HERE'S WHAT BIZFED BOARD DECIDED IN DECEMBER
Many thanks to our December Board Meeting host Metropolitan Water District!
Here's what we covered at the meeting:
Celebrate 10 Years as the Leading Voice of Business!
2018 will mark 10 years since the founding of BizFed, and you are cordially invited to our 10th Anniversary Press event on Tuesday, January 30th at the Kenneth Hahn of Administration in Downtown Los Angeles.
Through the last ten years, BizFed has created a massive grassroots alliance of trade associations, minority business groups, economic development organizations, non-profits and public agencies to promote a stronger economy. BizFed members have mobilized 325,000 businesses employing more than 3 million people across Los Angeles County to advocate at local, regional, state and federal levels of government to ensure sustainable economic growth. We represent.
We have invited hundreds of BizFed supported local elected officials and partners to stand with us as we celebrate, and ask that you mark your calendars to celebrate 10 years of accomplishment, and the many BizFed wins yet to come!
Please RSVP by clicking HERE
Oppose Moratorium on New Gas Service Connections
The CPUC, CEC, CAISO, and LADWP released a supplement to their 2017-18 Winter Risk Assessment Technical Report. In this supplement, ACTAG recommended that the County of LA consider an “emergency moratorium” on new gas service connections in the areas of the county served by Aliso Canyon as a means of future demand reduction. This could jeopardize projects that are under construction or in the planning stages, including residential and commercial construction, as well as new gas service connections to businesses. Therefore, BizFed opposed the Potential LA County Moratorium on New Gas Service Connections.
Read more
HERE (p. 58-68)
President Donald Trump's Executive Order on Association Health Plans
The most recent attempt by President Barack Obamas Affordable Care Act (ACA) has had a mixed bag of positives and negatives. While most agree that the ACA’s elimination of the pre-existing condition ban and lifetime caps was positive - rising premiums, increased regulations, and further limited access to health care has left many concerned. President Trump issued an executive order on October 12th addressed three regulations brought by the Affordable Care Act that he wants to deregulate. These are: association health plans (AHPs), short-term, limited-duration insurance (STLDI), and health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs). BizFed supported deregulating each of these areas, as it will expand healthcare, lowers costs, and provide more options for employers and employees.
Read more
HERE (p. 18-27)
Support for HR 2584 - National Parks Deferred Maintenance
Our Country’s National Parks have mounting deferred maintenance issues. In California alone, the current deferred maintenance (roads, sewers, drinking water systems) costs are estimated at $1.7 billion, more than $12 billion system-wide. HR 2584 (R-Hurd) will dedicate existing funds to pay for deferred maintenance without raising taxes or fees. There are 29 National Parks in California, playing host to more than 41 million visitors annually. They support thousands of local jobs and are a valuable asset to our state economy.
Bizfed supported this vital bill.
Read more
HERE (p. 28-34)
Oppose Costa Hawkins Repeal Initiative
Bizfed opposed the potential 2018 State ballot initiative to repeal Costa Hawkins, a state law that moderates the abilities of municipalities to implement rent control. Costa Hawkins is a state law passed in 1995 by the state legislature that moderates municipal implementation of rent control. It prohibits rent control on buildings built after 1995 to incentivize new construction, prohibits rent control on single family homes and mandates “vacancy de-control” which allows housing providers to set rents at their discretion upon a unit vacancy. This law impacts every aspect of housing policy in the state of California from the construction side, to operational and service side, it is the single most important legislation protecting rental property operators in California. In an American Economic Association survey, over 93% of economists found rent control to lead to the “reduction in quality and quantity of housing."
Read more
HERE (p. 35-44)
Revisions to RFP & Responsible Banking Ordinance
The City’s Budget & Finance Committee is in the process of revising its Request for Proposal (RFP) process and accompanying Responsible Banking Ordinance (RBO) as part of its search for new banking relationships. BizFed is concerned that the proposed changes are likely to reduce the number of responding banks/financial institutions, which is likely to result in fewer services and higher costs for Los Angeles taxpayers.
BizFed will continue to monitor the evolution of these proposed changes and voice our concerns to LA City Council.
Read more
HERE (p. 46-57)
Westside Purple Line Extension Project
The Westside Purple Line Extension project, when fully constructed, will have substantial economic, congestion relief, and environmental benefits for Los Angeles County’s residents. Importantly, the project will also deliver the major mobility benefit of having a transit line that can serve many of the major venues for the coming 2028 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games which will be hosted by the City of Los Angeles. As leaders in Los Angeles County, we are particularly excited that this project will finally connect downtown Los Angeles with the University of California, Los Angeles – which is home to over 42,000 undergraduate and graduate students – in addition to over 40,000 of UCLA employees. Likewise, we are encouraged that the project will provide direct transit access to the West Los Angeles Veterans Administration campus –serving over 400,00 veterans annually - and Century City, which is one of southern California’s largest employment center.
BizFed will advocacy for the Westside Purple Line Extension project.
Read more
HERE (p. 69-72)
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE BizFed LETTER
CLICK HERE FOR AN ADVOCACY LETTER TEMPLATE
