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Corona
Chamber Sets Legislative 2010 Priorities,
Focuses On Three Strategic Initiatives
Each year, the Corona Chamber of Commerce’s
Legislative Action Committee (LAC) convenes in a
special Planning Session to develop the Policy
Platform for the following year. The public policy
priorities adopted serve as the foundation for the
Corona Chamber’s continuing effort to improve the
business climate in Corona and its surrounding
business areas.
Click here for
more information. |
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August 20, 2010
HighSpeed15.com: The Greater Corona
Valley Chamber Needs Your Letter of Support For The High Speed
Train Along The I-15 Corridor
The
Greater Corona Valley Chamber announces the launch of
HighSpeed15.com to increase the regional support for California
High-Speed Rail Train System proposed alternative route
along the I-15 freeway with a station located in the City of
Corona.
Why This Is
Important To You:
The proposed alternative line would be beneficial to our
overall community and our local economy. The I-15 freeway
continues to undergo numerous improvements for increased
traffic flow such as the development of the Mid County and
Foothill Parkways. Both Parkways are expected to be open
well before a proposed high-speed train station in Corona
would be finished. This makes the City of Corona via the
I-15 freeway an ideal location for a high-speed train system
route and stop.
The need for alternative transportation has never been more
apparent in our community. The High Speed Train System will
not only help bring California into the future of
transportation but the Cities that the system will move
through. Thank you for your continued work for the Southern
California region and we look forward to working with you
and the High-Speed Rail Authority and other interested
parties located throughout our region.
Click here to go to
www.HighSpeed15.com NOW and submit your letter of support. |
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August 11, 2010
Take Action: Corona Chamber Urges
Action To Ease Traffic and Create Jobs
The
Corona Chamber is calling for legislation in Sacramento to
allow for design-build authority for the SR-91 Corridor
Improvement Project through the City of Corona as soon as
possible.
Design-build is required for
this $1.3 billion locally-funded project that will create
18,000 jobs and boost the economy of the greater Corona
valley dramatically. Without design-build, the project and
all of its benefits will be delayed by 3-5 years and the
project will likely cause greater disruption to traffic
through Corona, negatively impacting businesses.
The Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC) is the
sponsor of this legislation, which is opposed by
Professional Engineers in California Government (PECG). RCTC
has negotiated in good-faith with PECG for several months
and met the requests of the Assembly Transportation
Committee, up to the point of conceding 100% of all
construction inspection to Caltrans responsibility despite
the fact that this project is entirely locally funded.
Because this is over $1 billion
in local money in the balance, it is not acceptable for RCTC
to concede any further control of the 91 freeway project to
the state. PECG’s opposition is rooted in its desire to see
only a few more Caltrans engineers get jobs on this project.
When weighing this against the 18,000 jobs that will be
possible because of best-value design-build, it is clear
that the Legislature should pass a bill to allow this
project to move forward for the sake of our economy and
congestion relief on the 91 freeway.
Click here
to submit your letter and take action. |
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August 10, 2010
Corona Chamber
Statement On Recent Democratic Budget Proposal
The Greater Corona Valley
Chamber Legislative Action Committee Chair Cynthia Schneider
released the following statement today regarding the recent
Democratic state budget proposal:
“While on the surface the current Democratic state budget
proposal seems promising, it contains numerous increases in
personal income taxes and the vehicle licensing fee. The
business community has continued to signal that raising
taxes and fees are not the answers to closing the budget
deficit. We need long-term reforms, not one-time tax
increases to close a deficit this year only to worry about a
deficit next year. Our business community continues to
oppose one-time tax increases and asks that the state reduce
its spending and begin to live within its means as many
businesses have done in these tough economic times.” |
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August 10, 2010
Corona Chamber
Statement On Governor's Call For Pension Reform
The Greater Corona Valley
Chamber Legislative Action Committee Chair Cynthia Schneider
released the following statement today regarding the
Governor’s call for pension reform:
“Pension Reform is a must if California wants to return to
golden state of economic prosperity. We endorse the need for
pension reform for our state during the state budget
negotiations. We praise the Governor for making strides in
negotiating with the public employee unions by helping to
bring some of the pension system under control. We believe
these renegotiated contracts are vital in order to help move
the state budget negotiations forward.” |
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May 26, 2010
Corona Chamber Urges
Action On June 8th Statewide Ballot Measures
The Corona Chamber of Commerce
urges the business community to understand the impact of the
June 8, 2010 statewide ballot measures. Specifically, the
five measures on the June ballot will have direct impacts on
Corona’s recovering economy and the Chamber is working hard
to educate local businesses on why each of them are
important.
