Op-Ed: Greater Irvine Chamber of Commerce Sets Transparency Example for City

On January 22nd and September 24th, the Greater Irvine Chamber of Commerce gave several informative presentations to the City Council on how economic opportunities and growth have been enhanced by this partnership.

Our residents expect this level of organizational transparency from our City as well.

2.4_PowerPoint CHAMBERCOMMERCE

 

When the new City Manager came onboard just over a year ago, he hired an Economic Development Manager to join his team. City of Irvine Website This newly created position is costing the City approximately $227,800 annually.

On April 15, the Finance Commission wanted to know what economic development projects were being worked on and specifically asked for “quantifiable results” that enhanced city revenue. However, this was not provided, prompting the Finance Commission to request quarterly updates going forward for accountability.

The Economic Development Manager has held this position for 14 months yet has not made a single presentation at public meetings. The City created this position, again, adding over a quarter of a million dollars annually during a period of budget cuts. Therefore, shouldn’t we know how this money is being spent?