured, citing access to high-quality preschool and two-year, transitional kindergarten classes for young 5-year-olds as among the programs shown to be effective. Waiting until high school to intervene is too late.

"The best return on investment is in the first five years," said Atkin, putting it in business terms. "The later you invest, the less the return."

As state officials attempt to balance California's budget, a half-billion dollars worth of cuts have been proposed to child development programs, she said.

"We are only 3 percent of the budget, but we are 20 percent of the cuts," Atkin said. "We need the business community to raise their voice. ... We will reap what we sow in the early years."

Follow Staff Writer Karen Nolan at Twitter.com/VacaNolan.

EDC breakfast stresses early education to ensure career success

FAIRFIELD — Business and civic leaders took in the oft-used message, “it takes a village” to educate a child during Thursday’s annual economic development breakfast focusing on the early years of a child’s life.

While the Solano Economic Development Corporation breakfasts take place monthly, this is the third annual event that focused on the need to start a positive path toward education while the child is young. It was emphasized by various speakers that the path, which starts at birth, can be helped by not only parents and educators, but the business community as well.

The one-hour event, hosted by First 5 Solano, took place at the Hilton Garden Inn.

“The early years matter. . . . Everyone has to help,” said Christina Arrostuto, executive director of First 5 Solano.

While most speakers stressed the early years, Jay Speck, superintendent of the Solano County Office of Education, talked about the mental paradigm shift between what college meant to his generation and what it means today.

“The world has changed . . . . We’ve got to start thinking that college doesn’t have to mean a four-year degree,” he said, referencing the importance of technical and trade schools in that shift.

The keynote speaker, Catherine Atkin, executive director of Preschool California, emphasized the need to connect the dots between the early years and career readiness. The early years are getting our greatest asset ready, Atkin said.

“Where can you put a scarce dollar?” she said when talking about business investments. “Put it in the early years and you will reap the benefits.”

Dilenna Harris, a Vacaville city councilwoman and executive director of the Solano County Library Foundation, spoke about the library’s efforts to increase literacy levels through its Literacy in Education Access Resource Network programs and delivered negative statistics that the U.S., California and Solano County face today.

• One-third of the nation’s children start school unprepared to learn.
• More than 40,000 Solano County residents are considered low-literate adults.
• Solano County’s dropout rate is higher than the state’s at nearly 19 percent.

“Economic development requires an educated and literate workforce,” she said in her presentation.

The event also included the 2012 Family Friendly Business awards given to businesses that provide such things as lactation spaces for nursing mothers or family friendly activities and liberal time off for baby-bonding. This year’s winners are Ball Metal Beverage Corporation, Genentech, Jelly Belly, Kaiser Permanente, Meyer Corporation and State Farm Insurance.

Reach Susan Winlow at 427-6955 or swinlow@dailyrepublic.net. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/swinlowdr.

Ford: If Singapore can, we can

By Doug Ford/thereporter.com
Posted: 05/04/2012 01:06:09 AM PDT

Last week's Solano Economic Development Corp. breakfast provided excellent food for thought for Solano leaders. Sandy Person and her staff have been doing a truly great job. The program on "Industry Clusters as Assets" featured keynote speaker Dr. Robert Eyler, professor of economics at Sonoma State University. His talk complemented all the good work that has been done through the economic summits and the Solano Economic Index during the past few years.

 

Dr. Eyler described in general terms what we need to do, such as prepare a complete list of our assets and develop answers to the questions he raised: "What assets exist to support this industry and these companies? What assets are missing and need to be found to support this industry and these companies?"

 

The first step is an asset inventory. Solano is fortunate in having life sciences as its fastest-growing cluster. We have tremendous resources in the University of California campus in Davis -- the most life science-oriented campus in the UC system. One of the first things that Linda Katehi did after she became chancellor was to appoint a blue ribbon committee to review technology transfer and commercialization. An excellent presentation available on her website is "The Role of Universities in Innovation."

So our primary asset is the tremendous brainpower we have in the university. We need to become much better acquainted with all it has to offer.

At the center of our life sciences cluster, we have the Genentech plant in Vacaville -- the largest pharmaceutical manufacturing plant in the world and regularly rated as one of the best companies to work for in the United States.

At Solano Community College, we have the first program created to train workers for biotechnology manufacturing. In the Benicia, Fairfield-Suisun and Vallejo unified school districts, we have high school academies in biotechnology, in which students earn college credit while still in high school.

We have strong educational support for our life sciences cluster, but we have plenty of room to improve.

To complete the work that needs to be done in collecting information about our assets, organizing it to make it easily available to all who need it so we can develop improvement plans will require more staff than Solano EDC now has.

In previous columns, I have briefly described the phenomenal growth of the Singapore economy. It was made possible by the Singapore Economic Development Board, which does for Singapore what the Solano EDC was created to do for Solano County.

Singapore's "life sciences cluster is a growth industry that will be developed as one of the key pillars of Singapore's manufacturing sector," according to BioSpace.com. "In 1999, the life sciences sector grew by 60 percent in output to reach $6.3 billion with value added jumping 75 percent to $5.2 billion."

Singapore, a nation one-quarter the size of Solano County and with enormous handicaps, focused on creating a life science cluster after we have. Now they are a prime competitor. We need to get busy!

- - -

The author is retired from the U.S. Air Force, lives in Dixon and serves on the Solano County Board of Education.