“It is the responsibility of the Corona Chamber to represent
the interests of Corona businesses at all levels of
government,” stated Cynthia Schneider, Chair of the Chambers
Legislative Action Committee. “However, we are the most
effective when our businesses understand the issues facing
all of us and they help play an active role in each issue,”
Schneider continued.
The
Corona Chamber SUPPORTS the following:
Proposition 13: Seismic
Retrofitting
Proposition 14: Elections: Open Primaries
Proposition 17: Continuous
Coverage Auto Insurance Discount Act
The Corona
Chamber OPPOSES the following:
Proposition 15: California
Fair Election Act
Proposition 16: Taxpayers Right To Vote Act
Below are some explanations
of the Corona Chamber's positions:
Proposition 13: Seismic Retrofitting
Corona Chamber Position: SUPPORT
What Does This Measure Mean To You?
Proposition 13, a constitutional amendment, would prohibit
tax assessors from re-evaluating new construction for
property tax purposes when the point of the new construction
is to seismically retrofit an existing building. Earthquake
safety improvements made to unreinforced masonry (such as
brick) buildings would not result in higher property taxes
until the building is sold. The Corona Chamber believes it
is reasonable to allow for seismic upgrades to not be
considered as improves to commercial or residential property
for the purposes of reassessing the value of the property.
Proposition 14: Elections: Open Primaries
Corona Chamber Position: SUPPORT
Proposition 14, a state constitutional amendment, would
require that candidates run in a single primary open to all
registered voters, with the top two vote-getters meeting in
a runoff. The new system would take effect in the 2012
elections. One of the top priorities for the Corona Chamber
in 2010 is reforming our state government. This proposition
will open the primary to allow for all candidates to face
voters in the June primary election regardless of
partisanship. This will allow for more choices earlier in
the election process and provide the voters with the
opportunity to vote for any candidate.
Proposition 15: California Fair Election Act
Corona Chamber Position: OPPOSE
What Does This Measure Mean To You?
Proposition 15 would lift the state ban on public funding
for political campaigns and asses fees on registered
lobbyists in California in order to fund candidates for the
Office of the Secretary of State of California in 2014 and
2018. The Corona Chamber does not support the idea of taxing
lobbyists to pay for a new election process. Also, the
Chamber is concerned that the process for qualifying for the
public financing for the campaign to run for Secretary of
State will be cumbersome and an administrative burden to the
process.
Proposition 16: Taxpayers Right To Vote Act
Corona Chamber Position: OPPOSE
What Does This Measure Mean To You?
Proposition 16 is a state constitutional amendment, if
passed, would require a two-thirds voter approval before
local governments can provide electricity service to
customers or implement a community choice electricity
program using public funds or bonds. The Corona Chamber
supports the idea of allowing municipal governments to
engage in providing electricity covergage to their citizens.
However, expanding the approval process for doing so from a
vote of a city council to a super majority of their
constituents is too constrictive and will limit any local
government from even attempting the process int eh first
place.
Proposition 17: Continuous Coverage Auto Insurance
Discount Act
Corona Chamber Position: SUPPORT
What Does This Measure Mean To You?
Proposition 17 amends Proposition 103 (1988) that authorizes
the use of an additional discount on premiums for automobile
insurance policies. Proposition 17 would allow an insurer to
offer a “continuous coverage” discount to new customers who
have maintained their coverage while they previously were
customers of another insurer. The Corona Chamber understand
that many states already mandates this ability for consumers
to maintain their discount if they switch insurance
carriers. Also, most insurance companies in California
already afford this ability to consumers. The Chamber feels
it is reasonable to place this ability in state law to
protect businesses and consumers from ever losing this
ability. |
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May 26, 2010
Corona Chamber Leads
Local Effort To Oppose Proposition 16
The outcome of every measure on
the June 8, 2010 statewide ballot will have an impact on the
Corona business community. It is the role of the Corona
Chamber to take positions on these issues and to educate our
business community on the impact of the issues before them.
One of the ballot measures, Proposition 16, should gain the
majority support of voters, would require a two-thirds voter
approval before local governments can provide electricity
service to customers or implement a community choice
electricity program using public funds or bonds.
“The Corona Chamber opposes Proposition 16 because it makes
it more difficult than it is currently for local entities to
form either municipal utilities, or community wide
electricity districts,” stated Bobby Spiegel, President
CEO/President of the Corona Chamber. “Our Chamber’s
Legislative Action Committee’s outreach efforts, will
continue its efforts to notify members and others about the
wrong message that those supporting Proposition 16 are
presenting,” Spiegel continued.
