San Bernardino News Daily Local news for San Bernardino, about San Bernardino.
By Cliff Cummings
If you listen to the chattering classes on social media San Bernardino is done. Toast…Finished. All people seem to want to do is tear down the leadership of the city and point out the mistakes, and sadly the media is all too happy to pile on. But as a long-time resident of the City and business owner I see a different picture. There is quite a bit more light than darkness.
The Cummings family had better believe in San Bernardino and we do, because we are investing millions of dollars in a brand new, state-of-the-art Toyota dealership which will open in June. The Toyota dealership sits right on the 215-freeway which gives it extraordinary visibility. In addition, we are in the process of hiring as many as 40 new employees for the expansion. Soon afterwards, the existing Toyota location will be razed to make way for a new 61,000 square foot multi-million-dollar Subaru dealership. We expect this process, which started last week, will take approximately two years to complete. In other news, we recently purchased the San Bernardino Nissan dealership. All these moves have been aided by a new attitude at City Hall which is more business friendly. Actually, San Bernardino appears open for business and eager for opportunities.
Amazon, San Manuel and Capitalist Masters Group must believe in San Bernardino as those 3 entities have invested tens of millions of dollars in the City.
The airport is starting to take off. The unmanned aerial vehicle training center that was the brain-child of Supervisor Curt Hagman continues to grow and is a model now for others to follow. Mike Burroughs and board at IVDA are doing a great job brining opportunities to the airport.
The Carousel Mall is making progress towards reinvention. It is only a glimmer right now but hiring a consultant to lead the redevelopment of the property is a positive step.
I am very pleased as a previous member that the Arrowhead Country Club reportedly appears to have a buyer that is committed to making it a jewel of a country club again. I have often said if you want to gauge the health of a community’s economy, go visit the local golf club.
The college will re-open again to students, as will local restaurants, bars and entertainment venues.
There are many hopeful signs for San Bernardino, but much hard work remains. The City leadership needs to get better at the basics. Communication between the city and residents is often poor, and hiring a new public information officer, which is in the works, will help that.
Police response time needs to improve, and the visibility of police must be greater. To that end, the passage of Measure-S will provide millions of dollars that can and should be invested in infrastructure, particularly street repairs, lighting for safety purposes and law enforcement.
Beyond that, get rid of the graffiti, and keep the trash picked up. Let me emphasize, fix the potholes. The new city manager, Rob Field, is aggressively attacking these problems and having met with him several times I have confidence he is more than up to the task. He needs the support of the city council, business community, and residents.
San Bernardino is not a lost cause, far from it.
Thank you for this positive story. I love San Bernardino and would love for my children’s children to see the fantastic place it was and can be again.
Thanks for the support!
Extremely well said and an exquisite assessment. When a plan is put into place we need to sit back and allow it to come to fruition. Too many cooks in the kitchen will never allow the meal to come to completion.
Amen, Carolyn!!! Great article, Mr. Cummings!! Full of hope and a positive attitude!!. We love our beloved San Bernardino!! She desperately needs a re-birth, with fresh new faces and ideas!!. We are 5 generations, growing up with both sides of our families with family owned businesses. After 42 years of living in the same house we adored and loved, the crime, politics, homelessness, unkept streets and homes and businesses, it was just not safe any longer!!!. It is our prayer that the strategies laid out come to be, she so deserves to be shining and once again, The American City she once was.
We can actually win this battle. There is great support for the success of SB!
Great letter but I’m strongly opposed to raising city taxes. We are already overtaxed with the highest sales tax and utility tax. I refuse to shop in S.B. because of the taxes.
What a positive view of this city’s potential and hope to see the progress unfold. I was born here own a business and have commercial property. We are employers in the city and would love to see emphasis on beatification of residential properties and cleanliness of our city. I dream of the day when we once again have restaurants and shopping.
Agree!
This is great news and gives me a glimmer of hope for our city. I can see a few posotive changes but always room for improvement.
One thing I could see helping our city is having Police take up residence in our city so they have a vested interest in safety.
Loved growing up here in the 60’s and 70’s, always a hub of activitiy, sure miss the old days when people cared about their environment instead of sitting back and just complaining.
Us kids did a lot of volunteer work for the city for school credit, could happen again and free up some of the city workers for other things.
Let’s not forget, we need honesty in City Hall, no more backdoor deals.
Bravo on your articlry.
Thanks for the comments. Stay tuned, we have a good City Manager and dedicated residents who want to win!
I’m so happy to hear this and can’t wait to see the changes! Thank you Jesus for answering prayers!!
This is a very positive out look on our city and well said. The new dealership looks great as I drive by on the 215 fwy. I have purchased from you over the last 10 years and please with your dealership and service.
I moved here in 1997 from Los Angeles and have made the city of San Bernardino my home. I bought my home here and worked for the county of San Bernardino for 23 years now retired. So many of my friends have moved away after retirement, but I think like you and would hope to see our community flourish. Like it’s said, It takes a village. I know we can do better if we can work together. We need good paying jobs and permanent employment. I am a proud Teamster of local 1932 and union is the way to go in my book, our community needs decent wages, security and respect for the work they do. Our streets definitely need repairs, the empty lots need to be maintained and the city trees REALLY need some attention.
San Manuel also contributes so very much to our area and we are very blessed by their generosity. As for Amazon, they need to do better as an employer and as a business resident here in my home. Number 1 addressing the environmental issues surrounding the airport and #2 all the many labor related complaints by its current and previous employees. Again we need good jobs here enough of the part time low paying wage jobs. If we want to see our community grow then we need to give them the resources to do just that. Our area has become the hub of warehouses and sadly Amazon has the highest turn around rate of its employees in the area that I know of.
I have faith in our community as we are always trying to better our community and environment. I am glad to see we have some good city council members on the board now, which give me more hope for the future. Thank you Cliff for all you do to support our fighting community and not walking away as so many have in past. I believe we will rise!!!
I love seeing this! I’ve lived in this city for my whole life (31 years), and am now raising 2 children here as well. I moved to Orange County for three years to go to nursing school, and all my OC friends got daily earfuls about how much I loved this place and couldn’t wait to come back. And a couple earfuls of the ridiculousness of Orange County property values and how I’d be getting so much more value for my dollar back home lol. Everyone thought I was crazy to come back to all the “crime and pollution and this and that”. This place has always been and will forever be my home. I’m so glad to be back and am excited to see our city on the up and up 🙂