Affordable Housing The Chamber supports redevelopment to expand the supply of low and moderate-income housing. Housing prices in Santa Barbara continue to be some of the highest in the state and this often discourages people from living in the area. It will be highly beneficial to employers in Santa Barbara if the city and county provide workforce housing to more people. This will allow workers to be able to live, work and contribute to the economy of Santa Barbara County.
Building Height Limits The Santa Barbara Region Chamber of Commerce would like to see this discussion be included as a part of the General Plan Outreach effort and be thoroughly considered. If the city were to further restrict height limits in the El Pueblo Viejo District, there would be 1200 property owners that would see their property be downzoned. This is also the city's commercial downtown area and of great interest to business, tourist industries and interest groups. Therefore any changes are bound to be controversial and should be carefully thought out.
Gang Violence The stabbing of a 15 year old boy was a wake up call for many of us. The Santa Barbara Region Chamber of Commerce is deeply distraught over the hostilities that took place on State Street Wednesday, March 14, 2007. We believe that gangs are a threat to our community's safety. Although one stabbing does not mean Santa Barbara is not a safe place, the public must work to make sure the gang problem does not get out of control and that our residents, tourists and children remain safe.
Healthcare Reform The CalChamber there must be a public-private partnership solution to health care affordability and access. The CalChamber will work to promote efforts to contain costs and improve access by supporting a health care system that is affordable and improves the overall health of California citizens. Also, they will initiate and support efforts to inform and educate policy makers, the public and the media on the role private employers play in voluntarily providing and financing health care coverage for their employees. In addition the CalChamber will work to contain costs and avoid unnecessary and expensive regulatory controls, including mandates.
Homelessness The Santa Barbara Region Chamber of Commerce believes that we must deal with homelessness as a community. While the creation of Casa Esperanza did help relieve the problem, it is not the answer. We must continue working with city officials and the homeless to solve this very complex societal problem.
Measure D And what would you do with a billion dollars? The Association of Governments will re-craft their infrastructure transportation sales over-ride ballot proposal...whew, that's a mouthful... for resubmission to the voters. Hopefully, they will craft a less aggressive package that looks at realistic projects to meet the needs of both north and south county voters. We need this money folks; we need to maintain our roads...encourage your elected officials to be prudent so that we can all support the measure.
Santa Barbara City General Plan Update We will all now take two years to update our city general plan...that's fine, we can all play. At the same time, we need to give some serious thought to what limits, if any, we are going to impose on commercial construction. That limiting legislation expires next year.
Taxation California continues to suffer from significant structural deficits and growing expenditures that overwhelm its tax revenues. California's "big three" taxes - the personal income tax, corporate tax, and sales and use tax - make up 95 percent of the state's General Fund budget revenues. Projections released in November 2006 by the Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO) indicate that, even with moderate revenue growth, tax receipts will not keep pace with faster-growing expenditures over the next five fiscal years. At the same time, California's tax burden continues to rank as one of the worst in the country. Nevertheless, the California Chamber of Commerce believes that the goals of a fair tax structure and sufficient budget revenues need not be mutually exclusive. Increased economic activity will increase the revenue stream, and a tax structure that attracts and encourages business growth and investments will stimulate the economy. Coupled with reforms in other key policy areas, meaningful tax reform would go a long ways toward building a bright economic future for California.
Tourism The tourism industry is a major source of strength for the state's economy. Tourism is the fourth largest employer and fifth largest contributor to the gross state product. Nevertheless, the industry has suffered from some neglect by policymakers, especially in the budgeting process. State support for promoting tourism has historically been very modest, averaging about $5 million a year for the last 20 years. CalChamber would like to encourage increased travel to California by fostering investment in advertising and improvements to tourism infrastructure, considering the important role of tourism in the states economy and plans for economic recovery.
Trade California is among the 10 largest economies in the world with a gross state product of more than $1.5 trillion. International-related commerce accounts for approximately one-quarter of the states economy. Although trade is a nationally determined policy issue, its impact on California is immense. Therefore the CalChamber will work to support negotiations, legislation, and regulations allowing California companies to compete more effectively in foreign markets and to attract more business to California.
Traffic The long awaited safety lane improvement project is expected to begin soon. After four years waiting for funding, Caltrans has money to build two new lanes on 101 between Hot Springs and Milpas. Four years of construction coming your way. It seems like it is time to get serious about modifying the old paradigm of one-person one car and get to work at 8. We can easily solve this traffic problem if all of us agree that during the eekdays we will only make 8 trips driving alone during prime drive time. This means that just twice a week you avoid driving alone from 6:30-8:30 AM or 4:30-6:30 PM. This will solve both the freeway and surface street congestion. It’s a simple thing, and it's the right thing to do.
Transportation An effective infrastructure network, including a transportation system that efficiently moves people, goods and services, is essential to California's economic prosperity and quality of life. Even with the approval of the transportation bond in November 2006, California's business climate and lifestyle are endangered by decades of under-investments and poor planning for roadways, schools, hosing, levees and other infrastructure. California voters clearly understood these challenges with the overwhelming approval of $37 billion in infrastructure bonds and strong protections for the use of $1.4 billion in annual gasoline sales tax revenues. CalChamber will develop and maintain a statewide transportation network that is adequate for the needs of business, agriculture and individual citizens.
Worker's Compensation California's workers' compensation system has undergone major transformation in the last four years. In terms of what an average policyholder pays, workers' compensation rates per $100 of payroll have decreased from the high in 2003 of $6.47 to $3.75 in the first half of 2006. Unfortunately, despite these great strides, California still ranks second highest in the nation following Alaska. CalChamber works to promote legislative, judicial and regulatory actions that maintain an efficient workers compensation system that provides adequate worker benefits while protecting the competitive position of California employers. They also work to ensure that workers’ compensation reforms are implemented as the reformers intended. CalChamber plays a “watchdog” role to ensure that members and the media are informed about the implementation process so the legislative gains are protected, costs are reduced and the system is more efficient for employers and injured workers.
Get involved in the issues that affect our companies and quickly
contact your elected officials. When there is a legislative alert,
we will post it here.
Get involved in the issues that affect our companies and quickly
contact your elected officials. When there is a legislative alert,
we will post it here.
