Vernon Powers LA — And Metro’s Plan Puts It at Risk

Vernon is one of California’s most important industrial cities — home to over 50,000 workers and more than 1,400 businesses.

From food processing and textiles to logistics and clean manufacturing, Vernon helps keep Los Angeles running. But Metro’s Link US / BNSF expansion threatens to cut Vernon in half, displacing long-standing employers, severing shipping routes, and shrinking the tax base that supports regional infrastructure and jobs.

A $6.5 Billion Economic Engine

Vernon businesses generate more than $6.5 billion in annual economic output. These are not speculative developments — they are existing, established employers with deep roots in Southern California.

If this plan moves forward as proposed, Metro will force many of these companies to relocate or shut down entirely. That means fewer jobs, less revenue, and a weaker regional economy.

Real Jobs. Real Workers. Real Consequences.

The people who work in Vernon are forklift operators, production managers, quality control teams, and union laborers. These are good, middle-class jobs that sustain families and communities across LA County.

This plan puts those jobs on the line — not in theory, but in practice. Without certainty and continuity, companies are already reconsidering their long-term investment in Vernon.

We Support Infrastructure — But Not at This Cost

The Vernon Chamber and its members support smart transit investments. But this plan is not smart. It’s harmful, rushed, and needlessly disruptive. Metro has alternatives — but they’ve chosen a path that targets Vernon unfairly.

We urge Metro to press pause, reevaluate, and work with our businesses — not against them.