First Ward Race: Virginia Marquez's economic development platform

This is 1st Ward challenger Virginia Marquez's platform on economic development. It is not edited.

Economic Development

The City of San Bernardino was known as an "All American City" in 1977. As the City Councilmember from the First Ward, one of my goals is to win this title for our city again in2010 and bring back the pride we all once had in our community.

With this goal in mind, economic development for our city is crucial and will be a high priority during my campaign.

The City of San Bernardino, and particularly the First Ward, faces numerous challenges at this time. The First Ward encompasses the following jewels:

THE MOUNT VERNON CORRIDOR

The Mount Vernon Corridor is rich is history and symbolizes pride in San Bernardino, with its many surrounding landmarks, including the Santa Fe Bridge, Route 66, and Placita Park.

These areas have been dilapidated, unsafe, and unattended, for many years.

CAROUSEL MALL

The Carousel Mall is vital to the survival of San Bernardino because it is considered the "face" of our city when people exit Interstate 215. The mall sits almost empty now, as previous developers have been discouraged to invest in our city.

As the City Councilmember from the First Ward, I will be open-minded and work with the City's Economic Development Agency, other government officials, and developers, to bring businesses into the Mount Vernon Corridor and Carousel Mall.

San Bernardino has recently been awarded $17.6 million in municipal bonding by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. This funding will create more small business development projects and bring jobs into the First Ward.

SAN BERNARDINO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

The San Bernardino International Airport is a diamond in the rough, which is in a position to generate jobs and tax revenue for San Bernardino. Unfortunately, the current city government has been unable to recruit commercial airlines. So the airport sits quietly as the only people seen, are the maintenance workers.

As the City Councilmember from the First Ward, I will work directly with the Inland Valley Development Agency and others, in an effort to create a master plan which will address ways to generate business for the airport.

The recent hiring of AVPorts will hopefully bring in a combination of passenger carriers, private aircraft, and other support services, in order to put the airport on the map and create numerous jobs for our city.

I am confident that San Bernardino will re-capture the title of the "All American City".