Santa Monica city leaders have formed a task force to help the city emerge from the coronavirus lockdown, with the city facing a projected $300 million budget gap over the next 26 months.
At Tuesday night’s City Council meeting, officials announced the Santa Monica Economic Recovery Task Force, a collaboration between city staff in several departments and dozens of business and community partners to “quickly develop and implement measures to get our businesses and workers back on their feet, and get our dynamic local economy moving again.”
“We have started this process early to strengthen our local economy and help Santa Monica businesses and workers get back on their feet,” Interim City Manager Lane Dilg said. “Our first focus is the reopening of businesses and getting people back to work when it’s safe to do so. In tandem with that, we will be proposing code changes to allow for more flexible business configurations and opportunities …. We look forward to rebuilding the foundation for sustainable economic growth.”
Dilg was appointed last week to replace former City Manager Rick Cole, who resigned several days after offering to reduce his annual $343,000 salary by 20%.
The group will be led by Deputy City Manager Anuj Gupta, Housing and Economic Development Director Andy Agle, Planning Director David Martin and Treasurer David Carr. It will also include experts on planning, public works, economic development, and communications.
The task force will focus on the following five areas:
— Business Retention/Reopening;
— Business Resources – Permitting and Costs;
— Community Economic Development;
— Communications and Marketing;
— Federal and State Resources.
The plan will be the focus of the Santa Monica’s May 5 City Council meeting.
For more, visit www.santamonica.gov/coronavirus.