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Uploaded: Thursday, February 21, 2013, 8:04 AM
Updated: Monday, February 25, 2013, 7:30 AM
COMMENTARY: '2013 promises to be Pleasanton's best year yet'
Mayor Jerry Thorne's promise to push for reforms to keep businesses in California is encouraging
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 | We're encouraged by remarks made Tuesday by Mayor Jerry Thorne that he will push for reforms and more mutual cooperation to help businesses stay in California, come to California and expand their operations here.
In his "State of the City" remarks to business leaders at a Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce luncheon, Thorne also talked about the importance of regional cooperation to make sure that Pleasanton and the Tri-Valley stay competitive with other cities and regions. To sustain municipal services, Pleasanton and our neighboring Tri-Valley cities need strong local and regional economies.
To achieve this, elected leaders need to create an environment where business is once again welcomed in the state of California. An important start would be to reform the unproductive regulations in the California Environmental Quality Act, or CEQA.Thorne intends to ask the City Council as well as the League of California Cities, where he's a member, to join him in endorsing Governor Jerry Brown's recent call for meaningful reform of CEQA. These overly-restrictive environmental regulations are stifling business across the state with little benefit to the environment.
We're encouraged also by Thorne's intent to work regionally to freeze regional development impact fees. This will ultimately improve the environment for companies wishing to relocate to Tri-Valley area.
We're encouraged, too, to see that Torne recognizes that economic development doesn't stop at our city limits. Regional initiatives such as Innovation Tri-Valley and i-GATE are gaining momentum and adding to the collective recognition of the Tri-Valley as a center of entrepreneurship and enterprise. While Innovation Tri-Valley is a business-led initiative designed to create an inviting business climate that breaks new ground for innovation, the state-designated i-GATE innovation hub is a public-private partnership designed to maximize the economic potential of green transportation and clean-energy technologies by bringing cutting-edge research to the commercial market. Thorne wants Pleasanton to be actively involved in helping both organizations in creating pathways for new business formation and economic growth.
Thorne said he will do all of this in collaboration with local business partners – the Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce, the Pleasanton Downtown Association, Hacienda Business Park, the Tri-Valley Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Alameda County Fairgrounds and Stoneridge Shopping Center. And there's no doubt, he'll create new and exciting connections with other community–based organizations so that the Tri-Valley will work collectively to sustain the extraordinary quality of life we have here in Pleasanton, which attracts residents and companies alike.
We were also encouraged to hear Thorne vow to take whatever actions he can to promote Pleasanton as an excellent place to do business. From trade shows to town halls, he said he will be talking about why Pleasanton is the Right Address for the 21st Century.
In his closing remarks Tuesday, Thorne said: "Pleasanton is great because we are building it together. We are committed to the truth of Pleasanton as a world class city. And if we hold fast to that truth, our journey moves forward, our future is bright and the state of our city will always be strong. This year is Pleasanton's 119th year and it promises to be its best yet."
A well-deserved standing ovation showed business leaders agree.Pleasanton Weekly staff. Are you receiving Express, our free daily e-mail edition? See a sample and sign-up for Express.
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Posted by William Tell, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Feb 21, 2013 at 5:32 pm (Post deemed inappropriate by Pleasanton Weekly Online staff)
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Posted by Chamber realizes it's Dream, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Feb 22, 2013 at 8:56 am Thorne's motto is "Government of Business, by Business,and for Business". The Chamber has controlled the City Council majority for the past 8 years, but now they really have a puppet with Thorne as mayor. Why waste money on the upcoming election? They should just appoint Chamber Exec Director Scott Raty to be the 5th Councilmember.
Why should the State of the City be a Chamber of Commerce event anyway? Last time I looked there we're about 70,000 PEOPLE living in Pleasanton. What about government for them?
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Posted by Long Timer, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Feb 22, 2013 at 9:19 am You're right about the Pleasanton Chamber controlling the City Council. At least the Chamber has improved in that regard; they previously have endorsed the Hippy Mayor and Cook Callio; both lefty loons more concerned about national politics than the well-being of Pleasanton. Since Thorne frequently voted with both of those loons, it's only a marginal improvement. One must conclude the Pleasanton Chamber is run by lefty loons as well.
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Posted by Chamber realizes it's Dream, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Feb 22, 2013 at 9:51 am Long Timer,
Actually, the marriage of the Chamber and the "lefty loons" is one of convenience. The Chamber leadership is about as far right wing as you can get (just slightly saner than the Tea Party), but the local Democratic Party Machine wants people in power, so they identify ambitious politicos like Hosterman and Cook-Kallio who will gladly sell their souls for the Chamber's campaign $$ as a way to further their political careers. A sad, sorry state for democracy.
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Posted by Chamber realizes it's Dream, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Feb 22, 2013 at 9:58 am Unfortunately it hasn't worked so well for Cook-Kallio. After carrying the Chamber's water for four years, they went back on their commitment to stay neutral in last years mayor's race and threw her under the bus by endorsing Thorne. I guess we will have to wait and see if she wises up or continues to do the Chamber's bidding hoping for crumbs ....
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Posted by hmmmmm, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Feb 22, 2013 at 9:59 am Who is the major financial backer of the Tea Baggers - hint: rhymes with Coke, not Pepsi - and what does that say about our quality of democracy?
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Posted by Shawn, a member of the Foothill High School community, on Feb 22, 2013 at 10:18 am Damn Tea Baggers....what are they thinking? Lower taxes, smaller government, less government intrusion in their lives, more personal responsibility, balanced budgets, end the out of control deficit spending that is bankrupting the country....they must be crazy!!! Clearly what we need is higher taxes on those nasty rich people, more government regulation, more handouts, more spending on useless programs, higher deficits and debt for future generations.
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Posted by Chamber realizes it's Dream, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Feb 22, 2013 at 11:21 am Damn Tea Baggers....what are they thinking? Racism, xenophobia, immigrant-bashing (even though all are decedents of immigrants), angry aging white men (and apparently a few women),authoritarian, fear of change, and think government is the enemy. Worst, they are duped by 1-perecenters like the Koch Brothers to vote against their own interests due to their intense hatred of President Obama. Sounds like a rational bunch to me!
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Posted by Steve, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Feb 22, 2013 at 8:02 pm Chamber, you sound like you're intimately familiar with tea baggers, so why the Alinsky talking points? Are you incapable of thinking for yourself, or do you just have nothing to offer other than parroting the far left dem party talking points? You're slipping because you left out oblamos class envy tactics. You're pathetic, like most leftists.
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Posted by Spudly, a resident of the Laguna Oaks neighborhood, on Feb 22, 2013 at 9:03 pm All,
Please give me an example or two of the "Chamber controlling the council" and some of the negative affects of that.
Thank you.
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