Chamber Builds Consensus with City Hall on Need for a Business Friendly
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IN THIS ISSUE: 10 ways the Chamber helped L.A. business this quarter 3 Feature: Making L.A. more business friendly 4 Why is King’s Seafood Company a Chamber member? 6 Chamber VOICE Fall 2006 • Volume 5 • Issue 4 A quarterly publication of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce Chamber builds consensus with City Hall on Access D.C. 2006 need for a business friendly L.A. keeps paying off Congress moves to extend The Chamber’s five education, workforce funding strategies for a more Following the success of this year’s annual Ac- business-friendly L.A.: cess D.C. advocacy trip in May, the Chamber has its sights on March 26 – 29 for next year’s visit to the nation’s capital. • Make job creation the top priority • Promote international trade This year a delegation of 70 business lead- ers, including L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, • Smarter growth and development convened in Washington, D.C. to spread the message that L.A. is a national asset. • Keep L.A. moving • Prepare L.A.’s future—our children After a successful trip in May, Mayor Villaraigosa will join the Chamber delegation—estimated to be more than 100 business leaders—again ACCESS TO EDUCATION. Panelists speak about the next year. importance of educating L.A.’s youth at this year’s Access L.A. City Hall. From left to right: Mike Lansing, “Access D.C. continues to be one of the Cham- Los Angeles Unified School District board member; David ber’s most successful advocacy events,” said Rattray, Chamber vice president of Education & Workforce Chamber President & CEO Gary Toebben. “We Development; Monica Garcia, LAUSD board member; and have plans to make next year’s even better.” L.A. City Councilmember Jose Huizar. During this year’s four-day event, Chamber members met with over 50 elected officials More than 400 business leaders convened The city faces major challenges, Toebben and build affordable housing. and policymakers to lobby on regional issues for the L.A. Area Chamber’s annual Access L.A. told a standing room only audience in the council City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo emphasized affecting our region, including transportation and City Hall event Thursday, Sept. 21, to spread the chambers. L.A. added nearly 1 million residents but the need for a more business friendly city by goods movement; energy, environment and wa- message that L.A. must cultivate a more business lost more than 50,000 jobs in the last 25 years. advocating for the phasing out of a business tax. ter; international trade; health care; education friendly environment. The Chamber made the “Business and quality of life are not mutually Two out of three businesses leave L.A. to move to and workforce development; and entertainment. connection that strategies that encourage, rather exclusive—they are inexorably tied to one neighboring county cities that are more business than penalize, business will lead to more of the another,” Toebben said. “We cannot build the friendly, he said. The Chamber’s efforts in D.C. continue to pay high-paying jobs that secure a better quality of life L.A. of tomorrow without growing the business “We must remove this obstacle if we have off. After the Education and Workforce Develop- for the city’s working families. community today.” any hope of keeping business and attracting ment team urged reauthorization of the Perkins In addition to opening speakers Mayor Antonio A partnership with the Chamber is crucial, business,” Delgadillo said. “Let’s take the risk. Vocational Education Act, the U.S. Congress Villaraigosa, Council President Eric Garcetti, City Mayor Villaraigosa said, emphasizing the We’re losing money because of the business tax.” voted to reauthorize the act and President Attorney Rocky Delgadillo and City Controller Laura Chamber’s support for his Los Angeles Unified The discussion on improving L.A.’s business George W. Bush signed it into law. The U.S. Chick, Chamber members heard from more than School District reform bill AB 1381 and his trash climate continued throughout the day, including Senate approved a bill that would reauthorize 30 civic leaders and lawmakers on important fee tax hike to hire more police officers. at a breakout session on the topic. Speakers the 1998 Workforce Investment Act, which the issues affecting the L.A. region, including housing “Thank you for your support on AB 1381,” included Councilmember Wendy Greuel and Bill Chamber supported, for another five years. and homelessness, transportation and education. Villaraigosa said. “There were naysayers, but the Allen, president & CEO of the L.A. County Economic Join Chamber members next year as they once Panelists included eight City Councilmembers, city Chamber was strong and a