December 15, 2010

South Bay Chambers of Commerce Sets Strategic Initiatives and Policy Platform for 2011

The SBACC provides coordination to advance the common business interests of local Chambers of Commerce within the South Bay area. Each year, the SBACC develops its strategic initiatives and a policy platform so that it can serve as the public policy advocacy body on issues that impact the business and economic climate of the South Bay.

2011 Strategic Initiatives

SBACC’s 2011 Strategic Initiatives are the regional business community’s proactive approach to the top four public policy priorities for 2011 when representing the interests of South Bay businesses at all levels of government.
 

Economic Recovery

The SBACC will support opportunities for economic development proposals that aim to create jobs and that do not put business at an economic disadvantage throughout the South Bay. We will support increased resources for tourism, aerospace manufacturing, engineering jobs, business tax incentives and local bank assistance for small business lending so that the South Bay remains an attractive place to do business. We will increase our efforts to secure a robust manufacturing presence while promoting the South Bay Enterprise Zone’s incentives to business. We will work to support local, state and federal legislation and regulations that retains current businesses and attract new businesses within the South Bay region.

Education and Workforce Preparation

The SBACC will support efforts to maintain a high level of educational quality at higher education institution throughout the region. We will support educational training, workforce development and internship programs that will allow South Bay businesses to meet future workforce demands. We will seek ways to make sure educational spending is used effectively for enhancing student outcomes with our primary focus on, but not limited to, workforce and college readiness, ensuring career technical education is high quality for the South Bay workforce and improving accountability measures throughout the educational system.

Local, State and Federal Government Reform

The SBACC will monitor and support efforts to reform regulations at all levels of government that negatively impact job creation and retention. We will work to secure reasonable solutions in order to balance business interests with the creation of new regulations and protect the South Bay business community from burdensome regulations and tax increases. We will promote common-sense solutions with all levels of government in order to better communicate the South Bay business community’s positions on harmful regulations to business and the impacts of an ongoing unbalanced budget.

Infrastructure: Transportation, Water and Utilities

The SBACC will continue to support policies that attract investment to improve the transportation infrastructure and movement of goods throughout our region. The SBACC will continue to monitor the implementation of recent water and delta legislation. We will review all proposed bond measures and improvements to the delta and delivery system of our water. We will support enhancements by local utilities, both public and private, that help to increase efficiency of energy use. We will support telecommunication services that allow for future technology enhancements throughout the South Bay region. The SBACC will work with local utilities to enhance our energy delivery infrastructure without threatening the economic vitality of the South Bay.
 

2011 Policy Platform

The South Bay Association of Chambers of Commerce supports public policy at the regional, state and federal levels of government that:

Taxation and Government Finance

1. Ensures that regulations on business are kept to a minimum and a tax & fee system that does not put South Bay businesses at a competitive disadvantage.

2. Requires the government to be transparent and accountable for its actions and the programs it operates.

3. Encourage the state legislature and the Governor to work together each year to ensure that the state budget is developed and passed in a timely manner.

4. Maximize funding for area projects from statewide and federal funds.

5. Advocates for appropriate funding for homeland security, public safety and emergency preparedness demands on the region and opposes state mandates to borrow funds from local governments.

Business Attraction and Retention

1. Support job creation and workforce development opportunities that prepare the South Bay workforce for jobs and careers targeting specific industries such as aerospace, trades, sciences, engineering, environmental, tourism and healthcare, including the bio-medical field.

2. Develop training and education opportunities in partnership with regional higher education institutions.

3. Forge partnerships with our local legislators so that they can utilize the SBACC and the private sector as a resource to create pro-jobs legislation. The SBACC is committed to holding local representatives accountable to the business community by tracking their votes. These votes impact not only their constituents, but also the vitality of the economic environment.

4. Promotes economic development opportunities including the utilization of business tax incentives such as an enterprise zone in the South Bay for business retention, attraction, and expansion.

5. Promotes a quality of life that supports the South Bay region as an affordable place to live, learn, work, and do business.

6. Encourages the protection of private property rights.

7. Ensures that government focuses on the functions meant for only government to do; and view the private sector as a resource.

8. Promotes a legal system that minimizes frivolous lawsuits to ensure fairness to all.

9. Encourages federal, state and local governments to cooperate to streamline and reduce unnecessary regulations that will not inhibit the job growth in our region and for local governments to work proactively to recruit and retain businesses in the South Bay region.

10. Recognizes the positive economic impact of the Los Angeles Air Force Base on the South Bay region and supports the retention of the Los Angeles Air Force Base.

11. Promotes greater small business bank loaning procedures that are easier to understand and allow businesses to thrive in current business climate.

Infrastructure and Environmental Improvements

1. Encourages an adequate, reliable, and cost-effective utility infrastructure system (including gas, electric, water, telecom) be promoted, developed, and maintained to meet the needs of our

community.