Local Supervisor Criticizes Business Summit, White House

A White House-sponsored "jobs summit" scheduled next month in the Riverside area was endorsed today by a majority of the Riverside County Board of Supervisors, though not without debate about the motivation behind the event.

The U.S. Minority Business Development Agency is planning the Jan. 30 conference that will give attendees an opportunity to meet Obama administration officials, possibly one or two cabinet members, to discuss the Inland Empire economy and future job prospects.

The county's unemployment rate has hovered around 14 percent since June 2009.

The affair will spotlight a new U.S. Department of Commerce-funded "Business Center" in Riverside. The nonprofit SoCal Corporate Growth Partners recently received a five-year grant totaling $1.77 million to establish and operate the center, which will serve the Inland Empire, providing resources that support greater employment opportunities, with an emphasis on the acquisition and expansion of minority-owned ventures in the region.

to read more about the new business center.

Board of Supervisors Chairman Bob Buster asked fellow supervisors today to agree to lend county Economic Development Agency staff to provide assistance to the White House in conducting the jobs summit and partner with the U.S. Minority Business Development Agency in the endeavor.

Supervisor Jeff Stone questioned the use of taxpayer funds for a summit that appeared geared to minorities and not everyone "regardless of race, color and creed."

EDA Director Rob Field replied that operators of "all businesses in the community" would be invited to attend the summit.

"This is not restricted to any particular group," he said. "It's going to be a pretty small gathering. Only 20 people will be invited to participate. It's intended to serve as a discussion forum."

Stone criticized an administration that he said has done "such a poor job creating jobs" for involvement in a jobs summit "in the middle of a presidential campaign."

The supervisor said the Obama administration's environmental policies had exported a large number of jobs overseas as "distressed" U.S.-based businesses have fled to less regulated shores.

"I don't mean to make this a partisan issue, but what do we gain here (by supporting the summit)?" Stone asked. "Why is this happening at the end of a presidential term? Why couldn't it happen earlier? I really question the political timing of this."

Field called the summit a "heck of an opportunity" and a way to put "Riverside County on the map." He also said it would give business owners an opportunity to sound off about what the Obama administration is and isn't doing for the job market.

Supervisor Marion Ashley said Stone's concerns were the exact reason why the summit is needed.

"They (administration officials) are not going to get a sugar-coated response from the people attending," Ashley said.

Supervisor John Benoit said he appreciated Stone's perspective but believed the county would be better served by "cooperating" with the White House.

The board voted 3-1 -- with Supervisor John Tavaglione absent -- to support the summit.