HERE’S WHAT BIZFED BOARD DECIDED IN JUNE
Many thanks to our June Board Meeting host Charles R. Drew University!
Here’s what we covered at the meeting:
BizFed OPPOSES LA COUNTY’S “SAFE, CLEAN WATER PROGRAM,”
AS CURRENTLY DRAFTED
The Safe, Clean Water Program is a stormwater parcel tax measure aiming to make the November 2018 ballot. This program would apply an additional tax of 2.5 cents per square foot of impermeable surface area. Due to the many major business community concerns not being addressed by the County of Los Angeles, the Board voted to OPPOSE as currently drafted, the “Safe, Clean Water Program” and to continue to work with LA County officials to develop a measure for the 2020 ballot instead. The BizFed Executive committee will convene on July 9th, to vet the County’s final documents and take a final position. CLICK HERE to download BizFed’s Comment Letter submitted on June 15th, with County responses.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR to JOIN US on Tuesday, July 10th at 9am at the Board of Supervisors Meeting, 500 West Temple St, LA. We need a HUGE TURNOUT of business leaders to speak on this measure.
Time for public private partnerships in tech education
As technology develops and traditional middle-class jobs become more obsolete, it is important that our educational system keeps up to meet the demands of a changing world. BizFed supports SB 1243 (Portantino) which will establish the California State Pathways in Technology Program as a public-private partnership to prepare students for high-skill jobs in technology, manufacturing, health care, and finance. The bill would specify the benefits of the program for participating students, including an opportunity to earn an Associate in Science degree in a high-tech. CLICK HERE TO VIEW LETTER
Bill seeks to hold customers liable for vendors’ abuses
BizFed opposes SB 1402 (Lara) because this bill would unfairly require companies to be liable for situations they have no say over. In order to stop potential labor violations towards truck drivers, SB 1402 seeks to make third-party companies liable for the well-being of the drivers who deliver goods to them – even though that company has absolutely no control over the hiring and wage decisions of the drivers. Instead of cracking down on a few bad apples, SB 1402 punishes good businesses instead. CLICK HERE TO VIEW LETTER OF OPPOSITION
Bill will reduce rental housing stock and make it more expensive
BizFed opposes AB 2343 (Chiu) because it would allow tenants stay in their homes past the evictions notice at the cost of the landlords. The bill will allow the already long and arduous eviction process to extend for months on a variety of vaguely defined criteria. This will negatively impact rental housing stock as owners will choose to convert the properties to for-sale condos or other nonrental uses, as their cost of doing business become untenable. As rental housing stock decreases, prices will increase, adding to the already unaffordable prices we see in LA County. CLICK HERE TO VIEW LETTER OF OPPOSITION
A faster, more efficient connection
The way businesses and consumers communicate and stay in touch has changed dramatically over the years. Many families rely on smartphones for daily communication and internet access; within L.A. County, a smartphone can often be the only access to the internet within a household. This reliance on mobile devices has resulted in a huge increase in the demand for wireless data, and current networks. BizFed being technology neutral, we understand that LA County needs to take the necessary steps to update our communications network and infrastructure, we support policy changes that encourage local jurisdiction to adopt policies that expedite small cell deployment and encourages the technology industry to collaborate with local municipalities. In doing so, we can work together to bring about the best communication infrastructure to me the technological demands of today and the future.
Sign on to BizFed’s CEQA Principles
In 2018, BizFed continues to introduce common sense CEQA reforms, like requiring transparency in who files lawsuits to assure that CEQA is used to protect environmental not economic interests, and eliminating “double jeopardy” duplicative CEQA lawsuits for plans and projects. With more and more Californians (including Building Trades members) directly hurt by the housing and transportation crisis, it is encouraging that each year we have more support for common sense reforms. The CEQA committee continues to advocate on these issues, both as BizFed and in collaboration with other stakeholders seeking solutions to our housing, homelessness, poverty, and transportation crises.
CA Water Fix
California Water Fix ensures reliability of water supply to Southern California via a twin tunnel from the Sacramento Bay Delta to Southern California. This will improve the ability to capture some of the state’s major storms, store it in groundwater banks, to be available during droughts or limited supply times. Support for this vital program is needed from the Metropolitan Water Authority Board, who will vote on it on July 10th. Please contact sarah.wiltfong@bizfed.org if you can join us at the MWD Board meeting to show support for this important infrastructure investment.
Water quality and water supply issues being at the hear of BizFed
BizFed has sponsored SB 1133 (Portantino), a bill that would allow our regional water board to accept funding from permittees in purpose of updating our basin plan. The need to update the Basin Plan is critical to managing the costs of stormwater management; which the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works estimates will cost $20 billion countywide. By updating our basin, the cost to meet compliance can drastically be reduced, ultimately reducing the cost that would be pushed on Cities and the business community. SB 1133 is scheduled to be heard by the Assembly Standing Committee on Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials on June 26th. Please sign on to our coalition letter by sending us your company or association logo to DeAndre Valencia at deandre.valencia@bizfed.org. Click here to download the Coalition Letter in support of SB 1133
Meet and Greet with Metro CEO, Phil Washington
Phil Washington, CEO of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority spoke to our membership about two strategic goals: provide high-quality mobility options that enable less time spent traveling and transform LA County through regional collaboration and national leadership. He stressed that in order to accomplish these goals and achieve the project goals for ways to accelerate project delivery, LA Metro needs funding from SB 1, Measures R and M. CLICK HERE FOR HIS FULL BIO
BizFed 10th Anniversary Champion Awardee Gary Toebben of the
LA Area Chamber
This month, Gary Tobben, retiring President & CEO of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, was awarded the BizFed 10th Anniversary Champion Award for his steadfast commitment to advocating for business within the city of Los Angeles and his role as a founding member of BizFed. Toebben has served on the Mayor’s L.A. Economy & Jobs Committee, the L.A. County Health Care Options Task Force and the City Council’s Business Retention & Attraction Task Force. He has championed local and state ballot initiatives on transportation and economic development and is highly involved in statewide business groups including the CalChamber and a coalition of regional economic development associations spanning the entire state. BizFed wishes him a great retirement.
Ready for our Freshman Policymakers Party? August 2nd
Join us as a sponsor, a member of our Host Committee, or as an Attendee! See you on August 2nd in Hollywood!
Tracy Hernandez
http://bizfed.nationbuilder.com/ |