Altec prepares to open green fleet assembly plant in Dixon

Monday, May 7, 2012, 6:45 am
By Gary Quackenbush, Special to the Business Journal

‘We’ve built the utility industry’s first green-focused assembly facility’

Finished plug-in electric utility vehicle with JEMS -- Altec's Jobsite Energy Management System reducing emissions by going on battery power for boom and bucket operations while idling.

DIXON – Altec Industries Inc. plans to officially open its newly constructed $5.5 million Green Fleet utility vehicle final assembly plant this month, pending receipt of an occupancy permit. The facility is collocated with the company’s west coast service center at 1450 North First Street in Dixon.
More than 300 employees, guests and fleet partners attended the ribbon-cutting on April 24 to commemorate the completion of the structure.

The construction cycle took 269 days from ground breaking on July 28, 2011 to completion in April 2012.

Lee Styslinger III, Altec President and CEO. "We are committed to sustainability in the products we build and the facilities that build them."

“We’ve built the utility industry’s first green-focused assembly facility” said Lee Styslinger III, Altec chairman and CEO. “This plant will be a focus for our Green Fleet products, which includes plug-in electric and all-electric utility vehicles. Altec is committed to sustainability in the products we build as well as in the facilities that build them.”

The 42,40- square-foot facility is more than 25 percent larger than the previous structure, giving Altec the capacity to increase production of its Green Fleet product line by 50 percent over 2011 totals. The company now expects to assemble up to 600 commercial utility vehicles a year, compared with an average annual output of approximately 350 previously.

Congressman John Garamendi, representing California’s 10^th District, said his focus is on job creation and “Make It America” initiatives that keep manufacturing in the U.S.

“These green vehicles — made by Altec, made in Dixon and made in America – are a major step forward in greening our economy and are evidence that we can make things locally,” he said at the ribbon cutting.

Some 300 employees, guests and Altec Industries partners at the ribbon cutting to celebrate the opening of the new Green Fleet utility vehicle final assembly plant in Dixon.

He said the U.S. spends some $130 billion a year protecting the flow of oil from the Gulf. “Out of this factory will come solutions for reducing energy consumption along with opportunities for the local economy to stabilize itself.”

With this new plant, company officials estimate that 100 new jobs will be added by July 2012. More jobs could be added based on production growth and the expanded use of Green Fleet equipment in California and surrounding regions.

The general contractor for the project was Spanda Industrial of Sacramento, supported by key sub-contractors Elite Electric and Western Engineering.

“This building exceeds Title 24 energy and lighting codes established by the California Energy Commission,” said David Payne, Altec Facility Manager.

Light harvesting prismatic skylights and high output ballasts with T-8 lighting fixtures were installed. Walls are fully insulated and the structure has a cool roof. Building components include locally produced recycled materials. High-efficiency climate controls also helped Altec exceed Title 24 requirements.

An extensive recycling program for metals and other materials has also been implemented.
Based on energy-saving features, Altec expects that its usage will be reduced by 15 to 20 percent over current demands.

“We plan to utilize more disciplined Kaizen manufacturing techniques and advanced structured flow assembly methods. This will give us a lean production model to help eliminate waste, improve productivity, and achieve sustained continual improvement in targeted activities and processes,” Mr. Payne said.

The company specializes in assembling custom truck bodies for the electric utility, telecommunications and contractor markets, as well as for public sector organizations such as the Defense Logistics Agency, the General Services Administration, Homeland Security and other Federal agencies.

Altec will use this facility to expand development and production of its Green Fleet product line using electric, hybrid and compressed natural gas in medium-duty drive train power systems.
Utility partner PG&E is assisting Altec with field evaluations of green truck vehicles to provide feedback and to ensure design integrity.

Des Bell, senior vice president, safety and shared services, with PG&E said his firm is moving away from oil-based fuels to LNG and all electric plug-in hybrids as part of its Green Fleet Initiative.
PG&E has cut its use of diesel and gas by 3.4 million gallons over 10 years, avoiding 6,000 tons of CO₂ emissions. This is equivalent to planting 2,000 trees a year for 15 years.

The company has 300 battery- powered vehicles and plans to double this number in three years.
Altec also received significant guidance and support from PG&E and Southern California Edison (SCE) in the development of the new building.

Using Altec’s Jobsite Energy Management System (JEMS), trucks rely on batteries to power cranes and buckets, eliminating noise and greenhouse gases. Some 30 percent of fuel consumption comes from idling vehicles.

Sandy Person, president of the Solano Economic Development Corporation, said: “Altec’s expansion and 100+ new green manufacturing jobs is a powerful message and a huge WIN for Dixon, Solano County, and California. We are committed to building on its success in developing more opportunities and partnerships that help grow our budding energy cluster.”

Dixon Mayor Jack Batchelor also thanked Altec for being part of a public-private partnership involving the city, county and the company. “It’s a great day for Dixon and local economic development.”

Altec Industries, Inc., with world headquarters in Birmingham, Ala. is a leading equipment and service provider with 23 technical support service centers in North America, including those located in 20 states and three Canadian Provinces.

The company’s products and services are distributed in more than 100 countries. For more information, go to www.altec.com.

Keeping firms in Solano County is vital

By Melissa Murphy
MMurphy@TheReporter.comthereporter.com

Posted: 04/27/2012 01:05:06 AM PDT

Solano County continues to hold onto a goal of attracting big businesses to the area in order to boost the economy, but what is it doing to ensure that businesses stay after putting down roots?

