After a unanimous 4-0 vote by the City Council, the City of San Clemente will be creating an ordinance to aid small local businesses as they compete for public contracts handed out by the city.
During his staff report at the council meeting, City Manager Andy Hall stated that the proposed code would contribute to the stimulation of the city's economy by creating and retaining local jobs. He added that in a way, it was an attempt to allow San Clemente residents to be among the first to help their own communities, while also supporting local businesses.
The proposed Local Vendor Preference Ordinance would allow San Clemente businesses to submit contract bids with a 7% discount. The main drawback is that the benefits would not be as extensive as Councilmember Gene James originally proposed when introducing the policy.
Local businesses preparing their Letterheads and submitting contract proposals are ineligible for a Local Preference discount for the time being. However, they can still expect a discount of 3% for services, materials, equipment, and supplies from the city.
If the council approves the ordinance within a few weeks, how the bids from potential local contractors are considered would be at the city's discretion. This means the council may disregard the policy in situations where sticking to it is not deemed to be in the city's best interests.
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