Proposition 16 places new voter approval requirements on
local governments before they can use “public funds” –
defined broadly in the measure to include tax revenues,
various forms of debt, and ratepayer funds – to start up
electricity service, expand electricity service into a new
territory, or implement a Community Choice Aggregation (CCA).
First, before an authorized local government entity can
start up electricity service, it must receive approval by
two-thirds of the voters in the area proposed to be served.
Second, before an existing publicly owned utility can expand
its electric delivery service into a new territory, it must
receive approval by two-thirds of the voters in the area
currently served by the utility and two-thirds of the voters
in the new area proposed to be served.
Third, the measure requires two-thirds voter approval for a
local government to implement a CCA.
Californians generally receive their electricity service
from one of three types of providers: investor-owned
utilities (IOUs), local publicly owned electric utilities,
or electric service providers (ESPs). These provide 68
percent, 24 percent, and 8 percent, respectively, of retail
electricity service in the state.
According to Mark Toney, Executive Director of The Utility
Reform Network (TURN), a nonprofit consumer advocacy group,
Proposition 16 takes self-interest in a ballot initiative to
a new level, by rewriting the constitution to protect a
private corporation from competition from public entities.
Elisabeth Brinton, Director of Communications for the
Sacramento Municipal Utility District, a public utility, has
said that Proposition 16 reduces the ability of people to
choose between private and public utility companies. Holding
local elections where people vote on whether to have a
private or public utility company would be expensive.
The Chamber urges a NO vote on Proposition 16 on June 8,
2010. |
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May 20, 2010
Corona Chamber Member
Leads Legislative Proposal Effort in Sacramento
The Corona Chamber is
supporting AB 2283 which would legalize alkaline hydrolysis,
a process that speed up the natural decomposition process,
in California. The proposal was authored in the State
Legislature by State Assemblymember Jeff Miller and
sponsored by Chris Miller (no relation), owner of Thomas
Miller Mortuary and a member of the Corona Chamber of
Commerce Board of Directors and LAC. Chris Miller has become
the state-wide spokes person in support of the proposal.
Alkaline Hydrolysis is defined as a water-based chemical
resolving process using strong alkali in water at
temperatures of up to 180C (350F) to rapidly yet
sympathetically reduce the body to ash. It is essentially a
highly accelerated version of natural decomposition
chemistry. Hydrolysis as the name suggests is the process of
forcing water molecules between the chemical bonds holding
large tissue molecules such as fats, DNA and proteins
together. This process breaks the tissue down to its
original small molecular building blocks. This is a natural
process found in body decomposition after death.
AB 2283 would require the Cemetery and Funeral Bureau to
adopt regulations for the safe operation of alkaline
hydrolysis chambers by July 1, 2011. Under current law, the
Cemetery and Funeral Bureau licenses and regulates
crematoria and various professions relating to the
disposition of human remains. Violating these provisions is
considered a misdemeanor.
“The Corona Chamber is proud to support one of our Chamber
leaders in his effort to bring positive changes to his
industry,” stated Cynthia Schneider, Chair of the Corona
Chamber’s Legislative Action Committee. “In any industry,
change that is accomplished though meaningful policy reform
at the statewide level and led by someone at the local
level, is something we need to rally behind. Chris’ ability
to gain not only this Chamber’s support but the support of
many legislators throughout California is deserving of
recognition. The Corona Chamber of Commerce is proud to have
such an entrepreneurial individual as part of our business
community and our Board.” Schneider continued.
In a recent article in the Press-Enterprise Assembly member
Jeff Miller was quoted as saying, “I'm excited! It just
gives Californians an option on how they want to bury their
loved ones.”
Chris Miller was also quoted saying, "I thought, 'Wow, this
could be a nice alternative.' It doesn't seem as violent as
people think cremation is. And … it doesn't create any sort
of carbon footprint."
AB 2283 has passed out of the Assembly Committee on
Business, Professions and Consumer Protection and is now
awaiting a hearing in the Assembly Appropriations Committee. |
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May 15, 2010
Corona Chamber Sends
Letter of Support For High Speed Rail
May 15, 2010
The Honorable Curt Pringle
Chair, High-Speed Rail Authority
925 L Street, Suite 1425
Sacramento, CA 95814
Via Fax: 916-322-0827
SUBJECT: Support for CHSRA PRIIA Planning Grant Application
For Los Angeles to San Diego Via Inland Empire Section
Dear Chair Pringle:
The Corona Chamber of Commerce supports California’s pending
PRIIA planning grant application for the Inland Empire
section of the California High-Speed Rail Train.
