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February 20, 2008

Corona Chamber Sets Aggressive Legislative Agenda for 2008

Each year, the Corona Chamber’s Legislative Action Committee (LAC) develops the Chamber’s legislative priorities. Each of the priorities serve as the foundation for the Corona Chamber’s continuing effort to improve the Corona and regional business climate.  “The Corona Chamber represents the interests of Corona businesses with government,” stated Bobby Spiegel, President and CEO of the Corona Chamber. “Our policy platform is how we plan to protect the economic vitality of our city and region,” Spiegel continued.

The LAC also uses the policy platform as a guide when reviewing and considering the Chamber’s positions on local, regional, state, and federal issues. “We look forward to a very active 2008,” stated Cynthia Schneider, Chair of the Chamber’s LAC. “When we consider the many issues impacting Corona we will remain committed to increasing our communication with the business community on important policy issues, increasing their understanding, and involvement with the legislative process, and seeking opportunities to form coalitions with community and regional organizations,” continued Schneider.

2008 Policy Platform Priorities

Redevelopment

Monitor development projects within the downtown and Corona region.

Monitor and review polices that balance private property rights with eminent domain and its impact on the overall community.

Support responsible and quality redevelopment of areas that are convincingly proven and documented as blighted and suffering from environmental decay that severely lags in economic vitality compared to the surrounding community.

Health and Safety Code Section 33031, describes the conditions in which many people live in our community are adequate and do not require reform. The citizens living in these conditions should have the expectation of a better life in terms of the physical environment and a more robust economic base in the community.

The burdens of blight upon a community should not be a physical and economic liability for a city, with no prospect of improvement since private enterprise acting alone cannot reverse a City’s patterns of decay.

The health, safety and general welfare of an entire blighted community should receive more consideration than the private property rights of a small number of persons.

Annexation

Monitor community development goals and policies pertaining to how existing development is going to be maintained and enhanced and how new development will occur.

Monitor land use options where lands are to be conserved and where growth will be targeted and specifies the types, densities, and design characteristics of uses to be permitted and a map depicting their distribution.

Monitor community design options that specifies strategies for the visual and environmental enhancement of the City's streetscapes and entries.

Monitor housing options that specify strategies for the provision of adequate housing for all City residents.

Monitor economic development strategies for business retention and attraction.

Monitor historical preservation processes for the preservation of the city's historic buildings, sites and landscapes within the city.

Transportation, Infrastructure and the Environment

Review and consider policies that addresses the movement of people and goods including autos, transit, bicycles, and other modes.

Review and consider policies that addresses the provision of public infrastructure including water, sewer, storm drainage, solid waste, electricity, natural gas, and telecommunications.

Review and consider policies that address the provision of services to meet resident needs including police, fire, library, schools, and health.

Review and consider policies that address the provision of parklands and recreation programs for the City's residents.

Support measures that improve drinking water, adequate water quality and supply, flood control, waterway and natural resource protections, water pollution and contamination controls, state and local park improvements, public access to natural resources, and water conservation efforts.

Review and consider reliable, stable, and competitively priced energy supplies for the Corona region and California’s businesses and consumers.

Review, consider and propose transportation improvement plans that relieve congestion on freeways, streets and roads, and ensure future mobility within the Corona region.

Review and consider policies that impact air quality standards and consider their effect on Corona’s regional business community.

Business Attraction and Retention

Encourage an adequate supply of appropriate housing to meet the needs of the Corona region and monitor its impact on the Corona business community.

Review and consider policies that ensure Corona maintains a reputation as an attractive prosperous location for business; to balance employment and housing needs with natural resource preservation; and to plan and construct the community infrastructure necessary to support current and future business needs.

Cost of Doing Business

Review and consider reform measures that solve the state budget’s continuing structural deficit that promotes real economic growth and job creation and its impact on the Corona business community.
 

Encourage cooperation among local/regional and state government agencies, and work to streamline and reduce unnecessary requirements of regulatory agencies.

Review and consider ways to privatize government services and public contracts while maintaining or improving standards.

Review and consider state and local tax changes and new tax categories affecting the Corona business community.

Support and promote when appropriate the preparation of cost/benefit analysis ensuring economic impacts are weighed before the imposition of regulatory statutes.

Ensure that regulations on business are kept to a minimum and do not put Corona businesses at a competitive disadvantage.

Support local/regional and state programs that secure tax credits for targeted programs.

Consider and review policies that promote the outsourcing of essential public services by local/regional and state government agencies.

Consider and review legislation that promotes standards of corporate governance that guide boards of directors and corporate officers in managing their corporations in a competent, ethical manner.
 

Review and consider measures that reform the extraordinary costs of the state’s public pension system for the sake of the state’s overall fiscal health.

Oppose legislative proposals that might cause unwarranted and frivolous lawsuits on Corona businesses, consumers and taxpayers.

Education and Outreach

Continue a working relationship with local, state and federal representatives.

Provide opportunities for businesses to increase their knowledge, understanding, and involvement with local, regional and statewide legislative processes.
 

Workforce Issues

Support measures that reform our state’s education and vocational systems which encourage workforce preparation.

Monitor, provide recommendations and review alternatives to any proposed state minimum wage increases and any local or state living wage ordinances.

Monitor and provide recommendations to the workers’ compensation reform measures which impact costs to Corona businesses.

Support responsible health care policy proposals that do not put Corona businesses at a competitive disadvantage and result in increased availability of affordable health care coverage for employers and their employees.