Assemblyman Manuel Prez Fights To Keep Businesses, Jobs

State Assemblyman Manuel Prez (D-Coachella) announced his legislative reform proposal aimed at improving the state’s Enterprise Zone program – a program Gov. Jerry Brown has proposed eliminating as part of his plan to balance the state’s budget.

“California has to get serious about making this state a more business friendly place,” said Prez. “Eliminating the Enterprise Zone program is not going to help the California economy or California communities. Let’s seize this opportunity to improve the program so that it is more transparent and accountable to the public, and more closely linked to our community and workforce development objectives.”

Prez was critical of Governor’s proposed elimination of the zones. He questioned why the state would not want to promote business growth and success.

He held his news conference on Friday at the Ernie Ball, Inc. manufacturing facility in the Coachella Valley Enterprise Zone (CVEZ) because he said communities of the 80th Assembly District would be affected if the program is eliminated. There is one zone in the Coachella Valley and two more in Imperial County. Ernie Ball, Inc. makes guitar strings and accessories.

In 2010, he said the three zones created approximately 680 new jobs and maintained employment for another 2,000 individuals.

The CVEZ manager Mark Weber spoke at the event, touching on the strategic benefits of the region and the zone program.

“Our main competitive edge in marketing to potential businesses derives from the state and local incentives which we offer through the zone programs,” he said. “These incentives form an essential tool for our region’s job creation strategy.”

“The Enterprise Zone program is especially vital to rural communities,” said Diane Cason, manager of the Imperial Valley Enterprise Zone (IVEZ). “With unemployment hovering close to 30%, the creation of any new jobs and the retention of any existing jobs are a matter of utmost importance.”

The Enterprise Zone program reform package is comprised of three bills, numbered AB 231, AB 232, and AB1X 11. Assemblyman Luis Alejo (D-Salinas) is serving as the joint author of the bills, and Assemblyman Steven Bradford (D-Gardena) is the principal co-author.

The next step for the legislation, which can be read online at www.leginfo.ca.gov , is assignment to a policy committee.