The chamber supports the state’s efforts to provide a new
and exciting system of transportation that will bring a
state of the art high-speed rail system segment to Southern
California and specifically, to the Los Angeles to San Diego
via the Inland Empire corridor. We see this as an excellent
opportunity to improve transportation within our region and
to increase the mobility of our residents and businesses.
Furthermore, this will help the state meet specific
reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, provide greater
transportation choices and creation thousands of much needed
jobs in and around the City of Corona.
Thank you for your continued work for the Southern
California region and we look forward to working with you
and the High-Speed Rail Authority and other interested
parties located throughout our region.
Sincerely,
Bobby Spiegel
President and CEO
Corona Chamber of Commerce
Cynthia Schneider
Chair, Legislative Action Committee
Corona Chamber of Commerce
CC:
Bob Buster, Chairman (RCTC)
Assembly Member Jeff Miller
California Chamber of Commerce |
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May 1, 2010
Corona Chamber Opposes
Project Labor Agreement Despite Approval
The Corona Chamber of Commerce
opposed a Project Labor Agreement (PLA) before the Riverside
Community College District Board of Trustees and launched an
aggressive letter writing campaign to urge a “NO” vote. The
Riverside Community College District Board of Trustees
approved the PLA despite the Chamber’s efforts to secure
wide community opposition.
“At a time when job creation is crucial, the Riverside
Community College District should not use taxpayer-money to
exclude certain workers by imposing painstaking labor
requirements on non-union workers and contractors,” stated
Cynthia Schneider, Chair of the Chamber Legislative Action
Committee.
“The Chamber is concerned that many small business
contractors in our region will be unfairly excluded from the
opportunity to bid on the work due to the mandate a PLA
places on businesses to hire union workers,” stated Bobby
Spiegal, President/CEO of the Corona Chamber. Spiegal
attended the vote and hand-delivered the letters of
opposition.
Jobs are scarce and small businesses are doing everything
they can to stay in business. Mandating who businesses
should and should not hire is another attempt to prevent job
providers and job seekers from getting our economy moving
again. Most importantly, this PLA has the potential of
excluding contractors that could get the projects done at a
more economical cost.
Below is a recent Press-Enterprise editorial outlining the
drastic impact of the PLA.
The Riverside Community College District has a public duty
to protect taxpayers’ $350 million investment in new
facilities. That duty requires the district to seek the best
deal on new construction, not give labor unions an effective
monopoly on the work.
The district Board of Trustees should reject the “project
labor agreement” on the agenda tonight. Instead, the
district should opt for a truly competitive bidding process
that seeks the best value for public construction dollars.
District voters approved Measure C in 2004 to renovate aging
buildings and provide room for expansion, not so that board
members could hand favors to union supporters.
The agreement between the college district and labor unions
would cover all construction projects of more than $1
million financed by Measure C. The pact would basically
force all contractors — union and nonunion alike — to follow
union rules and pay union fees and benefits. The goal is to
wipe out any competitive advantage nonunion construction
firms might have.
That approach serves union interests at the public’s
expense. The bidding process for the jobs cannot be truly
competitive when the rules are slanted to favor union
companies — usually the highest-priced labor around. Why
should the district want an agreement that stands to inflate
the cost of new construction? Furthering a union agenda
comes nowhere close to meeting trustees’ responsibility to
spend tax money wisely.
The Union Membership and Coverage Database, built on federal
statistics, finds that only about 18 percent of California
private-sector construction workers were covered by union
contracts in 2009. What sense is there in the college
district excluding companies that compose four-fifths of the
state’s construction labor force?
The pact says that the provisions would help avoid work
stoppages or delays. But the only real threat of work
stoppages comes from the unions themselves. The agreement is
a promise by the unions not to cause trouble if the district
plays by labor’s rules — a thinly disguised form of
blackmail, not a means of public-spirited cooperation. |
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April 10, 2010
Businesses Cannot Offer
Free Parking?
The Corona Chamber of Commerce
has voiced its opposition to SB 518. The legislation would
reduce the availability of free parking that helps to
attract customers to local shops and businesses in certain
communities.
“SB 518 would stall economic recovery and push potential
foot traffic out of downtown communities that desperately
need consumers,” said Cynthia Schneider, Chair of the
Chamber’s Legislative Action Committee (LAC). “This
regulation would directly impact small businesses and would
hurt Main Street. This is a terrible time to deter behavior
of the customers that small businesses rely upon to grow.”