That's the question Robert Eyler, economic director of the Executive MBA Program at Sonoma State University, posed to several county and business leaders during Thursday's Solano Economic Development Corporation breakfast.

 

"What are you doing to help them stick around?" he asked. "What lies around (the businesses) to support them long term?"

 

He said Solano County needs a solid vision, one that focuses on what supports the "clusters," or the concentration of certain industries.

 

Solano EDC President Sandy Person said they, as well as the chambers of commerce throughout the county, have the objective to create that one voice.

 

"Retention is a challenging force," she said. "Having one voice will identify a much more effective way to develop the economy."

Eyler said it's not merely finding a place for a business to move into, but working with the business for long-term support.

Just like a garden, he said, needs fertilizer and water -- businesses need complementary resources to keep them in one spot and expand, such as good markets, space availability and financial assets.

He added that having a community that supports different residential price ranges and commercial space will keep people locally instead of commuting to Solano County for work and living somewhere else.

  

Eyler said shaping the growth in business should match the philosophy of the community.

  

"You have to get down to the nitty gritty and see where you're at," he said.

  

Person said the county has momentum with companies like equipment manufacturer Altec in Dixon and car manufacturer CODA in Benicia choosing to stay in Solano.

  

He took a poll of the group gathered at the breakfast, asking what they see as competitive advantages for Solano County.

The group agreed that having an affordable labor force, the county's location, land/building costs, transportation and the geographical and demographic diversity are all advantages.

However, most of the people said the assets the county has might not match where it wants to be in five years and that some of the advantages could be seen as disadvantages, such as Interstate 80.

Person explained the highway is a great way to move goods, but that one strength can turn into a constraint in an instant when there is traffic.

"It's all about perspective," she said.

The key, according to Eyler, is to look at the assets and match them with goals and get behind the realistic ones.

"You have to constantly evolve as a community with one unified vision," he said.

Follow Staff Writer Melissa Murphy at Twitter.com/ReporterMMurphy.

Solano EDC looks at how to grow business sector

Sonoma State University economics professor Robert Eyler, right, talks to Bob Linscheid before the Solano Economic Development Corporation breakfast Thursday at the Hilton Garden Inn. (Robinson Kuntz/Daily Republic)

FAIRFIELD — Solano County communities got some advice Thursday on how to attract and retain businesses, including to have a multiple-year vision and to take a hard look at the area’s strengths and weaknesses.

Robert Eyler, an economics professor at Sonoma State University, spoke at the Solano Economic Development Corporation breakfast. The event took place at the Hilton Garden Inn.

Solano EDC President Sandy Person started the meeting by noting the county had recent good news in the “green energy” sector that it has targeted for growth. Altec decided to expand its Dixon assembly plant for hybrid utility vehicles and Coda has a new Benicia assembly plant for electric cars.

Then Eyler talked about how to grow these type of business sectors. He talked of having a solid vision for where the county wants to be in five years and looking at which assets are present and which are missing. Assets can range from the local financial markets such as banks and credit unions to the labor force.

Solano County also has to showcase its uniqueness, Eyler said. Everyone is trying to build a niche, he said.

“These businesses have choices all over planet Earth to move,” Eyler said, adding that this “showcase piece” is really about building a long-term competitive advantage.

He asked the more than 100 civic and business leaders in the room to name Solano County’s competitive advantages. Answers included the transportation provided by the area’s freeways and highways, the area’s open spaces and natural beauty, affordable housing of all types and both demographic and geographic diversity.

Eyler also asked whether the business community views city and county governments as assets or constraints. He noted that elected officials were present, but said it’s good to have the cards on the table.

More hands went up for “constraints” than “assets.” Among those voting “constraint” was Solano County Supervisor Mike Reagan.

“It’s changing,” Reagan said after the breakfast.

He noted the county updated its General Plan and has come up with visions for rural middle Green Valley and Suisun Valley. It worked to change the culture in how it issues permits and has taken other steps. More work remains, he said.

Eyler said that Solano County can next do such things as create an asset inventory by talking to local businesses to see what they need and to set goals.

The key is to set goals everybody believes in, he said.

Eyler also talked about film producer George Lucas’ failed attempt to build a digital media production studio in Marin County, even though he owns the land and has been planning the project for 16 years. Complaints among 18 neighbors who got legal representation, issues involving creek restoration and the potential for lawsuits led to Lucas deciding to build in some other location.

Mare Island has been mentioned as a possible site for the Lucas studio. But Eyler said the probability of this happening is low. Lucas does not want delays and the environmental impact requirements are statewide, he said.

Reach Barry Eberling at 427-6929 or beberling@dailyrepublic.net. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/beberlingdr.

Leaders say Highway 12 is fiscal force Solano County should capture

By Sarah Rohrs/Times-Herald staff writer Published By Times Herald

imesheraldonline.com

Posted: 03/29/2012 04:35:20 PM PDT

FAIRFIELD - Worth an estimated $6.3 billion, Highway 12 is an economic giant whose power can and should be better harnessed, Solano County leaders said Thursday.

 

Usually known for its fatalities and gridlock, Highway 12 can be something more for the local economy, numerous speakers said during a Solano Economic Development Corporation breakfast in Fairfield.

Instead, Highway 12, and its caravans of motorists, truckers and other drivers, represent untapped potential, speakers said.

Nearly 150 political and transportation leaders attended the breakfast at the Hilton Garden Inn to learn more.

