2. Jobs
The recent recession has hit Brockton hard. We have the worst foreclosure epidemic in Massachusetts and one of the highest unemployment rates. But we can also boast about several major assets—Brockton's location and public works infrastructure, a high-performing public school system, and a bourgeoning workforce. To better tackling our challenges and harness our assets, I am working to ensure city government is more strategic in reaching out to businesses, pursuing grants, and building relationships with private- and public-sector funders.
As your At-Large City Councilor, I formed a Jobs Working Group to recommend ways to rebuild our local economy by outlining how to identify and act on our best economic bets to support established companies and attract industries of the future—all in the name of creating good-paying jobs for Brockton residents. The working group's findings are below.
Working Group Executive Summary
(Scroll down to access the full report)
Problem
Over the years, a number of planning and economic development convenings and reports have published solid, but fairly discrete strategies for increasing economic growth in Brockton. While these ideas are promising and should be aggressively pursued where appropriate, a lack of a strategic vision is gravely hindering economic development in the city. This lack of an economic policy framework—one that is relevant, clearly articulated, highly publicized, and used as the defining agenda for economic development—makes it difficult for the city to create favorable conditions for job creation in Brockton.
Recommendations
Ideas are abundant, but the city's strategy for economic development—and implementing it—needs significant improvement, particularly in the area of coordinating ideas and action. To address this problem, the Jobs Working Group recommends the creation of two economic development teams for the City of Brockton to:
- Identify the city's short- and long-term strategic economic policies and “best bets” for next generation industries by forming the Mayor’s Economic Policy Team. This small team of experts, consisting primarily of economists from universities, would offer the Mayor objective economic policy advice, basing its recommendations and analysis on the best economic research and empirical evidence available; and
- Ensure economic policy targets defined by the Economic Policy Team are successfully executed by forming the Mayor’s Economic Action Team. This team would be comprised of numerous department and agency heads within and outside of the administration, and would be responsible for implementing the Mayor’s economic policy agenda and serving as the public face for economic development in the city.
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Jobs Working Group Report
