California Economic Summit Capitol Day Promotes Nine Actionable Plans to Move State Towards Prosperity

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Aug. 12, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Regional civic and business leaders from across California gathered with elected officials today in Sacramento for the California Economic Summit Capitol Day, an unprecedented convening to discuss nine proposals to advance the state's prosperity. Capitol Day continued the work of the 2012 California Economic Summit in Santa Clara and the 2013 Summit held in Los Angeles to advance the triple bottom line—simultaneously encouraging economic growth, improving environmental quality, and increasing opportunity for all.

The California Economic Summit is a unique year-round effort developed by California Forward and the California Stewardship Network to strengthen the state's economy with the goal of creating more middle class jobs by addressing the needs of the state's distinct economic regions. The California Economic Summit convened 'Capitol Day' to advocate for actionable change that can be adopted this year and next by elected and appointed officials.

"In its third year, we are pleased that the California Economic Summit has become a part of the state's economic landscape and we look forward to continuing our work to influence complex public policies that further investments in quality jobs," said James Mayer, president and CEO of CA Fwd.

As a result of the 2013 Economic Summit held in November in Los Angeles, "A Year of Action: The Summit Plan to Advance Prosperity in 2014" was developed to advance the following policy initiatives:

• Developing a 21^st century workforce
• Advancing manufacturing
• Creating efficiencies within the regulatory environment
• Improving access to capital
• Modernizing the state's infrastructure
• Increasing the supply and affordability of housing
• Enhancing the working landscapes interface between rural and urban regions

The Prosperity Plan details nine Summit proposals within these policy initiatives that will serve as the foundation to rebuild California's struggling middle class. While all nine proposals were examined, workforce, manufacturing, housing, infrastructure and water were highlighted through three separate discussion panels directed by key regional leaders.

The three sessions included "Training Workers for the Next Economy: How to quickly grow California's workforce to capture and keep manufacturing jobs"; "Making the Promise of SB 375 a Reality: How to finance housing, transportation and sustainable communities"; and, "Water and Working Landscapes: How to make sure drought investments put California on a path to water sustainability".

In addition, Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom with Kish Rajan, Director of the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz), and Yo Yoshida, CEO of Appallicious focused a conversation on how open data and government transparency can further economic development.

The California Economic Summit was founded upon one basic premise – the answer to California's economic challenges is found through the active participation of civic and business leaders in the regional economies of the state.

"While the economic recovery has been successful in some regions it has also been uneven, with many of California's inland communities lagging behind," commented Paul Granillo, president and CEO of the Inland Empire Economic Partnership and chair of the California Stewardship Network. "The growing number of individuals, organizations, elected officials and business leaders involved in this project is an indicator of the significance of this regional approach."

In addition to Lt. Governor Newsom and Director Rajan also in attendance were Speaker of the Assembly Toni Atkins; Senate President Pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg; and, Secretary Karen Ross, California Department of Food and Agriculture among others.

ABOUT CA FWD
California Forward (CA Fwd) is a nonpartisan and nonprofit organization, devoted to improving the performance of government in California. It believes that increased emphasis on accountability and transparency will create government that Californians deserve and expect. CA Fwd strongly advocates for confidence and trust in elected officials as being an essential ingredient to good government. 

ABOUT THE CALIFORNIA STEWARDSHIP NETWORK
The California Stewardship Network was created in 2008, when a group of diverse regions across California came together to establish an alliance of regional partnerships to tackle the state's most pressing economic, environmental and community challenges.

Contact: Ed Coghlan
818-489-4774

SOURCE California Forward