Tulare Chamber of Commerce held its State of the City Luncheon May 10th at Edison Energy Education Center. Tulare Mayor Jose Sigala presented the State of the City Address.
In addition to Mayor Sigala, Tulare County Supervisor Pete Vander Poel III presented the state of the County and included State Legislative updates presented by Senator Shannon Grove and Assembly Member Devon Mathis.
Sigala started with his and the council’s priorities for the year which include: developing polices to help balance the City’s annual budget without diluting city services, maintaining a focus on the growth of the City in order to attract more employment and retail businesses, developing a framework to maintain the long-term financial health of the City, creating a planning process for the land uses surrounding the Cartmill/99 and International Agri-Center interchanges in order to maximize the growth of the City and finally pushing the city toward a new image; and generating new revenues.
Supervisor Pete Vander Poel gave an update on the county budget, road improvements, and retirement pension and liability.
Senator Grove and Assembly Member Mathis gave updates on key Senate and Assembly bills that are positive and negative for the valley. Senator Grove spoke to a bill that she worked on with Sheriff Boudreaux to help combat ag theft and discussed issues surrounding Dynamex, the supreme court decision concerning independent contractors.
Highlights of Assembly Member Mathis’ speech included the water shortage and the homelessness and housing crisis.
After the luncheon City Council members and city staff were available to answer questions from the audience about local issues.