The event focused on an economic study being done as part of a comprehensive examination of highway improvements needed between Interstate 80 in Fairfield and I-5 near Lodi.

Though a vital link between the San Joaquin Valley and the Bay Area, Highway 12 gets little notice from state and federal leaders, Solano County Supervisor Jim Spering and others said.

"Highway 12 is an orphan corridor, "Solano Transportation Authority Executive Director Daryl Halls said. He stressed that local leaders need to work together to make the road a high priority among those who control transportation dollars.

"You're going to have to decide if you want to adopt this corridor," Halls said.

A wider stretch between Fairfield and Lodi, safer intersections, and replacement of the Rio Vista Bridge are among items already identified as big needs, although no funding has been found yet.

The most visible improvements underway include the widening a 5.8-mile segment from two to four lanes between Red Top Road north of Vallejo to Highway 29 in Napa County.

The current study does not include Vallejo. However, the largest city in the county's southern part benefits from Highway 12 and will be part of the broader perspective of the road's impact, Halls said.

Meanwhile, Spering said that as more highway improvements are tackled, transportation and political leaders only have one chance to maximize investments of public money. "Doing it right the first time is very important," Spering said.

Meanwhile, Economic consultant Robert Fountain of Benicia said the Highway 12 corridor represents a lot of dollar signs. His study will be done to help inform transportation planners on needed improvements.

Major industries along the corridor include manufacturing, worth nearly $2.1 billion; and government services, worth $1.3 billion.

Nearly one-fourth of the people on Highway 12 stem from households, while manufacturing industries account for 21.4 percent of the traffic, Fountain said.

Due out in about a month, Fountain's study will look at cities' economies along Highway 12 and how they could be improved.

Those interested in participating in the economic planning efforts can go to http://www.solanoedc.org and click on "Highway 12" to take a survey.

Contact staff writer Sarah Rohrs at srohrs@timesheraldonline.com or (707) 553-6832. Follow her on Twitter@SarahVTH

Leaders say Highway 12 can be more than ‘orphan corridor’

March 29, 2012 | Posted by Barry Eberling

Solano County Supervisor and MTC Commissioner Jim Spering speaks at the Economic Development Corporation breakfast Thursday morning. (Robinson Kuntz/Daily Republic)

FAIRFIELD — Highway 12 is the region’s $6.3 billion corridor.

That’s how much economic activity is generated annually in ZIP codes along the corridor by households, businesses and governments, economist Robert Fountain said. A big contributor is manufacturing, especially food processing, he said.

He and others talked about Highway 12 at Thursday’s Solano Economic Development Corp. breakfast at the Hilton Garden Inn. Fountain’s work is part of an upcoming Solano EDC economic study on Highway 12. That study, in turn, is part of an effort by local, regional and state agencies to design a Highway 12 for the future.

Fountain’s $6.3 billion estimate looked at the Highway 12 segment from Highway 29 in Napa County through Solano County to just west of Lodi in San Joaquin County. The Solano County focus is particularly on the segment from Interstate 80 in Fairfield to the Sacramento River at Rio Vista.

Much of that Solano County stretch of Highway 12 is a two-lane rural road. Solano Transportation Authority Executive Director Daryl Halls said that it fails to get the same attention as I-80.

“I would label it as the orphan corridor,” Halls said. “It is the corridor no one wants to claim, except maybe Rio Vista.”

Highway 12 between Fairfield and Rio Vista has seen several safety improvements in recent years, such as adding a median barrier in some sections and plastic median poles in others, and widening shoulders. That safety improvement effort has just about ended.

Now local transportation leaders are talking about further possible improvements along this major link between the Bay Area and Central Valley, such as someday making Highway 12 a four-lane road and replacing the Rio Vista Bridge. Whatever improvements are decided upon would have to compete for federal and state money.

Solano County isn’t a big county like as Los Angeles and San Francisco, Halls said. Making further Highway 12 improvements will require a united community effort, he said.

“You’re going to have to decide to adopt this corridor,” Halls told the crowd of business and government leaders in the room.

The latest planning effort is looking at Highway 12 as more than a mover of vehicles and trucks. It is also looking at Highway 12′s role as an economic engine and its potential role.

Highway improvements usually start with engineers’ plans, then environmental studies and then public hearings, Fountain said. That’s backward, he said.

This effort is looking at the economics first, Fountain said. The Solano EDC study will look not only at Highway 12′s economic impact, but its potential economic impact if certain improvements are made, he said.

People can participate in the Highway 12 economic planning by going to http://www.solanoedc.com to take a survey.

County Supervisor Jim Spering talked about how Highway 12 improvements can bring increased economic benefits to local communities. Rio Vista in particular will have a once-in-a-city-lifetime opportunity, he said.

“We’re only going to have one chance to maximize the investment in this corridor, so doing it right is important,” Spering said.

Reach Barry Eberling at 427-6929, or beberling@dailyrepublic.net.

Person, head of Solano EDC, earns 2012 Woman of Year nod

March 15, 2012 | Posted by David DeBolt

FAIRFIELD — For her service to the community, Sandy Person of Vacaville was one of two named as the 5th State Senate District’s 2012 Women of the Year by Sen. Lois Wolk.

Person has worked in economic development and real estate for more than 25 years, currently as the president of the Solano Economic Development Corporation. She is also a community volunteer and has worked with NorthBay Healthcare Advantage, Solano College Theatre Association and the Travis Regional Armed Forces Committee and Travis Community Consortium.

