With Tesla Motors reportedly debating between Downey and Long Beach as site of its new production and assembly plant, leaders from both cities are beginning to mount recruitment campaigns.

"From my earlier discussion with [Tesla CEO Elon] Musk, he has a keen interest in the history of space exploration and understands the significance of Downey’s former NASA site in creating that history," Downey Mayor Mario Guerra wrote in a mass e-mail. "We have emphasized our City’s rich space history to Mr. Musk in many ways.

"Therefore, when individuals or organizations, such as the Aerospace Legacy Foundation, service organizations, citizens and historical society members ask what you can do to help us bring Tesla Motors to Downey, I ask you all to write letters to Mr. Musk asking him to continue the 70+ years of advanced technology manufacturing history at the site. It would be best if the letter writers would use their own words, so each letter is not a duplicate of the others. This would help tremendously."

Not long after Guerra's e-mail began making its rounds, Gerri Schipske, a Long Beach councilwoman, issued her own press release.

"I just learned that the Mayor of Downey is asking residents to send letters to Tesla in support of the electric vehicle company choosing their city over the City of Long Beach, " Schipske said in the press release. "We can do better than Downey and we need to let Tesla Motors know why they should come here."

Musk is expected to make his decision in the next week or two. Write to him at: Elon Musk, CEO, Tesla Motors & SpaceX, 1 Rocket Road, Hawthorne, CA 90250

You can also e-mail Guerra at mguerra@downeyca.org and I'm sure he would forward the e-mails.