May 17, 2010
West
County Connectors Construction Starts This Summer
Please join the Orange County
Transportation Authority and the California Department of
Transportation at one of their open houses to learn about
planned improvements to the SR-22/I-405/I-605 interchange.
Click here to download
information.
April 10, 2010
Garden Grove Chamber Continues To
Make Flexibility in the Workplace A Top Priority
The Garden Grove
Chamber of Commerce is once again supporting its local
businesses members by lending its support to a proposed law that
allows for workplace flexibility.
SB 1335 would promote employee productivity, efficiency, and
satisfaction in the workplace by making it easier for employers
to give employees flexible work schedules. Flexible work
schedules are a win-win-win for employees, employers, and the
environment. For employees, they can help to better balance work
and personal lives. For employers, they can greatly increase
workplace productivity, efficiency, and employee recruitment and
retention. And for the environment, flexible schedules mean
fewer cars on the road and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
Click here for more.
March 20, 2010
Chamber Supports
Early Efforts to Protect Transportation and Local Funding
The Garden Grove Chamber of Commerce supports the California
League of Cities’ proposed ballot measure for the November 2010
election.
The Local Taxpayer, Public Safety and Transportation Protection
Act of 2010 – follows recent action by California voters – that
would restrict the State from taking revenues dedicated to
funding local government services and transportation improvement
projects. Despite this clear intent and will of the voters, the
State has repeatedly raided revenues dedicated to fund vital
local government services and transportation improvement
projects. More specifically, the State has borrowed property
tax; tried to borrow from the Highway User Tax on gasoline (HUTA);
taken redevelopment agency revenue; and public transit and
capital improvement funding – all in the billions of dollars.
Click here for more.
March 1, 2010
Garden Grove Chamber Continues To Make Flexibility in the
Workplace A Top Priority
The Garden Grove
Chamber of Commerce is once again supporting its local
businesses members by lending its support to a proposed law that
allows for workplace flexibility.
Click here for more.
February 23, 2010
Submit Your
Letter Now:
Support Adult Day
Health Care Funding
The Governor proposed eliminating
Adult Day Health Care funding. Adult Day Health Care services
help the frail older adults and individuals with Alzheimer’s
disease or related type of dementia living in our community.
Their caregivers are the workers in our businesses who need this
program to enable them to maintain their jobs. This in turn
keeps our businesses productive with employees who can focus on
their work rather than be disengaged because they are worrying
about what is happening at home.
Click here
to take action.
January 10, 2010
Ballot Initiatives Coming Soon!
In the coming months the Garden Grove Chamber of Commerce will
begin reviewing and taking positions on the many ballot
initiatives for 2010. Many of the initiatives aim to impact
business in one form or another. The Chamber, through its hard
working and policy dedicated members of the Government Affairs
Committee (GAC), will spend time on each issue that may impact
the Garden Grove business community and release a formal
position.
Click here for more.
December 15, 2010
Garden Grove Chamber Informs
Businesses of New Laws
A number of legislative and regulatory changes will take effect
in 2010 that may impact the operations and planning of local
businesses.
“It is important for our members to be informed and up-to-date
on important new laws that may impact their bottom line as
business owners,” stated Dr. Les Malo, Chair of the Garden Grove
Chamber’s Government Affairs Committee.
Click here for more.
December 1, 2010
Chamber Supports
New Metering Technology
The Garden Grove Chamber is supporting The Gas Company’s
proposal to automate meter reading that will reduce costs to the
customer and the utility.
The system, known as Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI),
needs the approval of the California Public Utilities Commission
(CPUC). AMI offers benefits such as improving customer privacy,
security and convenience; enhancing meter reading/billing
accuracy; and, improving air quality by removing the utility’s
company vehicles from the road. It also will bring tens of
millions of dollars of work to Southern California.
Click here for more.
September 1, 2009
Chamber Opposes
"Nickel A Drink" Tax
The Garden Grove Chamber of
Commerce opposes SB 558 (DeSaulnier) which would authorize the
Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control to assess and collect a
fee per drink from every person who sells alcoholic beverages.
We believe that tax increases that single out a specific
industry or group to shoulder new taxes will kill good jobs and
harm industries essential to California’s economy. SB 558
proposes a harmful tax that can damage our hospitality industry
in Garden Grove and across the State. Furthermore, “nickel a
drink” tax is a catchy slogan it hides the fact that it will
impose a dramatic new burden on restaurants and other small
businesses in our city and throughout California at the worst
possible time.
Click here for more.
August 25, 2009
Chamber Opposes
Mandatory Paid Leave Proposal
The Garden Grove Chamber of Commerce OPPOSES H.R. 2564 which
requires employers to issue at least one week of paid vacation
for employees at companies with at least 100 employees.
Click here for more.
August 15, 2009
Chamber Opposes Credit Report Changes
The Garden Grove
Chamber of Commerce OPPOSES AB 943 (Mendoza), which restricts
employers from using legitimate information related to
employment issues and exposes employers to undue liability.
Click here for more.
