LOS ANGELES : USC Economist Backs ‘Buy American’ Measure

A USC economist Monday said that a “buy American” measure on the June 2 ballot could help the local economy offset the imminent loss of defense jobs resulting from the collapse of the Soviet Union.

The measure, sponsored by City Councilman Zev Yaroslavsky, would give California and Los Angeles County firms preference in bidding on up to $8 billion in city contracts and set a minimum domestic content level for city purchases.

“Fostering non-defense technologies and employment, and using local procurement to provide incentives to people to locate manufacturing here is a good thing,” Richard Drobnick, director of USC’s International Business Education and Research Program, said at a forum co-sponsored by USC and the Japan America Society of Southern California. Others who spoke said that the measure would be difficult to implement because many products are global hybrids.