How would I solve the city's longtime budget structural deficit?

By Barbara Arietta

However, for the long run we also need to immediately start planting the seeds of new economic growth, keeping in mind, that seeds do take several seasons to come to fruition...

This new chapter in Pacifica's economic development can take place in a variety of ways:

1) Support the development of current local businesses, improving aging business districts and bringing new businesses to Pacifica.

2) Streamline the permit process for the opening of a new business or event. Review and develop plans to improve customer service in departments interfacing with current and potential Pacifica businesses.( This can be done by: researching other city's processes to identify best practices that might be used in Pacifica; work with the City Manager to consider the assignment of a liaison to assist applicants with the permit process; and, explore the potential for developing an on-line report that lists desired businesses, available commercial space, as well as key land sites potentially available and appropriately zoned for development/investment.)

3) Enhance Pacifica's existing shopping centers and hotels by collaborating with owners/operators of existing shopping centers to assess shopping centers needs for enhancing sales tax revenues.

4) Work collaboratively with the Chamber of Commerce, by devising a formal "Shop Pacifica" campaign, including discount coupon book (or similar).

5) Work collaboratively with owners and operators of existing hotels-motels and the Chamber to devise a plan to increase room occupancy.

6) Pre-entitle Strategic Land Sites for Future Economic Drivers.

7) Implement a plan for the marketing of Pacifica to attract business growth by strengthening connections to visitor serving agencies in San Mateo County and the SF Bay Area. Do a public relations campaign to promote businesses, events, Pacifica agencies and Pacifica destinations.

(By the way, I worked for 3 and ½ years to get Pacifica to join the San Mateo County Convention and Visitor's Bureau. I interviewed CEO's of Half Moon Bay and South San Francisco Chambers of Commerce, all of the hotel managers in Pacifica and both Presidents of the Convention and Visitor Bureaus in San Francisco and San Mateo County. I wrote a 40 page manual exploring and exploding the myths of why Pacifica should not join the Bureau, gave seminars and entered impassioned pleas to the sitting City Council to join. It took three very long years, but, I am pleased to announce that, as of September 2010, Pacifica now is a member of the San Mateo County Convention and Visitor's Bureau, which will be a wonderful marketing help for Pacifica's future economic development.)