As the leading advocacy group in North County, if not all of San Diego County, the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce works hard to maintain a friendly business climate in the city, county, state and nation.
Last year, the chamber worked on many different issues and testified on a plethora of business-related issues in front of more than a dozen government bodies, ranging from the Carlsbad City Council to the California Public Utilities Commission.
The following is the chamber's “top five” list of advocacy feats in 2008:
1. 760 Dialing Code: The California Public Utility Commission voted 4-1 in April of 2008 to split the 760 area code to 442. All of the phone numbers in North County were going to have to change from 760 to 442. The chamber, along with Assemblyman Martin Garrick, worked hard to get an overlay of the 760/442 dialing code. On Oct. 16, Michael Babowal, the chamber's director of government affairs, went to San Francisco with Garrick and got a 5-0 vote approving the 760/442 overlay, saving North County businesses well more than $100 million.
2. Desalination Plant: After more than a decade of hearings, Poseidon Resources finally received all of the necessary approvals to begin construction on its long anticipated desalination plant in Carlsbad. The chamber stood beside Poseidon the entire way. Chamber President and CEO Ted Owen and Michael Babowal, the chamber's director of government affairs, travelled all over Southern California to testify in support of the project. Finally, on Aug. 22, the California State Lands Commission approved the final permit, allowing Poseidon to move forward with financing and construction of the $300 million privately funded project.
3. Charter City: The chamber's Political Action Committee raised money and successfully ran its second campaign, passing the Carlsbad Charter City Initiative with more than 82 percent of the votes. Being a charter city allows Carlsbad, not the state, to define its governing system. Carlsbad is one of 112 cities out of 478 in California that have become a charter city.
4. Fats, Oils and Grease: The city of Carlsbad wanted to require a fats, oils and grease interceptor for most restaurants within its borders. The chamber worked with restaurant owners and the city to remove the requirement for the more expensive interceptor, potentially saving each restaurant thousands of dollars. The new ordinance will require restaurants have a grease trap.
5. Traffic Impact Fees: The city of Carlsbad wanted to raise traffic impact fees by $2,400. The chamber worked with the Building Industry Association to get the City Council to lower its proposed increase in fees to what is legislatively mandated, saving developers several thousand dollars on current and future projects.
This year, the chamber's goal is to keep you well informed on what we are working on. Expect to see more of the chamber being the voice for business with calls to action, notices of public hearings, requests for letters to legislators and meetings with our elected officials to discuss issues businesses are facing.
For more information on how to get involved in the chamber's advocacy efforts, call (760) 931-8400 or visit www.carlsbad.org.
Last year, the chamber worked on many different issues and testified on a plethora of business-related issues in front of more than a dozen government bodies, ranging from the Carlsbad City Council to the California Public Utilities Commission.
The following is the chamber's “top five” list of advocacy feats in 2008:
1. 760 Dialing Code: The California Public Utility Commission voted 4-1 in April of 2008 to split the 760 area code to 442. All of the phone numbers in North County were going to have to change from 760 to 442. The chamber, along with Assemblyman Martin Garrick, worked hard to get an overlay of the 760/442 dialing code. On Oct. 16, Michael Babowal, the chamber's director of government affairs, went to San Francisco with Garrick and got a 5-0 vote approving the 760/442 overlay, saving North County businesses well more than $100 million.
2. Desalination Plant: After more than a decade of hearings, Poseidon Resources finally received all of the necessary approvals to begin construction on its long anticipated desalination plant in Carlsbad. The chamber stood beside Poseidon the entire way. Chamber President and CEO Ted Owen and Michael Babowal, the chamber's director of government affairs, travelled all over Southern California to testify in support of the project. Finally, on Aug. 22, the California State Lands Commission approved the final permit, allowing Poseidon to move forward with financing and construction of the $300 million privately funded project.
3. Charter City: The chamber's Political Action Committee raised money and successfully ran its second campaign, passing the Carlsbad Charter City Initiative with more than 82 percent of the votes. Being a charter city allows Carlsbad, not the state, to define its governing system. Carlsbad is one of 112 cities out of 478 in California that have become a charter city.
4. Fats, Oils and Grease: The city of Carlsbad wanted to require a fats, oils and grease interceptor for most restaurants within its borders. The chamber worked with restaurant owners and the city to remove the requirement for the more expensive interceptor, potentially saving each restaurant thousands of dollars. The new ordinance will require restaurants have a grease trap.
5. Traffic Impact Fees: The city of Carlsbad wanted to raise traffic impact fees by $2,400. The chamber worked with the Building Industry Association to get the City Council to lower its proposed increase in fees to what is legislatively mandated, saving developers several thousand dollars on current and future projects.
This year, the chamber's goal is to keep you well informed on what we are working on. Expect to see more of the chamber being the voice for business with calls to action, notices of public hearings, requests for letters to legislators and meetings with our elected officials to discuss issues businesses are facing.
For more information on how to get involved in the chamber's advocacy efforts, call (760) 931-8400 or visit www.carlsbad.org.