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February 26, 2008
Chamber Claims Victory
Following Recent Propositions Vote
By Glenn Bishop
2007 Chair of the
Board
.jpg) I
think it’s safe to say that voters kept business in mind
when they went to the polls on February 5. It was
encouraging to see that a majority of voters agreed with
almost all of the Redondo Beach Chamber & Visitors Bureau’s
positions on the statewide propositions. RBCC & VB took
positions on these propositions late last year and worked
diligently to communicate its positions to our members via
this website, and in our monthly newsletter, Beach Business.
RBCC & VB supported Proposition 91 and took a neutral
position on Proposition 92, with both propositions failing.
Prop. 91 would have further restricted the state legislature
from raiding much needed transportation funds. Proposition
92 would have given the community colleges throughout
California the needed protection to stabilize their
operations from fiscal and political pressures. Opponents of
the proposition, however, claimed that guaranteeing funding
to the community colleges, which is what Prop. 92 would have
done, strains the state budget, which is currently $14
billion in the red.
RBCC & VB opposed Proposition 93, which dealt with term
limits. We were pleased to see that the voters felt the same
way and voted not to approve this proposition. Had Prop. 93
passed, it would have decreased the terms of State
Assemblymembers and Senators from 14 years to 12 years
allowing them to serve in either house of the state
legislature for a total of 12 years.
RBCC & VB supported Propositions 94 through 97 and sees the
voters’ passing of these propositions as a major boost to
the California economy. These four propositions will expand
the amount of slot machines of four Indian casinos in
California. In exchange, the casinos will pay an estimated
$9 billion to the state over the next two decades. The new
money will be used to pay down the budget deficit and may
also be used as new funding for schools, public safety and
other services.
This was only the beginning to what is considered to be a
very busy election year with more propositions planned for
the June and November elections. We will begin the process
of reviewing and formulating our positions on these
propositions once they are made public and will be sure to
communicate with our members throughout the process.
February 1, 2008
Proposition 93: Why
It's Bad for Business
By Glenn Bishop
2007 Chair of the
Board
The
Redondo Beach Chamber of Commerce & Visitor’s Bureau is
opposing Proposition 93, Limits on Legislator's Terms in
Office, because it does the complete opposite – it will
extend the time the current legislature is in office.
Even though Proposition 93 reduces the total amount of time
a person may serve in the state legislature from 14 years to
12 years, it provides a transition period to allow current
members to serve a total of 12 consecutive years in the
house in which they are currently serving, regardless of any
prior service in another house. So in effect the proposition
“grandfathers” in the current legislators and allows them to
serve more time. Ultimately, when the current legislators
finish their time in office it will allow for new incoming
legislators to serve a total of 12 years either in the
Assembly, the Senate, or a combination of both.
Proposition 93 does not also address the process of
redistricting, something the Governor had asked for when
term limits were originally discussed. Legislators continue
to get elected in “safe” districts which unfortunately for
Redondo Beach is a district where legislators have not been
kind to business when deciding to vote with the chamber.
Proposition 93 might be the right step in regards to
maintaining experience and continuity in the legislature,
but it does not do enough to address the issue of
redistricting that is crucial to our area in terms of voting
with business.
I urge you to join us in opposing Proposition 93.
January 5, 2008
February
2008 Statewide Propositions Impact Business
The Redondo Beach Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau
announces its positions on the February 5, 2008 statewide
ballot propositions. The Chamber’s positions are on what
could be over twenty propositions before voters between
February and November of 2008.
“Our members need to be aware of the propositions as many
impact business,” stated Charles Gale, Jr., Chair of the
Redondo Beach Chamber’s Government Relations Committee. “The
Chamber will continue to track each proposition in 2008 and
make recommendations to our businesses accordingly,”
continued Gale.
Proposition 91 - Transportation Funding
Redondo Beach Chamber Position: SUPPORT
The Redondo
Beach Chamber supports Proposition 91 because it would
prohibit the use of funds that are earmarked for
transportation to be used for anything else other than
transportation related issues after July 2008.
This proposition
eliminates General Fund borrowing of specified
transportation funds, except for cash-flow purposes. Those
require repayment within 30 days of adoption of budget which
the current law allows borrowing for three years when the
Governor declares the transfer would cause significant
negative fiscal impact on governmental functions.
Proposition 92 - Community Colleges Funding and Governance
Redondo Beach Chamber Position: NO POSITION
The Redondo
Beach Chamber does not have a position on Proposition 92 and
urges businesses to consider the facts before making a
decision on how to vote. Specifically, Proposition 92 will:
- Change current
minimum education funding requirement into two separate
requirements: one for K–12 schools and one for the
California Community Colleges (CCC).
- Lower community college education fees from $20 per unit
to $15 per unit.
- Significantly limit the state’s authority to increase fee
levels in future years.
- Formally establish the community colleges in the State
Constitution.
- Increase the size of the community colleges’ state Board
of Governors (BOG) and its authority.
Proposition 93 - Limits on Legislator's Terms in Office
Redondo Beach Chamber Position: OPPOSE
Proposition 93
would reduce the total amount of time a person may serve in
the state legislature from 14 years to 12 years. This would
allow an individual to serve a total of 12 years either in
the Assembly, the Senate, or a combination of both. The
proposition provides a transition period to allow current
members to serve a total of 12 consecutive years in the
house in which they are currently serving, regardless of any
prior service in another house.
Proposition 93
does not go far enough because term limits must be a part of
a comprehensive reform of term limits and redistricting. The
Chamber urges state leaders to reform the State’s
redistricting process as a means towards total political
reform in California.
Propositions
94, 95, 96, 97 – Indian Gaming Compacts
Redondo Beach Chamber Position: SUPPORT
Governor Schwarzenegger negotiated new Indian gaming
agreements (The Compacts) with four tribes; Agua Caliente
Band of Cahuilla Indians, Morongo Band of Mission Indians,
Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians, and Sycuan Band of the
Kumeyaay Nation have casino facilities on remote reservation
lands in Riverside and San Diego counties. The four
propositions represent each of the negotiated new Indian
gaming compacts.
The four propositions seek to overturn law passed by the
legislature in 2007 that expands gaming machines at the Agua
Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, Morongo Band of Mission
Indians, Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians, and Sycuan Band
of the Kumeyaay Nation Casinos. The compacts will also call
for the four tribes to pay a much higher percentage of their
gaming revenues to the state in return for having additional
slot machines.
The revenue paid
by the tribes – an estimated $9 billion over the next two
decades – will be deposited in the General Fund which may be
used as new funding for schools, public safety and other
services.
Click here
to contact the Redondo Beach Chamber
for more
information
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