Person was Wolk’s selection for Solano County. For Yolo County, Wolk will honor Alicia Mosqueda of Woodland, who has worked to promote equality for women in the workplace dating back to 1976, when she and 100 women cannery workers filed a class action discrimination lawsuit against the state’s canneries.

Wolk, D-Vacaville, will honor Person and Mosqueda with a private ceremony March 23 at her district office in Vacaville.

The announcement is part of the celebration of Women’s History Month, according to a Wolk press release.

Reach David DeBolt at 427-6935 or ddebolt@dailyrepublic.net.

Woodland woman honored for promoting equality

Published By Daily Democratdailydemocrat.com
Created: 03/16/2012 12:30:30 AM PDT

As part of the State Senate's celebration of Women's History Month, Senator Lois Wolk, D-Davis, announced Friday that she will honor Alicia Mosqueda of Yolo County and Sandy Person of Solano County as the 5th Senate District's 2012 Women of the Year.

"These are strong, smart women who have profoundly affected this community," said Wolk. "I am proud to honor their service to their community and to the state."

Wolk is honoring Mosqueda for her work to promote equality in the workplace. In 1976, Mosqueda and a group of nearly 100 women cannery workers filed a class action law suit against California's canneries, citing employment discrimination against women and seasonal workers.

The court ultimately found in favor of Mosqueda and her fellow claimants, ordering that canneries set up an affirmative action program to better ensure fair hiring practices -- and directing canneries to rewrite rules regarding seniority in order to be fairer to seasonally employed workers. The ruling helped mold the state's civil rights laws.

Additionally, Mosqueda continued to work at the cannery for a total of more than 30 years as a can labeler, machine operator, automatic machine stacker, packing machine worker, and as a pallet stacker -- breaking from traditional gender roles in the workplace.

Person of Vacaville is being recognized for her years of community service, and for her work to promote economic development in the region. Person has worked in the fields of economic development and real estate for over 25 years, and is the President of the Solano Economic Development Corporation--a public-private collaborative marketing partnership that works to attract expanding businesses to Solano County.

Person is a community volunteer and has also provided years of service and leadership with the Solano County Chambers of Commerce and numerous other local organizations such as NorthBay Healthcare Advantage, the Solano College Theatre Association, and the Travis Regional Armed Forces Committee and Travis Community Consortium, groups that provide outreach and support for the Travis Air Force Base community.

Wolk will honor Mosqueda and Person with a private ceremony at her District Office in Vacaville on March 23.

Death of redevelopment focus of Solano EDC breakfast

Fairfield City Manager Sean Quinn, left, City Attorney Greg Stepanicich, with Richards, Watson & Gershon, and lobbyist Anthony Gonsalves of Joe A. Gonsalves & Son, right, talk before the start of the Solano Economic Development Corp. breakfast at the Hilton Garden Inn on Thursday morning. (Brad Zweerink/Daily Republic)

FAIRFIELD — Civic and business leaders gathered Thursday to mourn the death of redevelopment agencies and discuss what new methods might emerge to spur economic development.

About 150 people attended a Solano Economic Development Corp. breakfast at the Hilton Garden Inn. As one speaker noted during the proceedings, redevelopment played a role in establishing that very building.

But California dissolved redevelopment agencies as of Feb. 1. No longer can cities such as Fairfield, Suisun City and Vacaville use the agencies to take future property tax increases from targeted areas to invest back in those areas, helping to attract such businesses as Genentech and spur such development as the Gateway shopping area and Green Valley corporate area.

“I’ve been asked to do eulogies before,” lobbyist Anthony Gonsalves of Joe A. Gonsalves & Son told the crowd. “We usually talk about a friend who passed away. As you know, our friend, known as (redevelopment), was mugged in Sacramento by a greedy gang of thugs who wanted the money.”

Speakers at the Solano EDC meeting talked about efforts to replace redevelopment agencies with other ways to spur economic development. Cities and communities are looking to the state for help, though Gonsalves said they will have to convince Gov. Jerry Brown to sign the proposals into law.

“We truly need your help with Gov. Jerry Brown,” Gonsalves told the gathering.

One bill mentioned at the breakfast is by state Sen. Lois Wolk, D-Davis. It would make it easier for cities to form infrastructure financing districts.

Infrastructure financing districts can divert property tax increase revenues from local agencies, excluding schools, for 30 years to finance such things as roads, sewers and flood control. They are not redevelopment districts — they cannot be used to condemn property or assemble parcels — but they can be used to pay for bonds.

Few cities in California have formed them. Agencies that would otherwise get the taxes must agree to the district’s formation. Plus, citizens must approve the district formation by a two-thirds vote.

Among other things, Wolk’s bill would make the districts easier to form by deleting the vote requirement.

Fairfield City Manager Sean Quinn said after the breakfast that Fairfield has never formed an infrastructure financing district.

“I think they have the possibility of being a tool,” Quinn said. “It’s going to require both the city and county to work together very closely. We’re both going to be giving up property taxes for this district.”

Such a district would have to be for a project that would generate substantial revenues to the city and the county or create a substantial number of jobs, Quinn said. For Fairfield, such a district would apply only to the planned northeast growth area near Peabody Road. Other parts of the city have infrastructure in place, he said.

Fairfield is also hoping for some type of legislation that would allow it to keep at least a portion of the $80 million owed to city coffers from its now-defunct redevelopment agency. Without the repayments, the city faces deep budget cuts.

