High-Tech Industry to Flex Political Muscle Again

Published: Friday, July 18, 2008 2:34 PM PDT

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In March, Joaquin Sapien wrote a story about a land-use victory for the local biotechnology and high-technology sectors that was indicative of their rising voice in local politics.

In the story, Kevin Carroll, executive director of the San Diego Council of the American Electronic Association, a national lobbying organization that represents the technology industry, said this:

"The hard-fought win on preserving industrial land is only the first step in the tech and bio community flexing their new-found political muscle."

It seems the next step may be coming.

I met with Carroll today and he said ballooning energy costs may well spur the next big political push from the industry. He wants the high-tech community, largely clustered in Sorrento Mesa, to have better access to public transit so employees traveling from all over the county can have a cheaper ride to work.

In the next few months, Carroll said he'll be meeting with BIOCOM, a life science trade association, and Qualcomm executives to form a coalition that will remind elected officials that the high-tech and biotech industries are the "economic engines" of the region and that they deserve their fair share of the transit dollars.

I'll keep you posted.

-- DARRYN BENNETT