With the rocky economy pushing the county unemployment rate past 9 percent, the Napa County Board of Supervisors is considering a local hiring and purchase preference aimed at pumping money into the economy and stimulating local job growth.

“As we spend dollars on our community, we’d like to see those dollars circulate back through our community,” Supervisor Mark Luce said.

Particularly in this economic climate, Supervisor Brad Wagenknecht said that Napa County should look out for its own. “Right now, our unemployment rate is over 9 percent, and that’s the highest it’s been in my memory,” Wagenknecht said.

Exactly how the county will drive more of its dollars into local hands remains unclear. State laws governing so-called general law counties such as Napa restrict certain preference programs and often require local governments to work with the lowest bidder no matter where they are based.

“There are some limits,” Luce said. “There’re certain things that we have to go to the lowest price by law.”

But if there is a viable way to make sure that county’s expenditures stay in the community, supervisors say they want to do it.

One idea is a local vendor preference program, which would provide a preference credit to local businesses when the county is evaluating bids for goods, supplies and possibly services. Of California’s 58 counties, 33 have local vendor preferences.

Any such measure would have limitations. For example, because it is a general law county, Napa is unable to award construction and road repair projects to anyone but the lowest bidder.

Another idea is a rule that requires general contractors on government construction projects to sign an agreement with affected local unions covering the terms and conditions of work. The agreements might give preference to local workers, for example, and unions might agree not to strike during the construction project.

County officials are also looking at expanding a local vendor preference that currently applies only to the purchase of cars. In July of 2006, the board approved a 5 percent local vendor preference for its fleet of vehicles, but other goods are still acquired based on cost alone.

Today, that issue is back up for debate.

Wagenknecht acknowledges that all of these ideas, if implemented, could cost Napa County in the short term. But it would be repaid with a more vibrant local economy.

“Local people spend taxes,” Wagenknecht said. “We may lose in the short term, but we gain in the long term.”

Tony Grillo, Napa County’s purchasing manager, said county staff will meet this week to consider local hiring and purchase preferences. The county will also form a steering committee made up of members of both the public and private sectors, he said.