|
Home |
Priorities
May 1, 2009
Garden Grove Chamber
Sets Aggressive
Public Policy Agenda for 2009
The Garden Grove
Chamber of Commerce is proud to present its 2009 Policy Platform
which will serve as the foundation for the Chamber’s effort to
improve the business climate throughout the city. The newly
adopted Policy Platform is a living document which will be
expanded upon in the coming years as the Chamber forges ahead
with its newly created Government Affairs Committee (GAC).
“We tailored our Policy Platform to meet the needs of our
business community and will continue to expand upon the
priorities of the GAC over time,” stated Dr. Les Malo, Chair of
the Garden Grove Chamber’s Government Affairs Committee. “The
Policy Platform is also designed to complement the current
mission and goals of the Chamber in order to help us facilitate
discussion between our state and local elected officials,”
continued Malo.
The mission of the Garden Grove Chamber of Commerce 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 following Policy Platform is the Garden Grove Chamber of
Commerce priorities for the remainder of 2009 when representing
the interests of our business community at all levels of
government.
Business Retention and Attraction
Review proposals at all levels of government that unreasonably
place Garden Grove businesses at a competitive disadvantage and
take action through the necessary outlets available to the
Garden Grove Chamber of Commerce.
Promote local economic development and retention opportunities
throughout Garden Grove.
Promote a quality of life that supports the overall Garden Grove
community as a desirable place to live, work and do business.
Support efforts that encourage local, state and federal
investment in marketing for the Garden Grove business community.
Support public private partnerships where appropriate to reduce
the cost of doing business for all types of businesses including
non-profit organizations.
Emergency Preparedness
Review the most cost effective homeland security enhancements
throughout Garden Grove.
Monitor legislation that impacts post-9/11 security reforms.
Employee Relations
Review and consider positive measures that reform the costs of
the state’s public pension system.
Seek and review alternatives to any proposed local, state and
federal minimum wage increases and any local, state or federal
living wage ordinances.
Review and provide recommendations to any workers’ compensation
reform proposals that might place businesses at a competitive
disadvantage.
Review legislative proposals that might cause unwarranted and
frivolous lawsuits on businesses, consumers and taxpayers.
Environment
Review policies that recognize the importance of balancing
environmental issues and their economic consequences on our
business community and our quality of life.
Review legislative and regulatory proposals that impact air
pollution mitigation that place Garden Grove businesses at a
competitive disadvantage.
Healthcare
Support responsible healthcare infrastructure and insurance
policy proposals that balance the cost for businesses with
affordable and reasonable healthcare coverage for their
employees.
Support the elimination on healthcare disparities including the
reduction in barriers to quality care and treatment for the
Garden Grove’s underinsured.
Promote health education and preventive healthcare initiatives
within Garden Grove.
Review adequate physical education and nutrition funding for
local schools and institutions.
Immigration
Review any guest worker proposals that are comprehensive,
addressing both future economic needs for workers and the status
of undocumented workers already in the United States.
Support efforts that strengthen national security by providing
for thorough screening of foreign workers and creating strong
disincentives for illegal immigration.
Support efforts to create a fast, accurate and reliable
employment verification system.
Local Control
Support policies that strengthen the protection of private
property rights.
Insist that all levels of government view the Garden Grove
business community as a resource and partner in solving local
challenges.
Reduce Over Burdensome Regulation
Insist that regulations on business are kept to a minimum and do
not put Garden Grove businesses at a competitive disadvantage.
Oppose any tax or fee system that places Garden Grove businesses
at a competitive disadvantage.
Support regulations that ensure the most reliable and cost
effective delivery of telecommunications services to businesses.
Hold all levels of government accountable for its actions and
for the programs it operates.
Support the continuous measurements of government actions to
ensure maximum efficiency and return on investment with public
funds.
Promote a legal system that contains checks and balances to
ensure fairness.
Infrastructure
Support and encourage policies that ensure reliable
transportation, goods movement, and highway systems to reduce
congestion, increase traffic flow, and reduce pollution
throughout the region.
Support the development and use of public and private
transportation technologies, intelligent transportation systems,
and motorist information technologies; as well as incentives and
education to encourage ridesharing, trip consolidation,
telecommuting, alternative work sites and schedules, and use of
public transit, walking, and bicycling.
Encourage safe, reliable and cost-effective utility
infrastructure system (including gas, electric, water, and
telecommunications) to be promoted, developed, and maintained to
meet the needs of the Garden Grove business community.
Housing and Preparation
Support incentives for an adequate supply of housing, housing
affordability and choices of home types that meet the needs of
Garden Grove businesses and their employees.
Support Garden Grove’s educational system to ensure it continues
to prepare people for post secondary education, jobs and careers
and to be contributing members of society.
Work with the regional workforce development agencies to support
the development of workforce training programs and resources.
Support common-sense reforms that will help our local housing
market. |
