Rep. Susan Davis Addresses Spring Valley Concerns

Congresswoman Susan Davis said her biggest goals are to create jobs and strengthen the middle class during a presentation to Spring Valley residents at the meeting Thursday night.

About 20 community members shared their opinions regarding jobs, the economy, and other issues with the representative, who provided an update of her work in Washington and accepted questions from attendees.

“I think we all see what’s happening,” Davis said. “A lot of folks are just feeling that they’re not able to even stay at where they’ve been or want to be. It’s a very, very difficult time for everybody. We hear from folks every day that are feeling that way.”

To help people find jobs, Davis said she will host a Boot Camp for Job Seekers on Aug. 30 at the University of San Diego.

In addition, she said she wants congress to concentrate on creating jobs after the August recess. Davis said she likes the idea of an infrastructure bank that partners private industries and businesses with government to create opportunities to build and fix bridges, roads, schools and other projects.

“There are jobs that need to be done, and there are people who do those jobs, so we need to bring those together,” Davis said. “That’s part of the effort that we’re going to be working on.”

One audience member interrupted Davis to say that it's not just construction workers who need jobs. Davis agreed and noted that managers, accountants and others could assist with these types of projects.

Davis also said Congress needs to look at ways it can stop jobs from being outsourced.

“We want to bring those [jobs] back,” Davis said. “We’ve tried to do that in the past, and it hasn’t necessarily created the jobs that it could, but I think there is a way to write that legislation that would do that and would be fair.”

The Democratic representative, who legislates the 53rd District including a handful of East County communities, encouraged people to also buy products made in the U.S. so that jobs stay in the U.S.

“People have an interest in having things made in America,” she said. “When you’re purchasing something and you’re looking, buy those goods that are made in America.”

To assist the middle class, Davis said congress needs to consider changes to the tax code.

“It’s got to be fair for people,” she said.

One audience member asked her what see saw as her role in “making things happen.”

Davis said she can “give that message to the people who are representing those of us in the House of Representatives, on both sides of the aisle.”

“I think it has to be done in a way that people see there are both attempts at cutting spending, but there are also attempts at creating revenues. We know we’re not going to get there if we don’t do both of those things,” Davis said. “And then, on the other hand, we need to find ways of creating more jobs because if people are working, revenues are rising and that’s a good thing for everybody.”

Davis told the small crowd that she shared their frustrations, but she believes Congress can make changes after the August recess.

“As frustrating as this is, this may be a key opportunity that hasn’t been there in a while, and we need to take advantage of that,” Davis said. “I can do that, in terms of my approach to people from the House, particularly.

“They’re not unsolvable,” she added. “I think we pretty much know what needs to be done in the short term, and then in the long term.”