January 20, 2009
South Bay Chambers of Commerce Sets Strategic
Initiatives for 2009
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.
2009
Goals
SBACC’s 2009 Goals are the regional business
community’s proactive approach to advocacy when
representing the interests of South Bay businesses
at all levels of government.
Fixing Our State’s Fragile Water Supply and
Infrastructure
The SBACC will support efforts to promote regional
and statewide water conservation efforts; develop
additional water storage facilities; developing
alternative arrangements to deliver water to
Southern California should the Delta levees fail;
finding solutions that include an isolated facility
around the Delta; and other means of ensuring that
California has adequate water supplies.
Improving Our Local Economy Through Regional
Business Retention and Attraction
The SBACC will partner with regional organizations
to identify and remove barriers to business
retention and creation throughout the South Bay
region. With the help of regional organizations, the
SBACC will proactively seek solutions to invigorate
the South Bay local economy.
Securing State and Local Budget Reform
The SBACC will seek
extensive state and local budget reforms to meet the
rising demands on California to provide basic
government services. We will seek reforms that
enable local and state government to give its
programs the flexibility to perform efficiently and
effectively. We will continue to protect the South
Bay business community from burdensome regulations
and tax increases.
Seeking Solutions to
Regional Transportation and Transit Challenges
The SBACC will continue to monitor the
implementation of recent regional and state
transportation bond measures and projects. The SBACC
will support actions that expedite programming and
expenditure of all transportation funds ensuring a
direct benefit to the South Bay transportation
system.
2009
Policy Platform
The South Bay
Association of Chambers of Commerce supports
policies that:
The SBACC 2009 Policy Platform sets an aggressive
legislative agenda to use when considering positions
on local, statewide, and federal issues impacting
the South Bay business community.
• Ensure that regulations on business are kept to a
minimum and do not put South Bay businesses at a
competitive disadvantage.
• Encourage a tax and fee system that is market
competitive.
• Encourage the protection of private property
rights and ensure that government focuses on the
functions meant for only government to do by viewing
the private sector as a resource.
• Require government accountability and measure
periodically the efficiency of government.
• Promote a legal system that minimizes frivolous
lawsuits.
• Support job creation, workforce development
opportunities, and an educational system that
prepares the South Bay workforce for jobs and
careers by targeting specific SBACC industries.
• Promote economic development opportunities in the
South Bay for business retention, attraction, and
expansion.
• Encourage an adequate, reliable, and
cost-effective utility infrastructure system.
• Support a regional solution to meet air passenger
and cargo needs.
• Protect the Los Angeles Air Force Base from Base
Realignments and Closures (BRAC) due to the economic
support and job creation for the South Bay region.
• Support the development and retention of workforce
housing in the South Bay region.
• 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.
• Encourage cooperation between local governments
and legislators to streamline and reduce unnecessary
regulations.
• Ensure responsible health care infrastructure and
insurance policy proposals that result in increased
availability of affordable health care coverage for
employers and their employees.
• 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.
• Encourage “green” ports and government, business,
organizations, and residents work collaboratively to
reduce carbon emissions and conserve energy and
natural resources.
• Support efforts to repair our aging transportation
infrastructure for future development by securing
funding distribution for such projects and engage
MTA in long term regional transportation planning.
• Encourage appropriate funding for homeland
security, public safety and emergency preparedness
demands on the region.