“There’s not a game-changer right now,” Quinn said. “I think with some language changes, there could be a game-changer in some of that legislation.”

Brown wasn’t at the Solano EDC breakfast to explain why he wanted to get rid of redevelopment agencies and no one defended him. But Brown has addressed the issues on other occasions. He’s said the agencies, while useful, take property tax money from schools, counties and core government functions.

“So it is a matter of hard choices and I come down on the side of those who believe that core functions of government must be funded first,” Brown said last year.

The breakfast also focused on what cities must do to wind down the affairs of their former redevelopment agencies. The law calls for such things as successor agencies and oversight boards.

Greg Stepanicich, who is with Richards, Watson & Gershon and serves as Fairfield’s city attorney, said he’s worked on government issues for 35 years, including in the wake of Proposition 13. Now he’s helping Fairfield comply with the redevelopment dissolution law.

“This is the most complex statute I’ve ever encountered, in terms of trying to understand what it means and how it gets implemented,” he said.

Reach Barry Eberling at 427-6929, or beberling@dailyrepublic.net.

Solano Economic Development Corporation hears issue of closed redevelopment agencies

By Kimberly K. Fu/ KFu@TheReporter.comthereporter.com
Posted: 03/02/2012 01:04:03 AM PST

There's no question that the recent death of redevelopment in California was a worst-case scenario or that cities now dealing with the situation are somewhat overwhelmed.
But who would've figured that negative hits would keep on coming?

Such was the news Thursday at a redevelopment-focused Fairfield gathering sponsored by the Solano Economic Development Corporation.

"This could still be a long-term process," cautioned Greg Stepanicich, city attorney for Fairfield and Mill Valley, during his talk. "This could go on till 2016."

Last year, Gov. Jerry Brown shuttered redevelopment agencies throughout California in order to use the funding to bridge the state's budget gap.

Effective Feb. 1, all RDAs were dissolved and many local cities chose to act as the successor agency, or the agency that would handle winding down the financial affairs of the RDAs.

Calling the move "devastating," Stepanicich said Thursday that leaders are still trying to determine the meaning of the law governing the redevelopment dissolution, including how to meet existing payment obligations and disburse of redevelopment properties.

"This is the most complex statute that I have ever encountered," he said.

That's putting it mildly, Vacaville leaders emphasized, describing the situation as confusing, complicated and inconsistent.

"The overall impact will only be known as the winding-down of redevelopment occurs over time," advised Emily Cantu with the city of  Vacaville.

Of major concern is the selling-off of redevelopment properties, she said, which would impact many. In Fairfield, for example, an elementary school is sited on a redevelopment parcel, which could mean relocating youths to other schools. And in Vacaville, the Town Square property and old Carnegie library are also endangered.

Mark Creffield, president of the Vacaville Chamber of Commerce, expressed worry about the Carnegie location, as it currently serves as the home of the chamber. Though the organization holds a 10-year lease on the site, he said, it could be sold out from under them.

"Someone could come along and say (to the successor agency), 'I'll give you a million dollars for the Carnegie library,' and then it'll be gone," he said.

Cyndi Johnston, Vacaville's Housing and Redevelopment director, said there's still lots of learning to do on all sides. Some properties may have to be sold, others not. The two examples listed could be sold, she said, but the law does allow for certain considerations, such as keeping a site that benefits the public.

"So much is up in the air," Johnston said. "We're going to do the best we can."

Follow staff writer Kimberly K. Fu at Twitter.com/ReporterKimFu.

Latest Solano economic news both good and bad

FAIRFIELD — Solano Economic Development Corp. President Sandy Person found some good news amid the economic data released Tuesday by her group and Solano County.

Then again, she also concluded that challenges and difficult work remain ahead.

“This document reflects the sobering realities of the Great Recession as well as some glimmers of hope . . . that the worst may be behind us,” Person wrote in the 2011 Index of Economic and Community Progress.

“Glimmers of hope.” “Black clouds for almost every silver lining.” Person’s introduction to the numbers in the report used some well-known images to depict the county’s economic state.

Person was at a conference Tuesday and unavailable for comment. She summed up her viewpoint in a Solano County press release and said the optimistic signs that have arisen mainly over the past year won out.

“Our economy is moving and it’s moving in the right direction again,” Person said.

Solano County and the Solano EDC have been releasing the annual index since 2007. Their stated goal is to have more “fact-based information” to guide local public and private efforts to expand the economy.

About 189,100 Solano County residents had jobs in 2010, compared to 188,100 in 2001, the report found. That at first glance would seem to be good news or, at least, hardly horrible news.

But the labor force expanded dramatically over this time at a rate far exceeding job growth. As a result, the number of unemployed residents rose from 9,100 in 2001 to 25,900 in 2010. To put that in perspective, 25,900 is close to the population of Suisun City, leaving the county with enough jobless to fill a city or medium size.

The report sliced up the labor figures in one more way and found some short-term good news. From December 2010 to December 2011, the number of unemployed residents fell by 3,000.

Solano County’s inflation-adjusted gross domestic product increased from $11.1 billion in 2000 to $13.9 billion in 2010, a 24.8 percent rise, the report found. But the big gains took place during the first five years of the decade, when the economy was still doing well. From 2005 to 2010, the gross domestic product fell from $14 billion to $13.9 billion.

Gross domestic product is the sum of consumer, government and business spending.