partner throughout… Development Corporation. again share the business community’s vision for general managers, and leaders of L.A. business There is no single entity as supportive of my “We need to mobilize on the leadership front,” a better L.A. organizations. administration as the L.A. Area Chamber of Allen said. “L.A. is a problem area, but we can turn Kicking off the day, Chamber President & CEO Commerce has been, on every issue.” that around.” For more information, contact Director of Public Gary Toebben stressed the need to work hand in Mayor Villaraigosa spoke about the For more information, contact Director of Policy Sam Garrison, 213.580.7568 or hand with Mayor Villaraigosa and the City Council importance of working together with the Chamber Public Policy Sam Garrison, 213.580.7568 or [email protected]. to send the message that L.A values business by on an economic development strategy and the [email protected]. making job creation a top priority. need to invest in the Ports of L.A. and Long Beach Nov. 7 is Election Day. Vote for a better Mayor’s LAUSD bill prevails L.A. with the Chamber’s voting guide with Chamber’s support After months of studying and discussing said Chamber President & CEO Gary Toebben. “We Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s proposal giving him a must put aside our differences and make this a role in governing the Los Angeles Unified School team effort among the school board, mayor and the District, the Chamber provided the support that community.” proved critical to getting the plan, AB 1381, passed The passage of AB 1381 should be the initial in the state legislature. step in structuring a new compact among all Los The Chamber formed a special task force co- Angeles stakeholders that sets common achieve- chaired by Joe Czyzyk, Mercury Air Group, and Don ment goals and appropriate measurements of suc- Jue, IBM, to study the issue. cess, and commits the mayor and all stakeholders to With close votes in the Senate and Assembly, specific actions necessary to reach these goals. the Chamber’s support along with other key busi- “AB 1381 should set the stage for a historic ness and civic groups proved pivotal. compact in Los Angeles that sets clear roles, student In a comprehensive position paper (available achievement goals and measurements of success at www.lachamber.org), the Chamber applauded the for all stakeholders in our community,” Toebben This year go to the voting booth with the L.A. Area Chamber’s easy to work of Supt. Roy Romer and expressed its prefer- said. “Boston’s success in school reforms has been ence for an LAUSD governance structure with clear a 15-year process that happened largely because of use voting guide, tucked inside of this issue of the VOICE. Read about accountability, in which the mayor would appoint a such a compact.” the Chamber’s positions and take it with you to the polls on Tuesday, board of trustees with fixed terms of office. But the For more information on the Chamber’s efforts Nov. 7. The voting guide provides you with the Chamber’s positions on Chamber concluded that in the short-term, AB 1381 in LAUSD reform, contact V.P. of Education & Work- key issues on this year’s important ballot, from the crucial infrastructure is a positive first step of reform. force Development David Rattray, 213.482.3987 or bonds to Los Angeles’ $1 billion housing bond. This election year, join us “The most important decision any governing [email protected]. in making the voice of business loud and clear. body can make is selecting an outstanding leader,” Chamber October 2006 A better L.A. CALENDAR OF EVENTS 10 ways the Chamber helped your businessVOICESeen + heard at the Chamber is our business You won’t want to miss an event at In addition to powering our advocacy efforts on your behalf at L.A. City Hall this quarter, your the Chamber this fall. Go online at investment in the Chamber supports our mission to build a stronger economy and quality of life I want to thank the members of the Los Angeles Area in the region. Here are a few ways we helped improve L.A. business this quarter: Chamber of Commerce for being visionary companies who www.lachamber.org to view and understand how essential dynamic business leadership register for upcoming events. is to making L.A. a better place to live, work and conduct Below are highlights of some of our upcoming key events. Championed Lobbied Hosted roundtable business. As members, you understand the political necessity 1 4 8 for businesses to speak with a unifi ed voice in support and “Rebuild California” successfully to to educate small opposition of legislation and government regulations, which infrastructure bonds on block annual indexing business owners on impact your ability to compete in a global marketplace and November’s state ballot of minimum wage doing business with create good jobs in our community.