What the Westside means to Costa Mesa’s economy

Everyone, it seems, has an opinion on what the Westside should be.

And many, if not most of them, think that it should be changed. Fewer

apartments. More upscale houses. Only high-tech companies. No

manufacturing. An artist colony. More pedestrian-friendly. Some have

even suggested that the Westside would be better with fewer Latinos

(who, oddly enough, tend to be more pedestrian-oriented). “Condemn

that property!” “Increase my home’s value!” Everyone wants to bury

the utility lines. But few want to “bury the hatchet.” Before

recreating the Westside in a new image, though, how many really

appreciate what it has to offer? How many really give the Westside

credit for contributing to the overall economic vitality of Costa

Mesa?

It would take an exhaustive study of each and every business on

the Westside in order to perfectly represent it as the micro-economy

that it is. But it is possible to get a good feel for it if you

consider the business makeup of the 92627 ZIP Code. In this southern

portion of Costa Mesa there are more than 1,600 businesses employing

almost 17,000 people, who earn nearly $500 million each year.

While the Westside is entirely within the 92627 area, it certainly

does not comprise the entire employment base. However, the Westside

redevelopment area is home to a great many manufacturing,

construction and wholesale trade businesses. So considering only

these three types of businesses, what would Costa Mesa lose if these

businesses were forced to relocate?

These three business categories alone employ more than 6,700

people at an estimated income of more than $200 million each year.

This is equivalent to nearly 10% of the annual income generated by

residents of the entire city. There would be a considerable rippling

effect if you were to remove just these three business categories

from the area. Since the employees, as well as the businesses

themselves, also require other businesses to provide necessary

products and services. How many restaurants, drug or clothing stores,

markets, doctors and dentists and other services would go out of

business without these businesses and their employees and their

families as customers? Some may argue that new homes in place of

industry will bring families and their incomes to replace what is

lost. Not quite true. An economy is built on creation of products and

services, which create jobs that support the families that purchase

the homes ... and the cycle of dependence continues.

Additionally, a well-balanced economy is not overly dependent upon

one industry. A diversified employment base should include retail,

service, manufacturing, health, education and professionals. One like

this weathers downturns better than one that is extremely dependent

upon a single industry. How many “company towns” thrived when the

business that was the primary employer moved or went bankrupt? Costa

Mesa’s economy has great balance. But, if you begin to tinker with

what makes it operate without regard for the interdependence of all

the working parts, you might find that it fails to support the

community as well as it has.

Granted, this brief article is not a precise representation of the

Westside -- an area that encompasses homes, schools, retail

businesses and professionals as well as the three business categories

examined. But it does serve to demonstrate that the Westside does

support many families that make a substantial financial contribution

to Costa Mesa. The Westside is not a piece of raw land to be carved

up without regard for what will be lost and without concern for those

who depend upon the jobs provided.

* ED FAWCETT is president of the Costa Mesa Chamber of Commerce.