On Wednesday, Nov. 12, a senior manager from the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation outlined county-level services meant to help Cerritos businesses with permitting, financing and workforce training.

Leonard Morales, introduced by staff as a LAEDC senior district manager, told commissioners LAEDC provides confidential business consulting, permit and license coordination with county departments and cities, tax-incentive guidance, site selection assistance and connections to financing such as grants and SBA loans. "Our mission is reinventing our economy to collaboratively advance growth and prosperity for all," Morales said.

Morales described workforce programs that connect employers with the America's Job Center network and on-the-job training subsidies that can help cover wages for up to three months while new hires are trained. He said LAEDC also runs industry-targeted programs such as lean manufacturing training and conducts economic-impact studies through its Institute of Applied Economics.

On large upcoming events, Morales said LAEDC is working with LA28 and other event organizers to promote local contracting opportunities and "is advocating that 88% of those contracts should be allocated to minority owned businesses." He also described outreach channels the agency uses to reach businesses, including webinars, radio and social media.

Commissioners pressed Morales on how LAEDC prioritizes requests from the county's 88 cities. "You have to be boots on the ground," Morales said, describing local engagement, regular contact with city economic-development teams, and data work from the Institute of Applied Economics to identify industry clusters and early-warning indicators for cities.

Vice Chair Hu pressed on resources and influence. Morales said LAEDC raises funds from philanthropic sources and membership revenue to run programs and that it manages some supervisor-district grant programs launched after the COVID emergency. Hu warned of local cost pressures, saying "small business in California, they are dying" as wages, utilities and taxes rise; Morales responded that LAEDC's role is to provide technical assistance and to help businesses access funding rather than to set tax or utility policy.

The presentation lasted more than an hour, and commissioners thanked LAEDC for the overview and for continuing to provide county-level data and services that cities can leverage. The commission had no public speakers on the item and moved to the next agenda item after brief follow-up questions.