Great Article About Space and El Segundo
Southern California has been and will be for the future the aerospace capital of the world. Altadena, take notice...
So a few weeks back we wrote about the unrealized dream of Altadena and Economic Development. To summarize, we have NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), we have CalTech, we have USC. There is a history of start up ventures but scale never got there. Things, for any number of reasons, never came together. Money was always a question. However, as we point out, CRA can be used to finance the dreams of others. Perhaps things are different now.
In fact, today, we have tools unlike ever before.
Further confirming the sentiment, today a great piece from Joel Kotkin about the space industry in Southern California. Summary is, there is still a huge workforce available here in Southern California. Furthermore, the tools and specialized knowledge exists to ensure we continue to have a leg up on other areas, if we do it right. Leadership leaves a lot to be desired here as one can imagine (and these pages have made the leadership challenges are clear). In fact, Kotkin is not shy about making those statements regarding LA’s leadership vacuums, similar to my post on LA’s historical political issues and current situation.
In his aerospace article, the pieces he discussed, particularly around El Segundo (and no I did not leave my wallet there for you 90’s Hip Hop followers), can exist here too. We have a strong engineering base, especially considering some of the challenges facing NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Can we maintain the jobs, the staff, and the knowhow here? Can we rebuild Altadena around an aerospace hub using JPL and CalTech as a base? Can we do it with the funds coming to support our rebuild?
As Kotkin describes it, we can see the model working here, if done properly. It is the chance for Altadena to reimagine itself with a sold economic base to build working class, engineering class jobs, thus supporting our rebuild as it comes into play.
We are at a time where we can leverage the assets of the community as well. Major universities are looking to find revenue generating options, and here is one. “Fat” is going the cut off grants and contracts. Revenue is now the order of the day. We also think the universities, if they were doing it right, could get added revenue by using their excise taxes productively (while reduced in the Senate bill, they exist nevertheless) for a play like this one. A window exists CalTech and USC. Think differently.
Kotkin describes a blue print (building on the engineering theme) for Altadena to look at. Sure the inputs can differ and the way we structure it will be different, but there are advantages we can leverage here.
Policy makers, maybe it is time to start to go outside the box.
Again, back to AB 797 instead of SB 782- let’s focus on where we can bring in the money to reconstitute our base. Another hint, some of us are already attempting to pilot programs to get the model off the ground, but pilots are slow and we need to move fast to get this window of funds moving. In this case, a rising tide will certainly raise our boats for sure.
Imagine our commercial corridors teeming with workers, patronizing our small businesses, and supporting our community with a strong tax base. El Segundo goes to 50,000 people a day and 17,000 at night. We can bring people in.
For those workers living here, imagine workers biking to work because of proximity, reconstituting our neighborhoods, while supporting those who live here.
Imagine the opportunities for living wage work, workforce training, and other associated projects.
Imagine the engine which can continue to locate production outside of just Altadena.
It is symbiotic. It is real. It is now.
Palmdale. Lancaster. El Segundo. South Bay. Monrovia. Azusa. San Gabriel Valley.
Just think. Just imagine. We have an engine. We have people who know how to do it. Government contracts, aerospace, businesses, economic development, living wage jobs, rebuilding our community….hmmm….