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growth, income levels, freeway and rail transportation, land costs, police protection and a business-friendly attitude at City Hall. As a well-planned and carefully managed city, Beaumont is perfectly positioned to meet those needs. Today, we're a city of nearly 40,000 people located in a region expected to reach a population of 100,000 within a few years. Our median family income is $65,000-a-year, and home prices and housing construction are rising. During the first half of 2013, more than 300 homes were built in Beaumont, where homes prices rose about 13 percent to $215,000. Beaumont generated about $3.6 million in sales tax revenue during 2012/2013 — more than twice the amount generated in 2000. We're also a "hub of transportation" located in the heart of the strategic Inland Empire. Beaumont is connected to the US and world economy by rail and Interstate 10. Each day, about 144,000 vehicles pass through our hometown along the freeway. Work is underway on a new $65 million interchange for the Potrero Bypass at I-10/ Highway 60. The project will open up 2,000 acres for development and create thousands of new, good-paying jobs. As a city, we're dedicated to strengthening public safety and working closely with the businesses community. The Beaumont Police Department offers many services to make our hometown a safe place to live, work and play. The Community-Oriented Policing and Problem Solving (COPPS) Team works closely on crime prevention with local businesses and works with those wanting to relocate to Beaumont. And the Police Department keeps in close touch with the community. You may have noticed signs around town that read, "Beaumont Cares. If you see something, say something. Please call 911." At City Hall, we cut through red tape, uphold our Core Values, and offer programs to help local businesses. Beaumont's awardwinning local Economic Stimulus Program cut building and processing fees, built many public improvements using redevelopment funds and boosted our local economy by making development more affordable. WHAT CAN WE DO AS RESIDENTS TO HELP THE CITY ATTRACT BUSINESSES TO TOWN? Mayor Roger Berg: Each of us has a role to play in creating the city of our dreams and making Beaumont even more prosperous for future generations. At City Hall, we work with companies big and small to help find the perfect location for their stores. We guide businesses through the steps to obtain a business license and the approval and permit process, including the Planning Commission, and the City Council. We partner with our local utilities like Southern California Edison and Southern California Gas Company to encourage energy efficiency and help businesses save money on their utility bills through special programs and services. Local residents play a vital role in attracting new businesses to our hometown. 0ne of the best ways to do that is to shop local! By purchasing goods and services from your neighbors, you boost Beaumont's economy, lift spirits and help pay for needed services like police protection and paramedics. It's a commitment to your community and local businesses. And you can get personally involved in bringing new stores to town in a fun, easy way! Residents can contact their favorite stores, tell them about Beaumont, and invite them to open a new location. Some companies even have a "Request Location Form" on their websites. And don't forget, Beaumont cares about small businesses too! Beaumont's Business Resource Center was created to help entrepreneurs understand the rules and regulatory processes for opening, expanding, or making changes to small businesses. We're available to offer helpful information, guidance, and referral services about Beaumont's permit and development process. For information on how we can help you, please call the Business Hotline at (951) 7698518 or visit www.BeaumontCares.com and click on "Doing Business." If you have any additional questions on what draws businesses to come to our city and how you can help, we encourage you to call Community Development Analyst Kyle Warsinski at the Economic Development Department, (951) 769-8520. "With the Inland Empire's economy on the mend, our cities need strong, capable economic development departments. They help our cities remain competitive when it comes to creating jobs and generating tax revenues for local governments. Over the years, I've worked with many cities and Beaumont has been one of the most innovative." - Inland Empire Economist John Husing BEAUMONT NOW | SEPTEMBER 2013 9

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