The report seeks to measure the standard of living in Solano County in inflation-adjusted dollars. It found that from 2001 to 2009, per-capita income rose from $36,082 to $38,670 and that median household income fell slightly from $65,251 to $65,079.

Sources of personal earning shifted, the report said. Social transfer payments, including military and public sector retirement incomes, increased almost proportionately to the reduction in workplace earnings, it said.

Foreclosure activity seems to be leveling off, but at a rate 300 percent higher than in 2000, the report found. A significant number of homeowners have homes with values less than the remaining mortgage balance, it said.

“While the decline in the rate of foreclosure activity is a positive sign, it may be a misleading indicator at this time due to the high degree of uncertainty and unknowns in the housing market,” the report said.

Supervisor John Vasquez in a press release gave his view on what the many numbers of the report add up to for local economic policies.

“The report reaffirms that our strategy to diversify Solano County’s industries has built some resiliency into our local economy,” Vasquez said. “It also shows we need to diversify even more.”

Reach Barry Eberling at 427-6929, or beberling@dailyrepublic.net.

Index offers hope for Solano's recovery

By Sarah Rohrs
Posted: 02/29/2012 01:01:20 AM PST

Solano County saw a gain of 1,200 jobs last year, but that is overshadowed by the longer-term effects of the recent recession -- overall employment down and the median home price greatly diminished.

Those are some conclusions of the "2011 Index of Economic and Community Progress" which delivers a multi-pronged look at how Solano County has fared in the recession.

Released Tuesday the county-produced document gives a little good news but also indicates just how much the current recession has hurt, Solano County Public Communications Officer Steve Pierce said.

In short, "we have more jobs but larger unemployment," Pierce said.

That seemingly paradoxical message stems from several trends as the economic hard times continue impacting employers, workers and homeowners, Pierce said.

But while the recent recession has undoubtedly hurt, Pierce said Solano's plight could be much worse.

"All things considered it's not as bad as it could be or as bad as we think it is," Pierce said.

Among those adding new jobs locally are government sectors and private ventures in education and health services, retail trade, leisure, hospitality, and professional and business services, according to the report.

In the Index's introduction, Solano Economic Development Corporation President Sandy Person said the county has made some positive strides over the last decade. Those, however, have been "overshadowed by the ravages of a deep recession fueled by the housing market collapse."

Those items on the negative side include a decline in the self-employed, lowered housing prices rolling back property tax revenues, and a still "unacceptably high" unemployment rate due to shrinkage of the region's employment base, Person said.

But, despite the "black cloud" over the silver lining, the private sector has steadily increased its share of the local job base and the actual number of county residents employed has risen slightly, she wrote.

Bright spots include expansion among green energy-related companies, including the opening of Blu Homes on Mare Island to produce eco-friendly energy efficient prefab homes.

"Our economy is moving, and it's moving in the right direction again," Person said.

A longer look at the county's economy paints an even brighter picture over the past decade with gains in local industry employment, gross domestic produce and per capita income.

A five-year view reflects the brunt of the recession gives a more somber picture -- local industry saw a loss of 9.700 jobs and the gross domestic product shrank 0.7 percent.

In addition, notices of defaults rose 432 percent and the median price of homes went down 60 percent.

"This Index affirms that families are hurting from the economy, but it also points to some bright spots that will help us recover from the recession," Solano County Mike Reagan said in a written statement.

The Index was launched in 2007 after a series of economic summits illustrated a need for more facts and figures to guide economic decisions in the public and private sector.

Contact staff writer Sarah Rohrs at srohrs@timesheraldonline.com or (707) 553-6832.

Solano County's economy 'looking up'

By Reporter Staff/thereporter.com
Posted: 02/29/2012 01:04:51 AM PST

Solano County's economy has seen its ups and downs during the past decade, but a report by the Solano Economic Development Corporation and county officials released Tuesday says indications are that things are looking up.

The 2011 Index of Economic and Community Progress looks at key economic indicators such as employment, gross domestic product and per-capita income in the county for the past year, five years and 10 years.

What it found is three different stories, county officials said.

"When you take a decade-long view of the changes affecting the Solano County economy, several key indicators are showing positive signs or only modest declines, including a net gain of 2,900 jobs in local industry employment, a 24.8 percent increase in the gross domestic product, a 7.2 percent increase in the per-capita income and a 0.3 percent decline in median household income," a summary released by the county states.

"Shorten the perspective to understand the effects of the Great Recession and the numbers are a somber retraction of the gains in the first half of the decade. Local industry employment is down 9,700 jobs, the gross domestic product shrank 0.7 percent, notices of defaults are up 432 percent, and the median price for homes is down more than 60 percent.

"Narrow the view to the last year and the local jobs picture looks brighter for the private sector with a net gain of 1,200 jobs from December 2010 to December 2011. The public sector continued to
shrink."
Sandy Person, president of Solano EDC, writes in a summary of the report that she remains "optimistic" about the county's economic future.

"We have a proven track record of working together and crafting effective solutions to our major issues," she noted. "This 'collaborative capital' is a crucial component of our investment strategy that will continue the upward projection of our local economy."

Solano County Supervisor Mike Reagan agreed.

"We started the Index to give us a better perspective on what is happening in the economy and what we can do collectively to move the economy forward," Reagan said in a press release. "This index affirms that families are hurting from the economy, but it also points to some bright spots that will help us recover from the recession."

