San Diego City Council Economic Development & International Affairs Committee Meeting - June 15, 2017
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San Diego City Council Economic Development & International Affairs Committee Meeting - June 15, 2017
The Economic Development and International Affairs Committee of the San Diego City Council met on June 15, 2017, at 10:00 AM. The meeting was chaired by Councilmember Barbara Bree, with Councilmembers Mark Kersey and David Alvarez present. Deputy City Attorney Daphne Scogan, Jack Straw from the Mayor's office, Jeff Kawar from the Independent Budget Analyst Office, and committee consultant Ryan Purdy were also in attendance. The committee approved the record of action from the April 20, 2017 meeting by unanimous consent. The agenda consisted of one non-agenda public speaker and three informational presentations: the International Affairs Board's two-year work plan, an economic outlook from Dr. Reeser, and a report from Startup San Diego.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Martha Roach spoke about the Orange Line trolley service change to American Plaza. She argued that the change was premature because the courthouse construction is not finished and the tracks are not even half completed. She also complained that committee meeting materials lack background information, making it difficult for people without computers to follow, and noted poor collaboration between the city and county.
Discussion Items
- International Affairs Board Work Plan: Joel Day, Executive Director of the International Affairs Board, presented the 2016 annual report and the first-ever two-year work plan (2017-2019). He highlighted the board's role in promoting San Diego's global identity, including a new friendship city program, an annual consular reception, and attendance at over 100 community events. Board Vice Chair Dr. Kathleen Charla and board member Bob Morris also spoke. Councilmember Alvarez requested the board consider addressing the Tijuana sewage spill issue as a local international affairs matter, and Councilmember Bree emphasized the importance of leveraging the board as a hub for international organizations and local economic engines. Councilmember Kersey noted the need to include the year of global rankings on materials and encouraged leveraging council members' expertise for delegations.
- Economic Outlook: Dr. Reeser, with associate Tom Hill, provided an update on global, national, state, and local economic conditions. Key points included: global growth is improving; U.S. GDP growth remains around 2%; the Federal Reserve is gradually raising interest rates (three hikes expected in 2017); San Diego is adding about 25,000 jobs this year; housing remains a seller's market with prices up ~6%, but out-migration is ~14,000 people annually due to affordability; and the local minimum wage increase to $11.50 in January 2017 has been associated with three consecutive months of year-over-year job losses in the restaurant industry, unlike the state where restaurant jobs continue growing. Councilmembers discussed the housing bubble risk, unfilled positions (especially engineers and trades), and the impact of minimum wage hikes on low-skilled workers.
- Startup San Diego Report: Kelly Gardner, PR Director for San Diego Startup Week, reported on the fifth annual Startup Week (June 19-23, 2017). The event has grown from 300 attendees to an expected 5,000, with 250 events across 15 tracks, including binational, cannabis (Grow SD), impact, and cybersecurity. It is organized by 300 volunteers and is a nonprofit. Councilmembers expressed support, with Councilmember Alvarez noting he had not previously heard of the event, and Councilmember Kersey highlighted connections with the city's economic development department and speakers like David Graham and Eric Caldwell. The committee encouraged future outreach to students and military.
Key Outcomes
- The committee received and discussed all three informational reports. No formal votes or actions were taken. Councilmembers offered suggestions and requested follow-up information, such as connecting the International Affairs Board with the Tijuana sewage issue and providing detailed track information for Startup San Diego's impact track.
Meeting Transcript
That's not counting. Okay, good afternoon, everybody. Um we have all of our uh committee members present. Uh council members Barbara Bree, Mark Kercy, and David Alvarez. And uh we also have uh deputy city attorney Daphne Scogan, uh Jack, is that you over there? Jack Straw from the Mayor's office, Jeff Kawar from the Independent Budget Analyst Office, and Ryan Purdy, my committee consultant. Um today uh we'll start with the record of action of April twentieth, uh our meeting of April twentieth, and that will be approved by unanimous consent unless anyone has any changes. I see none. That is approved by unanimous consent. Um we have one um non non agenda public speaker. Martha Roach, I complained to MTF about the orange line, and then they told me because again you stop uh courthouse, but they're building the tracks right now. Why would they move it so early? Because it's not good because if uh we you're coming down like this, you have to walk over a couple of blocks and it doesn't make sense to me also because they don't do that because they that's the only an answer I got from MTF, so I don't think that's right for the orange line doing that. The tracks are building their building, it won't be like a year maybe for the the tracks. They're they're very small because they're not not even half finished for the track for the orange line for the the courthouse isn't even finished at all. So it's to me it's uh too early to change the orange line to to American Plaza. Um it doesn't make sense to me. And also I've noticed all these committees you have you don't have all the back um back stuff everywhere. Someone else complained about that. And after the meeting they gave the the the after the meeting he got uh to take the b the out of the book. Now that's not right. I know uh I looked online, so I know what you're talking about today, but you know, it is it's her people don't have computers sometimes if you don't have all the back to stuff, but I I read uh ahead of what you're doing today. And also um, you know, this city and the county don't work very well together to me. It seems like all the time you talk about some position the county doesn't step up. So we have a problem with the county and the city working together too. Thank you. That is the um end of our non ad non-agenda public comment and uh any committee members or anyone else comment? No. All right. Um we will just uh go right into our first information item. This is a review of the report from the International Affairs Board regarding regarding the two-year work plan. And we has have with us Joel Day. Joel, could you introduce yourself, your title for the record? Good afternoon, uh, Madam Chair and Council members. My name is Joel Day. I'm the executive director of the International Affairs Board, which is where I spend about 50% of my time. The other 30% I'm the executive director of the Human Relations Commission. Both of which are in the neighborhood services branch, according to David Graham, of course, the best branch in the known universe. And I think I have the best job in the best branch in the known universe. So the reason why the International Affairs Board exists is to promote San Diego's role on the global stage. As we know, cities are increasingly playing the role in global affairs. Yeah. I thought your mic was on. I wasn't sure. Did you turn it on? Okay, we just got a text. Have have the speaker turn their mic on. Thank you. Well, to reintroduce myself then, my name is Joel Day. I'm the executive director of the International Affairs Board and which is in the neighborhood services branch.
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