NOVATOECONOMICADVISORYCOMMISSION

Consis&ng7NovatoCommunityLeaders:•  5Commissioners•  2Ex-OfficioCommissioners

TheGoalofThisPresenta&on

•  RecalltheCouncil’s2007Resolu&oncrea&ngtheNovatoEconomicAdvisoryCommissionandreportontheCommission’scurrentac&vi&es.

Mission:AdvicetotheCityCouncilTheCommissionworkswiththeCityandtheCity’sEconomicDevelopmentManagerto:•  Analyzecurrentandproposedeconomicac&vityinNovato•  Makeinformedrecommenda&onstotheCityCounciltoassistitinitsdecisionmaking

EconomicVitalityTheCity’sStrategicPlanencourage(s)athrivingbusinessenvironmentthatincludes:•  Becomingahubofeconomicac&vityandinnova&onthatfocuseson

high-payingindustries,avibrantdowntown,andahealthyeconomy

WhyEconomicVitality?Athrivingbusinesscommunityprovides:•  Employment•  RevenueforCityServices(SalesTax,TOT,PropertyTaxes,etc.)thatimprovethequalityoflifeinNovato

•  RevenueandsupportforNon-Profits(BSA,NovatoYouthCenter,LiZleLeague,GirlScouts,etc.)thatimprovethequalityoflifeinNovato

•  Shopping,entertainment,dining,andservicesthatimprovethequalityoflifeinNovato

EconomicVitalityinContextAneconomythatfitstheCityofNovato:•  IsconsiderateoftheenvironmentandNovato’sOpenSpace

•  Makesuseofalimitedamountofcommercialandindustriallyzonedland

•  Recognizesthecostofhousingandtransporta&onissuesthatsurroundNovato

•  UnderstandsNovato’sdesireforahighqualityoflife

TheCommissionTheCommissionsupportsac&vi&esbytheCitythat:•  Helptoretainexis&ngandaZractnewbusinessestoNovato

•  Encouragesmallbusinessgrowthanddevelopment•  EncourageNovato’sci&zenstoshoplocally•  Supportavibrantdowntown

CommissionAc&vi&esTheCommissionhas:•  ConsideredthemeritsofmakingimprovementswithintheNorthRedwoodcorridor

•  EncouragedaCitypartnershipwiththeMarinSmallBusinessDevelopmentCenter(SBDC)

•  EncouragedtheSHOPLOCALNOVATOcampaign•  Encouragedtheloca&onofsuitableindustrieswithinNovato

•  Encouragedafriendlyrela&onshipbetweentheCityandtheBuckIns&tuteforResearchonAging

CommissionPlansPertheCouncil’s2007Resolu&on,theCommissionwillworkwithCityStafftocreateanEconomicDevelopmentMasterPlanthatincludesaneconomicdevelopmentstrategythatiden&fiesresourcesandrecommendspriori&estoimplementthegoals,policiesandprogramsforeconomicvitality.

GoodNews:Revenue•  CityrevenuesfromSalesTaxandTOThaveincreasedandarenowone-thirdofallcityrevenue

•  PropertyTaxrevenuehasalsoincreasedandrepresentsone-thirdofallcityrevenue

Cau&on•  TheCity’s5-YearGeneralFundforecastsuggeststhebeginningofadeficitin2017-18fiscalyear

•  Thena&onaleconomyhasachievedcon&nuedgrowthoveranunusuallylongperiod– Basedonthehistoriccyclicalbehaviorofthena&on’seconomysomeformofrecessionislikelyinthecomingyears

•  Onlinepurchaseswilllikelyincrease,decreasingsalestaxrevenuefrombrick&mortarstores

SeekingCouncilReaffirma&on:Revenue

UnderstandingtheCau&onsofthepreviousslideandunderthedirec+onoftheCityCouncil,theCommissionwill:•  Con&nuetorevieweconomicac&vi&esinNovato,providefeedback,and

•  Makerecommenda&onstoCouncil– Butwiththeaddi&onalfocusontheneedtoassureasufficientandstableCityrevenuestream

SeekingCouncilDirec&on:Dependencies

Athrivingeconomyalsodependson:•  Educatedandskilledci&zens•  Availableemployeehousingand/or•  Efficienttransporta&on

Giventhesedependencies,theCommissionwill,underthedirec+onoftheCityCouncilconsiderthemwhenevalua&ngeconomicac&vi&esinNovato.

SeekingCouncilDirec&on:Diversity•  TheNovatoEconomicAdvisoryCommissionisnotdiversified–  All-white,all-males,allover50

•  TheCommissionwillworkwithCityStafftobegintheprocessthatrequeststhattheCouncilmakethetwocurrentEx-OfficioMembers(onefemale,onemaleunder50),fullvo&ngmembers

Thankyou!

HarryF.Thomas

ChairmanNovatoEconomicAdvisoryCommission