About 50 years ago, San Mateo County looked vastly different. Less of everything, people, jobs, traffic, diversity and technology. Only white men, not women or people of color, were traveling on public transit to industrial and professional service jobs in larger cities. The county has changed through immigration and innovation, through its scrappy attitude and its ever-evolving pursuit of collaboration amongst its 20 cities and towns and unincorporated neighborhoods.
Today, San Mateo County is at a crossroads, no longer the envy of many but still with incredible passion, promise and dare we say hope. The hope is that the adage does not become a self-fulfilling prophecy, “that sometimes you don’t appreciate something until it is gone.” The announcement that Oracle was moving its corporate headquarters from Redwood City to Texas felt like a gut punch, but it also awakened an even stronger desire to thank, celebrate and appreciate the companies that make San Mateo County what it is and what it can continue to be, which is a more fair, balanced and equitable place for all, not only some.
Collectively, we, including friends, neighbors, elected and appointed leaders, nonprofit, education and labor leaders, need to reflect how to better recognize and appreciate the businesses for who they are and what they contribute and mean to us. The San Mateo County Economic Development Association (SAMCEDA) and the San Mateo County Transit District (SamTrans/Caltrain/San Mateo County Transportation Authority) have always recognized and celebrated the importance of business, large and small, to their mission and vision for economic prosperity. It lives in each organization’s DNA.
From its annual Innovator Awards and THRED Talks, SAMCEDA unabashedly celebrates business and the community connection with business. Now adding in its extensive work with San Mateo County leaders on the pandemic and especially via its efforts helping our small businesses, it sees the even greater value of celebrating our large corporate partners who contribute so much to so many.
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The public transit sector steadily works hand in hand with the private sector and major nonprofits to improve the quality of life for all on the Peninsula. Stanford University and private sector employers partnered with Caltrain for the creation of a pioneering Business Plan to embrace the future needs of the seventh largest commuter rail service in the country, and major corporate employers continue to support Caltrain through investment in its Go Pass program which benefits all riders. Facebook, Google and other major employers invested well over $50 million to improve our transportation infrastructure. Earning the trust of the private sector, SamTrans obtained tremendous business support funding the Measure W campaign so that SamTrans can sustain its services to the most needy and public transit dependent in our communities. SAMCEDA members contributed more than $700,000 to the $1.2 million 2018 campaign and co-led its passage.
We believe Oracle will remain a valued corporate partner but losing the HQ status should serve as an overdue wake-up call. Stop and look at what our corporate partners have given to San Mateo County: from Oracle’s early days in providing housing in Redwood Shores to its employees, the Ralston Interchange, money for infrastructure and the publicly chartered Design Tech High School; Genentech’s commitment to science education in South San Francisco via its Futurelab Initiative and its overwhelming commitment to child care; Facebook and Google’s commitment to underserved communities of color with education and housing support; lastly let us not forget our architectural, engineering, building and construction firms — BKF, Granite Rock, DES and WL Butler — to name just a few. Add in our San Mateo County families including Bohannon, Foster, Sobrato and now Chan-Zuckerberg where their imprint is found in so many places of need. Without these corporate leaders, partners and families we would be in a far greater world of hurt. One we cannot even imagine.
So where do we go from here? It is everyone’s responsibility to be part of a health and economic recovery unparalleled anywhere else. The pandemic is having a dramatic effect on all of us and we need to beat it by starting with the basics, wearing a mask and avoiding large gatherings. We need to support our economic recovery by shopping local, grabbing take-out, reaching in your pocket for just one more donation to those providing food and shelter and thinking how I can support the depth and breadth of businesses in our communities, whether large or small, tech or nontech, family or corporate owned, old or new.
And just maybe our children and grandchildren will see our generation as tackling the toughest challenges to create a more lasting, just and equitable future for them.
Rosanne Foust is the president and CEO of SAMCEDA. Jim Hartnett is the general manager/CEO of SamTrans-Caltrain.
What I think the first step is for these two authors to actually analyze why we have a problem with business in the first place here in the Bay Area and California in general. They need to disengage from their close relationships with those people creating the problem. Politicians and public unions. Oracle, Tesla and Hewlett Packard are leaving California, to most of us that is a huge red flag, not to politicians and public unions though. The crisis in California will only get worse, we have a debt bomb of unfunded public union pensions that is going to explode on us in the next 10 years. If you think businesses have issues now, just wait, it is about to get much worse.
Actually, Tommy, you and all Americans are followers of our great Leader, President Trump. JustMikey appears to be more devoted to two of the three, Mr. Conway and Mr. Henry. I admire the continued devotion to Mr. Conway.
So let me get this straight, Foust and Hartnett are asking us to reach in our pockets for donations to those providing food and shelter, yet these two contributed part of $700,000 of the $1.2 million to the Measure W campaign? Why didn’t they donate their contributions to those providing food and shelter? Aren’t the people paying for the Measure W increase paying, in some part, to help those providing food and shelter? Or are the Measure W funds just used for paying pensions and benefits? If these two don’t put their money (and it seems like they have quite a bit) where their mouths are, why should I listen to them?
Well, the authors can start by not insinuating that the White man caused all of our problems. They even acknowledged that is was a White population that created Peninsula's wealth. Of course, our demographics have changed because wealth attracts others, including people of color. Can't blame them and they are more than welcome here. Mr. Hartnett, in particular, ought to half his overly generous salary and donate to the cause that he pretends to support. And for once, can we also capitalize the W in Whites as the the news media has been so compliant now in addressing all Blacks with a capital B?
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(9) comments
What I think the first step is for these two authors to actually analyze why we have a problem with business in the first place here in the Bay Area and California in general. They need to disengage from their close relationships with those people creating the problem. Politicians and public unions. Oracle, Tesla and Hewlett Packard are leaving California, to most of us that is a huge red flag, not to politicians and public unions though. The crisis in California will only get worse, we have a debt bomb of unfunded public union pensions that is going to explode on us in the next 10 years. If you think businesses have issues now, just wait, it is about to get much worse.
Have you ever replied or posted anything without feeling the need to denigrate those who you disagreed with.?
Oh dear, looks like JustMikey has found a new owner, likely an unwilling one, but every follower needs a master.
You mean like puppy dog you and Master Trump?? LOL
Actually, Tommy, you and all Americans are followers of our great Leader, President Trump. JustMikey appears to be more devoted to two of the three, Mr. Conway and Mr. Henry. I admire the continued devotion to Mr. Conway.
Terence, Chris Conway morphed into Patrick Henry, read the room.
Impossible.
So let me get this straight, Foust and Hartnett are asking us to reach in our pockets for donations to those providing food and shelter, yet these two contributed part of $700,000 of the $1.2 million to the Measure W campaign? Why didn’t they donate their contributions to those providing food and shelter? Aren’t the people paying for the Measure W increase paying, in some part, to help those providing food and shelter? Or are the Measure W funds just used for paying pensions and benefits? If these two don’t put their money (and it seems like they have quite a bit) where their mouths are, why should I listen to them?
Well, the authors can start by not insinuating that the White man caused all of our problems. They even acknowledged that is was a White population that created Peninsula's wealth. Of course, our demographics have changed because wealth attracts others, including people of color. Can't blame them and they are more than welcome here. Mr. Hartnett, in particular, ought to half his overly generous salary and donate to the cause that he pretends to support. And for once, can we also capitalize the W in Whites as the the news media has been so compliant now in addressing all Blacks with a capital B?
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Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.