Dear Opportunity Stanislaus Investors:
Being only two hours east of Silicon Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area has its advantages and disadvantages. The main advantage is the additional jobs available to people from Stanislaus County willing to make the 2-3 hour commute each way. It’s also nice to be so close to a major metro area and enjoy the many attractions that are offered such as arts and entertainment, sports, dining, and nightlife. The major disadvantage is the toll commuting takes on workers who make that daily trip. I once had a discussion with a friend who is an attorney for a San Francisco-based law firm. He makes the daily trip from Modesto to San Francisco which can take 3 hours each way. He and I were sharing commuting times. His commute, he said, was anywhere between 2 and 3 hours. When he asked me about my commute, I answered “24 minutes”. He replied, “I would die for a commute like that.” I hesitated, and then said….” that’s 24 minutes on a bike."
The COVID-19 Pandemic has and will have a great influence on the way we do business. We are already hearing reports about companies allowing their employees to work remotely – during the pandemic and afterwards. The Bay Area was already struggling to hire and retain employees before COVID-19 because of the high cost of living. Young families were finding it difficult to find an affordable place to live in the Bay Area. At the latest estimate, there are some 30,000 t0 40,000 people from Stanislaus County who commute into the Bay Area for work each day. These same people for the most part have been working remotely from home for the past several months without any serious reduction in productivity. In fact, for many firms, productivity is on the rise.
We have a great opportunity right now to convince Bay Area companies to continue to allow their employees to work remotely, even after the pandemic is over, and open up satellite offices here in Stanislaus County for remote workers to interact and connect with peers. We are working with our colleagues locally and throughout the megaregion to communicate that message. In fact, Opportunity Stanislaus has been invited to collaborate with the Bay Area Council, San Joaquin Partnership, the Greater Sacramento Economic Council and the Sacramento Chamber of Commerce to develop an economic development strategy that benefits all partners. We are working together on business attraction, retention and expansion efforts. We are collaborating on issues like housing, transportation, and tax policy.
Another trend we are now experiencing and will continue to see an increase is the number of manufacturers that either relocate, expand or start in our region. We offer a compelling case for advanced manufacturing. Our cost structure is lower here than in most parts of California. We have a strong supplier base and many sophisticated manufacturers already. We have a growing workforce that is steadily acquiring the skills needed for the advanced manufacturing economy. Being part of the Bay Area Council will connect us with companies in the Bay Area that will strongly consider Stanislaus County for manufacturing, distribution and back offices.
Even though we are all suffering through this pandemic, Stanislaus County is poised to benefit from the changing paradigms in economic development. As we continue to focus first on the needs of our local employers, we will continue to build a strong reputation for an organization that makes things happen. A rising tide lifts all boats.
Best regards,
Dave White, Chief Executive Officer