The Solano County Index of Economic and Community Progress project was launched in 2007 after a series of economic summits defined a need for more fact-based information to guide efforts by leaders in both the public and private sectors to expand the long-term viability of the Solano County economy. The 2011 edition of the index tracks many of the past indicators and adds the Sacramento region in many instances where comparisons are made to the Bay Area, state and nation. Unlike year's past, this web-based report was prepared directly by county staff and will be updated throughout the year as more current information becomes available.

The index identified six industry sectors that had both net positive job growth and net gains in gross domestic product from 2001 to 2010: Health Care & Social Assistance/Education; Transportation, Warehousing & Utilities; Financial Activities/Real Estate Services/Information; Leisure & Hospitality; Wholesale Trade; and Manufacturing -- Nondurable Goods. Collectively, they account for 7,800 new jobs and a $2.45 billion increase in the county's gross domestic product.

Construction, manufacturing -- durable goods, government, agriculture and retail trade account for 7,400 job losses over the decade; however, the gains in the gross domestic product of Agriculture and Government offset the losses in the other three sectors.

"The index helps us to expand our current focus of getting people back to work and see where our economy has been successful in generating long-term growth," said Supervisor John Vasquez in the press release. "The report reaffirms that our strategy to diversify Solano County's industries has built some resiliency into our local economy. It also shows we need to diversify even more."

He said the loss of local redevelopment agencies will impact the capacity of the public sector to broker economic development opportunities. Vasquez said the cities and county will rely more on their partnership with the private sector to promote the advantages that Solano County offers.

"We need to make sure we keep doing what has been successful and provide ways for the other sectors to get moving forward," Vasquez said.

The complete 2011 index is available online at www.solanocounty.com/economicindex.
Copyright 2012 TheReporter.com. All rights reserved.

2011 Index tells three stories of Solano County

SOLANO COUNTY – The 2011 Index of Economic and Community Progress released today tells three stories of Solano County, depending on the length of your analytical lens.

When you take a decade-long view of the changes affecting the Solano County economy, several key indicators are showing positive signs or only modest declines, including a net gain of 2,900 jobs in local industry employment, a 24.8 percent increase in the gross domestic product, a 7.2 percent increase in the per capita income and a 0.3 percent decline in median household income.

Shorten the perspective to understand the effects of the Great Recession and the numbers are a somber retraction of the gains in the first half of the decade.  Local industry employment is down 9,700 jobs, the gross domestic product shrank 0.7 percent, notices of defaults are up 432 percent, and the median price for homes is down more than 60 percent.

Narrow the view to the last year and the local jobs picture looks brighter for the private sector with a net gain of 1,200 jobs from December 2010 to December 2011.  The public sector continued to shrink.

“We started the Index to give us a better perspective on what is happening in the economy and what we can do collectively to move the economy forward,” said Supervisor Mike Reagan.  “This Index affirms that families are hurting from the economy, but it also points to some bright spots that will help us recover from the recession.”

The Solano County Index of Economic and Community Progress project was launched in 2007 after a series of economic summits defined a need for more fact-based information to guide efforts by leaders in both the public and private sectors to expand the long-term viability of the Solano County economy.  The 2011 edition of the Index tracks many of the past indicators and adds the Sacramento region in many instances where comparisons are made to the Bay Area, state and nation. Unlike year’s past, this web-based report was prepared directly by County staff and will be updated throughout the year as more current information becomes available.

“In cooperation with the Solano EDC, the County is building the internal capacity to monitor, analyze and report the key indicators shaping our local economy,” Reagan said.

The Index identified six industry sectors that had both net positive job growth and net gains in gross domestic product from 2001 to 2010: Health Care & Social Assistance / Education; Transportation, Warehousing & Utilities; Financial Activities / Real Estate Services / Information; Leisure & Hospitality; Wholesale Trade; and Manufacturing – Nondurable Goods. Collectively, they account for 7,800 new jobs and a $2.45 billion increase in the county’s gross domestic product.

Construction, Manufacturing – Durable Goods, Government, Agriculture and Retail Trade account for 7,400 job losses over the decade; however, the gains in the gross domestic product of Agriculture and Government offset the losses in the other three sectors.

“The Index helps us to expand our current focus of getting people back to work and see where our economy has been successful in generating long-term growth,” said Supervisor John Vasquez. “The report reaffirms that our strategy to diversify Solano County’s industries has built some resiliency into our local economy.  It also shows we need to diversify even more.”

He said the loss of local redevelopment agencies will impact the capacity of the public sector to broker economic development opportunities.  Vasquez said the cities and county will rely more on their partnership with private sector to promote the advantages that Solano County offers.

 
“We need to make sure we keep doing what has been successful and provide ways for the other sectors to get moving forward,” Vasquez said.

Looking beyond the data in the Index, Solano EDC President Sandy Person points to examples of where Solano County is showing growth, such as the expansion among green energy-related companies, including:

• Altec expansion in Dixon to add 50-plus jobs to produce green utility vehicles
• Coda located in Benicia and expects to add 50-plus jobs assembling all-electric cars
• Blu Homes opened at Vallejo-Mare Island to produce eco-friendly energy efficient prefab homes, with 90 new jobs to start and growing to 190 jobs.

“Our economy is moving, and it’s moving in the right direction again,” said Person.

The complete 2011 Index is available online at www.solanocounty.com/economicindex.  Past indexes, cluster analysis on the life science and energy clusters, and an inventory of commercial and industrial parcels in Solano County are also available for download on the website.

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