The proposed bill is sponsored by State Senator Alan
Lowenthal (D-Long Beach) and would, through a series of
credits and points, incentivize city and county governments
to stop providing free parking on the street and at
government offices and to reduce the amount they require
businesses to provide. The Chamber believes that in
jurisdictions that provide reliably funded public transit
systems, reductions in parking availability may be a viable
alternative and some of these communities have begun to
independently explore that option. However, due to a lack of
reliable funding, limited schedules, lack of freedom of
mobility and possible health concerns of some at-risk
individuals, public transit is not always a viable option
throughout Corona.
“We need our elected officials to focus on policies that
will help the economy,” said Schneider. “And spend a little
less time inventing new government programs based on point
systems, credit processes, and regulations that nobody
really understands.” |
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April 1, 2010
Historic Legislative
Water Package Attacks Corona’s Water Reliability
The Corona Chamber of Commerce
has announced its opposition to legislation that would block
the channeling of water from the Sacramento River to
Southern California, more importantly to the City of Corona.
“Enacting AB 1594 would undermine water supply reliability
throughout Southern California and Corona, threatening jobs
and the economic health of three quarters of the state’s
population residing south of the Delta,” said Cynthia
Schneider, Chair of the Chamber’s Legislative Action
Committee (LAC). “In this case, it would be major mistake to
benefit the particular at the expense of the general,”
continued Schneider.
If passed, the legislation would revise a historic
compromise and a series of laws that was passed just last
year that addressed the prevention of water flow to other
regions throughout the state. The Chamber believes that the
compromise and laws appropriately addressed the matter and
should not be revisited. Part of the compromise is a bond,
slated for the November 2010 ballot in which voters will
decide to spend the necessary money to fix California’s
broken water system to the north.
“AB 1594 would cause a technical decision to evolve into a
political one, which will surely delay the timing and
process of securing the region’s water supply reliability,”
continued Schneider. |
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March 1, 2010
Chamber Supports Expedited
Movement on SR91
The Corona Chamber of Commerce is supporting the
Riverside County Transportation Commission’s (RCTC)
application to the California Transportation Commission
(CTC) for a Design-Build Program for the SR-91corridor
improvement project.
Click here for more
information. |
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February 15, 2010
Port Funding Critical to
the Corona Business Community
The Corona Chamber of Commerce has expressed its support
for H.R. 3447, due to its ability to positively impact
the future competitiveness and environmental soundness
of the Long Beach and Los Angeles Ports.
Click here for more information. |
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January 10, 2010
Federal Healthcare
Reform Negotiations Ongoing; Chamber Continues To Weigh
In
The Corona Chamber of Commerce supports reform of the current
healthcare system. Most importantly, we support reform of the
efforts to control costs and improve quality for both Corona
employers and their employees. The Chamber has urged its federal
leadership to jettison
the current healthcare bill.
Click here for more
information. |
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Corona
Chamber Delivers Results!
In its on-going mission to represent the interests and
articulate the value of local businesses, the Corona
Chamber of Commerce is pleased to report 2010 was an
active and results-driven year.
“Too often, activity doesn’t translate into
productivity,” remarked the Chamber’s Legislative Action
Committee (LAC) Chair, Cynthia Schneider. “By all
accounts, the Chamber’s efforts in 2010 materially
benefited local businesses. From fighting against the
implementation of proposed increases in workers
compensation rates to advocating on behalf of workplace
flexibility to lobbying against tax increases, the
Corona Chamber played a meaningful leadership role in
influencing the outcome of debates that matter to its
members.”
Click here
for more information. |
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2009 Vote Record: Corona Chamber of Commerce Holds State
Representatives Accountable
2009 Vote Record: “A” Grade For A Job Well Done. State
Representatives Voted with the Corona Chamber At Least
90% of the time.
The Corona Chamber
of Commerce is pleased to report that its advocacy agenda in
2009, which involved analyzing, directly supporting, and
tracking 25 proposed laws with provisions pertinent to our
business community, enjoyed remarkable success.
“Corona State Legislators – Senator John J. Benoit and Assembly
Member Jeff Miller – continued the work of former legislators
that served our area,” stated, Linda Pearson Chair of the Corona
Chamber’s Board of Directors. “As always, it was the Chamber’s
responsibility to take the lead in 2009 to work with both of our
leaders and to inform them of our local business community’s
point of view on important issues. Again, Corona businesses were
well represented in Sacramento on critical legislative issues
impacting our members,” Pearson continued.
Click here
for more information. |
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