HERE’S WHAT THE BIZFED BOARD DECIDED IN SEPTEMBER
Many thanks to our September Board Meeting host Southern California Edison!
Long Beach Measure WW could leave many hotel workers unprotected
| BizFed OPPOSES Long Beach Measure WW, an attempt by organized labor to create a difference set of rules for their employees under the guise of safety. This measure will require employees who work in guest rooms to have a “panic button” on their person at all times while requiring a hotel worker to be paid twice the regular rate (Double Time) if they clean more than 4,000 square feet of floorspace in any eight-hour work day. The double time will only apply to hotels with more than 50 rooms while hotels with labor agreements would be exempt, panic buttons would apply to all hotels. This will only apply to hotels with more than 50 rooms while hotels with labor agreements would be exempt. If this can happen in Long Beach, it can happen on other parts of LA County, if it can happen this industry, it can happen to yours. Click Here for link to additional materials. |
Support building homes for Veterans and the Working Class
| California is in the midst of a housing crisis where one in three Californians can’t afford their rent and housing costs; nearly a quarter of the nation’s total homeless population living here. California is also home to the highest numbers of veterans and unaccompanied youth and minors experiencing homelessness. BizFed supports Prop. 1 a $4 billion bond to help military veterans have a safe place to call home and provide stable housing for struggling families and the homeless. The bond will build affordable housing, boosting California’s economy by 137,000 jobs and $23.4 Billon. Support Prop 1 by completing this online endorsement form. |
Redirect Millionaires Tax to aid the homlessness crisis
| BizFed supports Prop. 2 which would authorize California to designate $2 billion in bonds for homeless prevention housing from the already passed “millionaires’ tax”. The revenues from the “millionaires’ tax”, which was passed in 2004, would redirect $2 billion from mental health services to build housing for homeless Californians living with a serious mental illness or at great risk of becoming homeless. Support Prop. 2 by completing this online endorsement form. |
The Not-So-Independent Bank of LA
| The LA City Council is proposing to LA voters to amend the City’s Charter to allow a city run public bank. Voters are being misled to believe that the creation of this municipal bank as a viable alternative to traditional banks or a solution to challenges such as lack of affordable housing. The City’s own Chief Legislative Analyst has already identified that there is no funding source to capitalize a bank, this bank will have difficulty providing adequate collateral to support the City banking requirements, and that start-up costs are exorbitant with no available source of funds to cover them. |
Pasadena wants to tax its residents before anyone else does
| Pasadena City Council is asking voters to raise the city’s sales tax from 9.5% to the state cap of 10.25%. This ¾ cent sales tax increase will be detrimental to Pasadena retailers, especially high price-tag items and restaurants. There is no specific purpose for this revenue and the city has made no attempt to cut costs before asking the voters to raise the sales tax. Based on a survey of Pasadena business owners, 77% are opposed to the measure. Rather, Pasadena should attempt to economize or even create a long-term organizational strategy for the estimated $3.6 million budget shortfall facing Pasadena by 2020. |
Meet and Greet with State Senator Ling Ling Chang (SD 29)
| As a freshman State Senator for the 29th Senate District, Ling Ling Chang, spoke to our membership about her plans to be an advocate in the State Senate for business. Senator Chang credits her recent election in a recall to restoring some sort of balance to the State Senate where democrats no longer hold a supermajority. She encouraged business owners to let their elected officials know their thoughts on policy even if their representative is not known for being “business friendly”. Click here to read her biography. |
New Vision for LA Unified School District
Austin Beutner, LAUSD Superintendent spoke to our Board Members about his new vision for LAUSD. Superintendent Beutner hopes to reimagine the district from the school site up, rather than the traditional district down approach. He sees great value in having both career and college paths for students that allow students to be flexible as they grow and develop new goals. He hopes to streamline the bureaucracy that currently boasts 1,412 job classifications and 68 million square feet of under-utilized real estate in Downtown LA.
LAUSD is in the midst of labor negotiations with its largest union, the United Teachers of LA. UTLA is demanding an additional $1.4 billion extra per year for salaries, which LAUSD claims would force it to lay off 12,000 employees. Reports of an imminent strike are concerning to business across LA, who would have to cope with employees struggling with childcare if schools are understaffed or closed due to a strike. In a strike, many parents will have to miss work and/or lose out on wages to take care of their kids, which has ripple effects felt throughout our regional economy. |
BizFed 10th Anniversary Champion Awardee Pilar Hoyos, Watson Land Company
| This month, Pilar Hoyos, Watson Land Company, was awarded the BizFed 10th Anniversary Champion Award for her steadfast commitment to the business community and being a pioneer in business advocacy. As a founding member of BizFed and founding chair of the BizFed PAC Pilar Hoyos is always ready to advocate for business and to simply do what is right for our economy and jobs. Congratulations. |
Happy Birthday Madam Chair and Founding Chair!
| BizFed Board Members gathered to celebrate Hilary Norton’s Birthday! Today, Thursday September 20, both Hilary Norton and David Fleming celebrate their birthdays! We wish them many more! |
Welcome our Newest Members!
Our Next Board Meeting
Tuesday, October 16, 2018
Port of LA
Meet and Greet:
Mario Cordero
Executive Director, Port of Long Beach
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