Public-Private Partnerships: working with our local businesses

By Julie Padilla

The City needs to prioritize its own local businesses over the large, out-of-town corporations and corporate chains.

As a theatrical producer and small business owner I understand the entrepreneurial spirit and believe in its transformational abilities. I want to bring this entrepreneurial spirit into City Hall and put it to work for more efficient, better regulated, government that is responsive to the taxpayer.

Often times the bureaucratic interference experienced through permits, regulations and fees acts to stifle economic development. For example, it simply takes too long to issue permits. Rather than jumping at the chance to support the private sector's endeavors, the City often seems to get in the way. We beat up property owners with petty and meaningless rules. There is a strong feeling out there that something is wrong, that OUR government employees aren't working for us, aren't helping to make it work. I intend to establish a city employee review board, similar to the police department review board, so that any citizen not treated fairly will have a place to go with their concerns, and have an independent voice that can fairly assess the issues involved.

I intend to regularly meet with the business community to solicit input on ways in which we can improve and enhance the services provided by the city. I intend to ask the obvious questions (Why don't we have adequate street lighting?) and the not so obvious (Why are we spending so much money on this project when the private sector could do it much more affordably and efficiently?). I would further foster public-private partnerships in order to eliminate the waste and inefficiencies that currently plague city government. The business community could be a great asset to city government, if only we would take advantage of their experience and knowledge and simply ask them for help.