!!!ECONOMIC BLUEPRINT Moving Our District Forward !

A recent article in The New York Times highlighted two of the most important issues facing the Inland Empire and our district: the lack of jobs and the failure of the area to experience economic growth. !This should not be the story about our district. My campaign is squarely focused on ensuring we take a new approach to tackling job creation and bringing economic growth. !Across the country, amazing things are happening in communities just like ours. It’s not just the urban areas: suburban areas around major cities are becoming the next growth areas. I firmly believe our district has a lot to offer, but we need to go back to the drawing board and come up with innovative approaches to get people back to work and to get this area growing again. !With a new vision, new ideas and some hard work, we can look to successful examples of areas that have become economically revived and make it happen.

Five Ways to Create Jobs and Stimulate Economic Growth !1) Rethink and Increase Support for Workforce Development. !

People need skills to take today’s jobs. Many people that have been laid off from industries that are disappearing need to learn skills to be competitive in today’s job market. We need to change what people encounter when they go to get workforce

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1. Rethink and Increase Support for Workforce Development.

2. Redefine “Work.”

3. Focus on Infrastructure.

4. Increase Support for Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs.

5. Understand Better What the Real Challenges are for Residents

Five Ways to Create Jobs and Stimulate Economic Growth

support. It should be focused on immediately targeting a jobseekers skills gap and preparing them to re-enter the workforce based on the needs of employers in the area. !We need to start thinking about workforce development when it comes to our children and schools. Children should have access to math, science and engineering courses that will prepare them for careers. Career technical education should be provided to make sure children who would like to pursue careers in the trades can do so. At a minimum, all children should know the basics about using computers and the Internet, searching for a job, filling out an application, creating a resume and applying skills to the work environment. !We need to leverage institutions, like libraries and schools, to be hubs to provide these services. We can offer classes on how to use the Internet. We can get volunteers to come teach skills like coding or partner with companies and technology platforms that teach these skills. !We must partner with industries to make sure jobseekers are prepared with the skills that are needed. The skills gap persisting means open jobs go unfilled because our workers do not know the skills necessary to be successful in these open positions. !Idea: Use spaces, like libraries, to provide training on Internet use, coding and other skills that will help people get the skills they need to get jobs. !Idea: Create skill share programs where people can work to teach each other a skill they may not know. !

2) Redefine “Work.” !Work does not need to necessarily be defined as a 9 to 5 job anymore. We must make sure “sharing economy” companies are widely advertised in the district since they provide income for one person and a much needed service for another. !A good example is a service like Uber. Uber drivers use their own vehicles to give rides through a mobile application. Someone who may need a ride, like a senior, could more readily get a ride they need and give someone a chance to earn some income. !This is just one example of the many types of services that are available today, but not widely advertised or promoted here in our district. !Idea: One of my constituent services would be to hold an “alternative” job fair and partner with “sharing economy” companies to advertise their services in the district and get our friends and neighbors new ways to earn income.

3) Focus on Infrastructure.

PAID FOR BY GAGNIER FOR CONGRESS 2014

!To make a region thrive, you need the right infrastructure. Whether that’s a highway for cars or the information superhighway, infrastructure is key to attracting new businesses and keeping companies here. !We need to focus on the Ontario Airport. Small business owners and large companies alike want to be able to get in and out of the region. By getting local control of the airport and improving the services provided, we can commit to businesses that the Inland Empire is a place to easily do business. !We need to focus on Internet access. Communities across the country from Chattanooga to Kansas City are benefitting from better speeds of Internet connectivity. Bringing high growth industries to the area as well as ensuring we are connecting residents requires partnerships in the technology sector. We need to seek partnerships with technology companies to make high speed Internet happen. !Idea: Host forums in the district inviting manufacturing, technology, clean energy and other companies to tour the region and learn more about our communities and workforce. We are highly competitive when it comes to land availability, the price of housing and other factors that attract businesses to a region. !Idea: Partner with technology companies to roll out high-speed or fiber Internet access in certain areas. We have downtowns in every city in the district, and making these high-speed Internet hubs would be a great pilot project for these locales, their businesses and for residents. !

4) Increase Support for Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs. !I am a small business owner, and I know first hand the challenges of wanting to start a business. I had to ask myself the question of how I would take $87.00 and go get my first legal client with such a slim budget. I know that many other small business owners and their families can relate to the trials and tribulations of starting a new venture. !Small businesses provide many of the jobs in our district. As businesses grow, they start hiring and creating good jobs. Some of the most high-growth communities in the country are successful because entrepreneurs have a community to work with. !Idea: Provide more trainings for small business owners to help them understand how to get started and succeed. !Idea: Create spaces and meetups in the district where business owners can come together and collaborate, working together to help mutually grow their businesses. !

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Idea: Make sure there is support for the Small Business Administration and the services they provide all entrepreneurs. !Idea: Make my district office a “coworking” space. Sometimes small business owners just need that first space to work out of that is not their home. If elected, I want my district office to be a hub for community and provide value to our district. !

5) Understand Better What the Real Challenges are for Residents When It Comes to Finding Work. !

A key issue with persistent unemployment is understanding what the problem is. When we have both young people looking for their first job and seniors having to re-enter the workforce, we need to know what their specific needs are so the support offered is effective, meaning we get them to work. !We need to collect better information about jobseekers and the employed. I want to make sure I am meeting our residents where they are at to understand their challenges. !!

Find out more about Christina at christinagagnier.com.

PAID FOR BY GAGNIER FOR CONGRESS 2014