Commerce outlines "Big 4" strategy to reframe industrial cities and pursue legislative relief

City Manager Ernie Hernandez and outside consultants briefed the council on a strategic two-phase initiative to market a four-city coalition (referred to in staff materials as the "Big 4") and to pursue legislative change to funding formulas the cities say undercount industrial-daytime impacts.

Consultants described phase 1 as an information-gathering and audit stage: catalogue public and private site inventories, quantify daytime population and industrial output, develop an objective model that reconsiders per-capita allocations, and produce a report that will underpin lobbying efforts (staff noted SB 1 as an initial legislative target). Consultants estimated that the four cities represent about 25% of industrial and warehouse space in Los Angeles County and said that a data-driven presentation would arm lobbyists and legislators with tangible metrics to argue for a reallocation or supplemental funding.

Phase 2 would be implementation: a regional marketing narrative, site catalogs for real-estate prospecting, and coordination with a statewide lobbying group to seek bill sponsorship. Councilmembers praised the data-driven approach and asked for clarity that no new joint legal entity would be created; staff confirmed the coalition does not create a standing new legal body and any protocols would come back to each council for approval.

Council approved the staff recommendation to proceed with the work as presented by motion and second and asked for deliverables to be circulated to the council for review as phase 1 proceeds.