Chamber Reaffirms Its Support for the UCR School of Medicine

The 35th Annual Mayor’s State of the City Address was a tremendous success. The Chamber would again like to thank everyone who made this year’s event possible. The Chamber would also like to congratulate this year’s award winners including the 2011 Hero of the Year Award recipient, Mayor Ronald Loveridge.

The Mayor’s 32 years of public service reminds us of the importance of perseverance and the value of optimism.

With state redevelopment agencies having been officially dissolved, the plans for economic development in the region are uncertain. Nearing the end of his final term, and in the midst of this challenge, the Mayor continues to look ahead and see the promise of Riverside and Inland Southern California. The Chamber will follow this example in the coming months as we work in support of efforts to build a stronger local economy.

The release of the 2012-2013 budget proposal has presented new obstacles on the road to the completion of the UCR School of Medicine. However, the Chamber understands how important the School of Medicine is to our region’s economy and quality of life. It remains this region’s number one priority. In addition to the economic benefits the school will bring to the area, the opening of the School of Medicine will help address the concerns caused by our area being medically underserved.

In January, the Chamber testified at the UC Board of Regents meeting urging the approval of funding that would enable the School of Medicine to move forward. There is a dramatic health care need in our community and it is important to note that this is not only a health care issue; it is also a social justice issue.

The School of Medicine is an extremely important investment for our area and the Chamber will continue to stand by UCR and support its efforts to open the school.

As Mayor Loveridge delivered his final State of the City address, he imparted us with invaluable advice concerning our region’s efforts to improve our economy. “The success of our future is closely tied to being a university community—to wit, UCR’s medical school.” We take this advice seriously and look forward to applying perseverance and optimism to build a stronger local economy.