Creating job growth incentives and a business-friendly private sector environment continues to be a major priority for me. In 2009, I brought forth an initiative to organize the first annual Anaheim/OC Job Fair and Expo, and by doing so, we built a door of opportunity to future job growth.
Our inaugural Anaheim/OC Job Fair and Expo was a remarkable partnership event with community and business leaders, all of whom can take pride in the fact that 7,500 job seekers and 102 employers made positive job growth connections. Our efforts led to a substantial accomplishment. By the end of the day, more than 1,000 potential employees were interviewed, and of that group, more than 400, or 34%, have now been hired for meaningful jobs in office and administrative support, production, military, healthcare, management, sales and sales related work, engineering and aerospace, retail and food service, protection services, as well as in business and financial operations. The fact that 102 employers hired 400 new employees demonstrates how we can optimistically facilitate an economic turnaround in job growth to combat unprecedented unemployment rates in our region.
In these tough economic times, we must keep building doors of opportunity for economic recovery in our region through creative job growth incentives that will relax or eliminate burdensome business regulations and lower taxes. In moving forward with such incentives, we will be producing a positive overall economic stimulus in the region.
As a small business owner, I understand the difficulties faced on a daily basis due to overregulation. Small businesses need to be promoted and expanded for our communities and families to continue prospering and thriving in these difficult economic times. They are the driving force for our economy encompassing the dreams of individuals to create lives for their families, jobs for their neighbors, and security for the community. As an elected official, I will continue to support streamlined processes that encourage economic growth in traditional and emerging industries, thereby increasing employment opportunities.
We can all make a difference in creating job growth and stimulating economic turnaround by voicing our support for much-needed regulatory reform at all levels of government and through innovative, visionary action and incentives.
Harry Sidhu
Anaheim Mayor Pro Tem
