November 3, 2017

In This Issue
"How we live is changing. How we work is changing. More people are exploring beyond their own neighborhoods. We have to be a department that embraces that change and diversity.
"

- Los Angeles City Planning Director Vince Bertoni at VICA After Dark
Members  
VICA Thanks Our Renewing Members
 


College of the Canyons

Gaines & Stacey

 
Calendar 

Next Week 

Transportation
Committee 
Hosted by The Garland
Tuesday, Nov. 7
8 - 10 a.m.
4222 Vineland Avenue, 
North Hollywood 
Click  here to RSVP

Aviation Committee 
Wednesday, Nov. 8
12 - 1:30 p.m.
Hosted by Aerolease East
7943 Woodley Ave, Van Nuys
Click  here to RSVP

Energy, Environment & Utilities Committee 
Sponsored by Metropolitan Water District
Thursday, Nov. 9
12 - 1:30 p.m.
VICA Office 
16600 Sherman Way #170, Van Nuys
Click  here to RSVP

Leaders Forum with Supervisor Kuehl
Friday, Nov. 10
11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Braemar Country Club 
4001 Reseda Blvd., Tarzana 
Click here to RSVP

Save The Date

The Valley Presbyterian Hospital Foundation's Inaugural Women in Philanthropy Boutique, Luncheon, Fashion Show and Awards  
Wed., Nov. 15
10:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Airtel Plaza Hotel 
7277 Valjean Ave, Van Nuys
Click here for more information. 

International Trade Committee with the German Consul General
Sponsored by WSP
Tues., Nov. 14
8:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. 
VICA Office 
16600 Sherman Way, 
Suite 170, Van Nuys 
Click here to RSVP.

United Way HomeWalk
Hosted by United Way LA
Sat., Nov. 18
8 a.m. 
Grand Park
200 N. Grand Ave, 
Los Angeles
Click  here for more information.


Hot Issues

Infrastructure
  On Wednesday, California saw an increase in gas and diesel taxes, which will help raise more than $5 billion annually to attack a backlog of repairs needed for the state's roads and bridges. 

First Amendment
On Tuesday, the Los Angeles City Council voted to pass an ordinance that would prohibit a long list of items at rallies, demonstrations, and public assemblies. The restrictions are intended to protect protestors and police without infringing on free speech rights. 

Water
Oroville Dam, which burst earlier this year, has been repaired and is ready to withstand winter rains this year.

Homelessness
An L.A. City Council motion, which will be taken to the Public Works and Gang Reduction Committee, will consider employing homeless individuals to clean litter and trash from streets sidewalks and alleys.  

Transportation
Elon Musk hopes to have his traffic-busting tunnel from LAX be about 17 miles long 'in a year or so.' Tunnels are being built under Los Angeles and Musk predicts cars will be rushed through the tunnels in pods going as fast as 125 mph. 

Environment
On Thursday, the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach approved a plan that would reduce air pollution by encouraging natural gas and zero-emissions trucks and cargo-handling equipment over the next two decades. 

Higher Education
According to a new statewide survey about higher education revealed that 85 percent of students who participated in the survey feel schools don't do enough to help students find affordable housing. 57 percent said they would support a bond measure for construction projects at colleges and universities. 

Housing
The Los Angeles City Planning Department has approved 20,000 new housing units in 2017. Between July and September of 2017, it approved plans for 7,359 new homes, apartments, and condos. 
LA Planning Director Vince Bertoni Joins  Members for VICA After Dark 
VICA 1st Vice Chair Lisa Gritzner ( LG Strategies), Los Angeles City Planning Director Vince Bertoni, Presenting Sponsor Jack Rubens ( Sheppard Mullin), Presenting Sponsor Doug Morton ( Bobrick), and VICA Chairman Kevin Tamaki ( AT&T) at Wednesday's VICA After Dark. 

On Wednesday, VICA members gathered at Bobrick Washroom Equipment, Inc. for a VICA After Dark with Los Angeles City Planning Director Vince Bertoni. As a heartbreaking World Series Game 7 played out, Bertoni discussed his ongoing efforts to modernize the Department of City Planning and increase services. Since taking the helm, he's hired about 125 new staff members and implemented performance measurements to determine how to improve services. Additionally, he has increased the number of dedicated staff in the San Fernando Valley: "We'll be launching another Valley plan, so that we can respond to the Valley's changes front and center." Other topics addressed during his speech included the housing crisis, gentrification, updating zoning regulations, homelessness, and preparing the City for the 2028 Summer Olympics. "It's an interesting time in Los Angeles. How we live is changing; how we work is changing. More people are exploring beyond their own neighborhoods. We have to be a department that embraces that change and diversity."
 
Thank you to the presenting sponsors Bobrick and Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton.
How do California Laws Affect You?
As we prepare for the next half of the 2017-18 legislative session, VICA Committees are developing a list of priorities. 

VICA is working with members and other groups on issues such as the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA), transportation priorities, environmental mandates, City Hall processes, and many others. 

We need to hear your ideas for practical changes which would help business owners thrive in Los Angeles. To get involved or share your ideas, please email Elizabeth@vica.com
Last Chance to Purchase Early Bird Tickets for VICA's 68th Annual Meeting
SB1 Delivering Road Repairs to the Valley
California's crumbling roads cost motorists $762 a year per driver and it costs 8 times more to fix a road than to maintain it.

Thanks to Senate Bill 1, The California Road Repair and Accountability Act, our state will no longer lack adequate funding to address these critical deficiencies: Local streets and roads face an estimated shortfall of $73 billion in deferred maintenance and CalTrans faces a $59 billion backlog in deferred maintenance. 

SB 1 is a long-term transportation reform and funding package that contains new revenues to make road safety improvements, fill potholes and repair local streets, highways, bridges and overpasses. The bill would raise at least $5 billion when fully phased in, which is what is needed to make a dent in the maintenance backlog. The new maintenance revenues will be split equally between state and local roads. For Los Angeles County, that means more than $4.3 billion over the next 10 years. 

The bill includes provisions to streamline projects by cutting bureaucratic redundancies and red tape to ensure transportation funds are spent efficiently and effectively.  In the Valley, this includes expedited funds for traffic management systems improvement along SR-2, SR-170, I-5, I-405 and US-101. 
Committee Report
Education Committee (11/2)
Sponsored by Woodbury University 

  • Assemblymember Miguel Santiago spoke about his successful efforts to enact the California College Promise, which will allow California Community Colleges to waive fees for first time, full-time community college students for one year.
  • Dr. Deborah Harrington, Dean for Student Success at the Los Angeles Community College District, presented an update on the Los Angeles College Promise program, which was the model for the statewide initiative providing one year of free tuition to community college students.   

Member Messages:
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