Local Politicians Champion Biotech

Politicians including San Mateo Assemblyman Jerry Hill gathered in Belmont on Friday to discuss how to keep the biotechnology industry in the Bay Area.

The Peninsula politicians joined business advocates to discuss ways to promote a regional economic development strategy, with a special emphasis on biotech. Besides Hill, the group included San Mateo County Supervisor Don Horsley, South San Francisco Mayor Kevin Mullin, Redwood City Councilmember Rosanne Foust and others.

The meeting took place in a conference room at the San Mateo County Economic Development Association headquarters on Lakeshore Drive near Highway 101.

Hill said there are 350 biotechnology business located in the Bay Area that offer 15,000 jobs to local residents. But as the industry has grown in popularity and revenue-generating potential, so has interest from regions outside the Bay Area. Some have begun offering lucrative opportunities to the businesses in an effort to lure them away.

Biotechnology generated $567 million in payroll in San Mateo County last year, said Hill.

"There are number of great companies doing great things here," he said.

He cited as an example the fact that South San Francisco-based Genentech, the crown jewel of the biotech industry both locally and abroad, has relocated some of its services to Oregon due in part to the restrictive tax policy in place in California.

Hill said he was sponsoring bills in the state Legislature that would eliminate redundancies for biotech companies in terms of their being forced to undergo multiple health inspections from state and federal agencies, which take up the businesses' resources.

Mullin, who touted his city as "the birthplace of biotech," spoke about the benefit to the greater Bay Area when local businesses succeed.

"A rising tide floats all boats," he said.

Mullin also talked about the ways he has advocated for a collaboration between the local school system in South San Francisco and the biotech business community. He said he would like to see the relationship between them grow.

Horsley commented on the necessity of keeping abreast of developments in the local biotech industry in order to find opportunities for expansion.

He said the next time the group gets together they will invite congresswomen Jackie Speier and Anna Eshoo in order to get federal representation at the meeting.