3 More Cities Join Coalition to Foster Economic Development in Region

Cities across Southeast Los Angeles County are discovering that there can be strength in numbers.

With the addition this week of Long Beach, Norwalk and Huntington Park, 13 cities have now joined the Gateway Cities Council of Governments, a coalition formed to protect the region’s economic interests.

Although still considered the county’s industrial powerhouse, the Southeast area has suffered severe setbacks because of military base closures and the downsizing of the aerospace industry. A recent study said the Southeast area is the only region in Southern California with fewer jobs now than in 1983.

Only cooperation can see the region through these tough times, said Downey City Manager Gerald Caton, who is chairman of a council of Southeast L.A. County city managers. He claims that the best hopes for aiding the region’s businesses lie in presenting a single voice worthy of federal recognition.

“There’s a lot of federal money that we have not tapped into because the region is not organized,” Caton said. “The feds don’t like to deal with entities as small as cities.”

As proposed, the organization would provide one vote to each member city, with the exception of the region’s largest city--Long Beach--which would get two votes.

A total of 27 cities have been invited to join the coalition, although leaders hope to kick things off as soon as 15 have signed up. Start-up costs would be funded by one-time membership dues of $5,000 per city. Cities already having joined are Compton, Cudahy, Downey, La Habra Heights, Lakewood, La Mirada, Maywood, Paramount, Pico Rivera and Signal Hill.