Letter to summit organizers highlights Kern's economic challenges

John Cox, The Bakersfield Californian
Updated ·2 min read

Oct. 21—Concerns about how Newsom administration policies are affecting Kern County resurfaced Wednesday in a letter local officials sent organizers of the California Economic Summit taking place next week in Bakersfield.

Nine organizations including county government sent California Forward a three-page message warning that the administration's actions in the areas of oil and agriculture have brought "economic disruption, insecurity and uncertainty" to an area critical to the state's production of food and renewable energy.

"It would be negligent of us to not point out to CA Forward's leadership in advance of your economic summit," the letter states, "that despite Kern County's longstanding contributions and commitments to California, harmful state policies and lack of support by the current administration (are) causing devastation to our county, our economy and our residents."

Although the letter does not raise new issues, it gives wider audience to a message the county and local groups have made repeatedly in recent years to an administration that has restricted petroleum production and water delivery in the name of health and safety, environmental protection and sustainability.

The CEO of California Forward, whose annual conference is scheduled to convene Thursday and Friday after a local orientation Wednesday, said he appreciates the concerns expressed in the letter. Too often, he said, people with different perspectives don't talk to each other as frequently as they should — but that the summit will address that.

"For us, this is actually what the California Economic Summit is about," CEO Micah Weinberg said. He added California Forward is interested in lifting up the concerns of inland California — "and always (has) been."

Besides Kern County government, organizations listed as signatories to the letter were the Kern Economic Development Corp., Kern County Taxpayers Association, Central Valley Business Federation, California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce, Kern Law Enforcement Association, Kern County Firefighters 1301 labor union, Kern Citizens for Energy and Kern Black Chamber of Commerce.

President and CEO Nick Ortiz of the Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce said that although his organization was not listed on the letter — he sits on California Forward's board of directors — the chamber supports the county's ongoing efforts to educate Sacramento policymakers and stakeholders on the "disproportionate impacts" state policies are having on the regional economy.