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.

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.