Given the political fisticuffs of 2003 and 2004, including a divisive national election, a gubernatorial recall and a sheaf of voter propositions almost as thick as a North County phone book, members of the Chamber's Government Affairs Committee could be excused for thinking that 2005 perhaps would be a kinder, gentler year for legislative issues.
Well, don't count on us to correctly forecast an "American Idol" winner. The calm of early-year committee meetings was no sign of things to come. A contingent of a dozen of our members, in Sacramento for the annual California Business Legislative Summit in late May, heard Sen. Bill Morrow predict a "slugfest" in the legislature this year, as Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger pushes reforms that seek to improve the business climate but that Democrats see as a clear and present threat to their own agenda.
Why is this important to Carlsbad businesses? Quite simply, while local issues sometimes raise concern and federal initiatives occasionally cause angst, it is lawmaking on the state level that seems most often to have the potential to affect the day-to-day well-being of Chamber members.
Last year, not a single job-killer bill survived challenges from pro-business legislators, the governor's veto or the efforts of the California Chamber of Commerce. In 2005, 41 such bills have already been introduced, and these are just the most important ones. They range in subject matter from workers' compensation (no, the problem is not totally solved) to increased litigation, insurance and goods movement.
These issues effectively "set the table" for the work of the Government Affairs Committee, which seeks to be both watchdog and bulldog on business issues. Our job is to:
? Monitor local, state and federal legislation and issues and flag those that support or threaten businesses (including the 95 percent of Carlsbad Chamber members who are small businesses)
? Inform the Chamber and greater Carlsbad business community of those measures that deserve support and those that should be opposed
? Recommend actions, including communications with elected officials and media, that will affect the disposition of such issues
? Maintain close contact with elected officials and their staffs to ensure open lines of communication
Fortunately, committee volunteers get a lot of help. A typical first Wednesday meeting (7:30 a.m., everyone welcomed) includes staff representatives from the City of Carlsbad, County of San Diego and the offices of state Sen. Bill Morrow, Assemblyman Mark Wyland and Congressman Randy Cunningham. This participation not only keeps us informed but allows us to bring issues and concerns directly to the offices of our elected leaders.
In addition, an annual committee visit by our elected representatives is an important way to reinforce our activities to them and their activities to us. County Supervisor Bill Horn, for instance, will be our guest in October.
Typical discussions range from the long-awaited Carlsbad Municipal Golf Course to the serious problem of lawsuit abuse. Carlsbad businesses are blessed not only with a responsive municipal government which recognizes that the business engine keeps the city moving but also with state legislators who all rank at the top of the California Chamber's "Best Business Votes."
The Chamber's director of governmental affairs, Jamie Morel, herself a legislative staff veteran, creates an agenda focusing on key business issues. The Committee discusses them and, in many cases, will vote to bring recommendations of support or opposition to the Chamber Board of Directors.
When action is called for, the Committee can communicate through the Carlsbad Business Journal or directly with members through e-mail, asking for visible support on critical issues. We stay in close touch with the California Chamber of Commerce and assist, as we did several times last year, with the distribution and gathering of signatures for propositions that help protect or improve our business climate.
A new program this year called "Conversations with the Capitol" allows all Chamber members to call into a two-way conference with an elected official to gain an up-close perspective on issues and to ask direct questions about their concerns. The first "Conversation" found Assemblyman Wyland on the line with more than a dozen members. A second session is planned this summer.
In summary, the Government Affairs Committee's focus on communications helps ensure we don't wake up some morning and wonder how an errant piece of bad government escaped our attention. Chamber members can count on us to be vigilant. And we know we can count on them to respond when we need them.
Well, don't count on us to correctly forecast an "American Idol" winner. The calm of early-year committee meetings was no sign of things to come. A contingent of a dozen of our members, in Sacramento for the annual California Business Legislative Summit in late May, heard Sen. Bill Morrow predict a "slugfest" in the legislature this year, as Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger pushes reforms that seek to improve the business climate but that Democrats see as a clear and present threat to their own agenda.
Why is this important to Carlsbad businesses? Quite simply, while local issues sometimes raise concern and federal initiatives occasionally cause angst, it is lawmaking on the state level that seems most often to have the potential to affect the day-to-day well-being of Chamber members.
Last year, not a single job-killer bill survived challenges from pro-business legislators, the governor's veto or the efforts of the California Chamber of Commerce. In 2005, 41 such bills have already been introduced, and these are just the most important ones. They range in subject matter from workers' compensation (no, the problem is not totally solved) to increased litigation, insurance and goods movement.
These issues effectively "set the table" for the work of the Government Affairs Committee, which seeks to be both watchdog and bulldog on business issues. Our job is to:
? Monitor local, state and federal legislation and issues and flag those that support or threaten businesses (including the 95 percent of Carlsbad Chamber members who are small businesses)
? Inform the Chamber and greater Carlsbad business community of those measures that deserve support and those that should be opposed
? Recommend actions, including communications with elected officials and media, that will affect the disposition of such issues
? Maintain close contact with elected officials and their staffs to ensure open lines of communication
Fortunately, committee volunteers get a lot of help. A typical first Wednesday meeting (7:30 a.m., everyone welcomed) includes staff representatives from the City of Carlsbad, County of San Diego and the offices of state Sen. Bill Morrow, Assemblyman Mark Wyland and Congressman Randy Cunningham. This participation not only keeps us informed but allows us to bring issues and concerns directly to the offices of our elected leaders.
In addition, an annual committee visit by our elected representatives is an important way to reinforce our activities to them and their activities to us. County Supervisor Bill Horn, for instance, will be our guest in October.
Typical discussions range from the long-awaited Carlsbad Municipal Golf Course to the serious problem of lawsuit abuse. Carlsbad businesses are blessed not only with a responsive municipal government which recognizes that the business engine keeps the city moving but also with state legislators who all rank at the top of the California Chamber's "Best Business Votes."
The Chamber's director of governmental affairs, Jamie Morel, herself a legislative staff veteran, creates an agenda focusing on key business issues. The Committee discusses them and, in many cases, will vote to bring recommendations of support or opposition to the Chamber Board of Directors.
When action is called for, the Committee can communicate through the Carlsbad Business Journal or directly with members through e-mail, asking for visible support on critical issues. We stay in close touch with the California Chamber of Commerce and assist, as we did several times last year, with the distribution and gathering of signatures for propositions that help protect or improve our business climate.
A new program this year called "Conversations with the Capitol" allows all Chamber members to call into a two-way conference with an elected official to gain an up-close perspective on issues and to ask direct questions about their concerns. The first "Conversation" found Assemblyman Wyland on the line with more than a dozen members. A second session is planned this summer.
In summary, the Government Affairs Committee's focus on communications helps ensure we don't wake up some morning and wonder how an errant piece of bad government escaped our attention. Chamber members can count on us to be vigilant. And we know we can count on them to respond when we need them.