August 15, 2009
Chamber Opposes Alcohol Tax
The Garden Grove
Chamber of Commerce respectfully OPPOSES AB 1019 (Beall) which
imposes a $0.10 per drink tax on alcoholic beverages. We oppose
AB 1019 (Beall) for the following reasons:
Click here for more.
August 10, 2009
Chamber Opposes Workplace Lawsuit Reform Proposal
The Garden Grove Chamber of Commerce respectfully OPPOSES AB 793
(Jones), as amended April 29, 2009, which would revise the
statute of limitations law for any workplace claim or lawsuit
relating to compensation so that the statute of limitations is
renewed each time an employee’s compensation is “affected,”
including each time it is paid. AB 793 would encompass a broad
array of workplace decisions, including hiring, job evaluations,
and promotions.
Click here for more.
August 1, 2009
Chamber Opposes Tobacco Tax
The Garden Grove
Chamber of Commerce opposes SB 600 (Padilla) which would impose
a new tax of $1.50 per pack of cigarettes or tobacco product. We
oppose SB 600 (Padilla) for the following reasons.
Click here for more.
August 1, 2009
Chamber Opposes New Tax Proposal
The Garden Grove
Chamber of Commerce respectfully opposes AB 89 (Torlakson) which
imposes a new tax of $2.10 per pack of cigarettes. We oppose AB
89 (Torlakson) for the following reasons:
Click here for more.
July 15, 2009
Chamber Opposes
National Workers' Compensation
Commission
The Garden Grove Chamber of Commerce OPPOSES H.R. 635 which
would establish a national commission to study and evaluate the
adequacy of state workers’ compensation laws and report back to
Congress its findings and recommendations. The performance of
state-based workers’ compensation systems is the responsibility
of the states and their respective legislatures and
stakeholders. We believe it is not the province of Congress to
interfere in the state administration of workers’ compensation.
Click here for more.
July 1, 2009
Chamber Supports Salinity Pollution Proposal
The Garden Grove
Chamber of Commerce SUPPORTS AB 1366 (Feuer). AB 1366 addresses
one of the major sources of salinity pollution in the state and
one of the greatest impediments to the use of recycled water:
the unregulated release of salts into community wastewater
systems through the residential use of self-regenerating water
softeners.
Click here for more.
June 15, 2009
Garden Grove
Chamber Supports Government Transparency Proposal
Do you have any idea what is taking place at the state capitol?
Does your neighbor know? Why not? In this case what you
don’t know can certainly hurt you. It is this reason the Garden
Grove Chamber of Commerce is actively supporting a proposed
piece of legislation to help bring open government to
Sacramento.
Click here for more.
June 15, 2009
Chamber Supports Water Conservation Efforts
The Garden Grove
Chamber of Commerce SUPPORTS AB 474 (Blumenfield), which reduces
water use by allowing voluntary financing programs between
public entities and property owners.
Click here for more.
June 10, 2009
Chamber Leads the Way on Water Solution Proposal
As California completes its third year of a water drought,
Garden Grove businesses are being asked to reduce water usage as
much as possible while watching water rates climb. The Garden
Grove business community, much like other business communities
throughout the state, continues to seek relief. There are a
number of methods available to businesses to aid efforts to
conserve water in order to help offset the increase cost of
water. However, many conservation efforts do carry a large price
tag potential placing businesses at a competitive disadvantage.
Click here for more.
May 18, 2009
Chamber
Supports Workplace Flexibility
Proposal
The Garden Grove Chamber of Commerce is pleased to support SB
187 (Benoit) and AB 141 (Tran), which will help employees and
employers achieve greater flexibility in work schedules by
allowing workers to request and employers to mutually agree to a
four-day compressed workweek.
Click here for more.
May 15, 2009
Chamber Opposes
Anti-Digital Signs Proposal
The Garden Grove Chamber of Commerce OPPOSES AB 109 (FEUER), as
amended March 24, 2009, which imposes a moratorium on the
construction, conversion, enhancements or modifications of a
billboard to a digital format if it can be seen from a highway.
AB 109 also prohibits conversion of official highway digital
displays to advertisements for commercial purposes.
Click here for more.
May 1, 2009
Chamber Opposes Employee Free Choice Act
The Garden Grove Chamber of Commerce opposes the Employee Free
Choice Act and any attempt to reconsider a similar bill in the
new session of the Congress.
We understand that Congress may consider the Employee Free
Choice Act in the new session under a different bill number with
the same requirements. As you know in its current form this bill
allows unions to establish representation for bargaining through
a card check process instead of a secret ballot.
Click here for more.
May 1, 2009
Garden Grove Chamber
Sets Aggressive
Public Policy Agenda for 2009
The mission of the
Garden Grove Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee
(GAC) is to provide a basis for the Chamber to act on local,
state and federal issues impacting its business community so a
favorable and profitable business climate is secured.
The Policy Platform is the Garden Grove Chamber of Commerce’s
priorities for 2009 when representing the interests of our
business community at all levels of government.
Click here for more.