Valley Industry & Commerce Association | |
|
- VICA Victory! Governor Cracks Down on Retail Crime Rings
- LA City Council to End Eviction Moratorium
- VICA Board Opposes Measures ULA and SP
- VICA PAC 2022 Endorsements
- California Paid Family Leave Grant
- Let Us Known Your Legislative Agenda
| |
|
"By empowering consumers with the ability to identify stolen items for sale online and provideng greater transparency for high-volume sellers, we are tackling this problem at the source. " | |
|
Governor Gavin Newsom
Statement on Signing SB 301 That Will Crackdown of Online Sale of Stolen Goods
| |
Victory! Governor Signs Bills to Crackdown on Retail Crime Rings, Sale of Stolen Goods | |
|
Last Friday, Governor Newsom signed into law two VICA-supported bills, AB 1613 (Irwin), which will expand a court's jurisdiction across counties where retail crimes occur, and SB 301 (Skinner), which will crack down on retail crime rings by requiring both contact and financial information for online market vendors.
SB 301 and AB 1613 work to address the online sale of stolen goods by organized crime and the ability to enforce prosecution across county lines. These bills will cut off funding for crime rings and make tracking and tracing repeat offenders and their affiliates easier. In addition, AB 1613 and SB 301 will empower residents and consumers to identify and prosecute evil characters that seek to utilize well-meaning platforms and use them as open black markets.
The rise of retail theft and the inability of various jurisdictions to gather and hold individuals accountable for violations across the state create a costly environment that continues to harm businesses, residents, and consumers alike. Expanding the jurisdiction of the Attorney General to prosecute theft offenses under AB 1613 will make disrupting these crime rings a more impactful and enforceable approach for both the Attorney General and County District Attorneys.
| |
LA City Council to End Eviction Moratorium | |
|
This Tuesday, Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously to end the eviction moratorium on February 1, 2023. Restrictions have prohibited landlords from evicting renters since the pandemic began in March 2020.
The restrictions have prohibited landlords from evicting renters affected by COVID-19 as part of a robust policy agenda set forth by local, state, and federal officials during the pandemic. Tenants also received $1.5 billion in rental assistance to keep renters in their homes while paying landlords' bills.
Tuesday's approved plan would give tenants at least until August to repay rent debt accrued during the pandemic. In addition, the council's actions Tuesday begin to unwind a series of other protections put in place at the pandemic's start, with council members agreeing to move forward with a permanent expansion of other eviction protections.
Property owners cannot evict a tent from a rent-controlled apartment without documented lease violations or relocation assistance for move-ins and other "no-fault" reasons. The council voted to explore expanding those protections to tenants living in newer apartments not covered by rent control.
| |
VICA Opposes Measure ULA and SP, Stop Higher Property Taxes | |
|
The VICA Board opposes LA City Measures ULA and SP as these measures will increase the cost of living and property taxes for city residents.
These two measures would create a $1.1 billion property tax increase - the most significant tax increase in the city's history - that will drive up the cost of housing for renters, homeowners, and small businesses. In addition, if passed, rents for apartments and small businesses will increase by 6%.
Measure ULA would implement a transfer tax of 4% for properties valued above $5 million and a 5.5% tax on properties valued over $10 million. In addition, ULA would create a new layer of governmental bureaucracy with the Citizens Oversight Committee. As a result, tenant Councils could end up costing taxpayers as much as $70 million yearly in new administrative and overhead costs and would increase the average charge for a unit set at $600,000 while raising prices for everyday Angelenos.
Measure SP places a city parcel tax of $0.08414 per square foot on all improved or restored properties to replace Proposition K, a county measure passed in 1996 that will expire in 2026. SP would raise property taxes on every renter, homeowner, and small business in Los Angeles and would cost a family of four to pay and additional $168 per year in property taxes. This measure would significantly hurt LA's disadvantaged communities and low-income seniors who depend on housing and income stability. Measure SP's tax increase is being proposed despite the reality that Angelenos already pay for new parks through current existing measures.
| |
VICA PAC 2022 Voter Guide | |
For the full 2022 Voter Guide, click the button below! | |
VICA Celebrates Cathy's Five Years! | |
|
VICA is happy to celebrate a 5-year VICAversary with Office Manager Cathy Mendoza.
Cathy has been the first point of contact for many VICA members and partners. She is responsible for the day-to-day operations of VICA's office, including event support, communications duties, and other administrative management.
Cathy states:
"It is an absolute pleasure celebrating my 5th anniversary with VICA. I am immensely proud of being a part of an amazing organization and working alongside our fantastic members. Thank you to the team and our members for being there and supporting me throughout the years! Go VICA!"
We thank Cathy for all the hard work and effort she has put in for our VICA community and look forward to many memories and contributions the VICA team will have with her leadership.
| |
What are Your Legislative Priorities? Tell VICA! | |
|
As legislative sessions draw to a close, it's always important to ask what the next legislative session's agenda might look like and how that affects your business and the greater San Fernando Valley- Los Angeles business community.
VICA committees will begin discussing legislative priorities for 2023 this month, and we want to know what you think will be important for 2023. Click the Notify Now button below to communicate your ideas to our Legislative Affairs Manager, Victor Reyes, or email at victor@vica.com
| |
|
Click on the image above to apply! | |
VICA Thanks Our New and Renewing Members! | | |
|
|
Bronze Member:
Renewing Members:
New Member:
| | |
|
LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER!
Business Forecast Conference: Attack of the Inflation Monster
Friday, October 21 | 7:00 AM
Hilton Universal City
Our Annual Business Forecast Conference continues to attract nationally recognized experts on our region's dynamic economy. This forecast will help our business leaders plan for the challenges facing us in 2023.
VICA thanks our Presenting Sponsors, SoCalGas and Wells Fargo.
| |
| |
|
|
VICA After Dark: Supervisor Kathryn Barger
Thursday, October 27 | 5:30 PM
Anheuser-Busch
Supervisor Kathryn Barger serves the residents of the 5th District — Los Angeles County’s largest — spanning over 2,785 square miles, which includes 20 cities and 83 unincorporated communities in the Antelope, San Gabriel, San Fernando, Crescenta, and Santa Clarita Valleys.
VICA thanks our Presenting Sponsors Anheuser-Busch, Amazon, Comcast NBCUniversal, SoCalGas, Southland Regional Association of Realtors, and Wells Fargo.
| |
|
Land Use Committee Meeting
Tuesday, October 11
8:30 - 10:30 AM
Hosted by The Garland
RSVP
| |
|
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee Meeting
Thursday, October 13
Noon - 1:30 PM
VICA Office
Sponsored by LAAHU & Saybook University
RSVP
| |
|
Aviation Committee Meeting
Tuesday, October 18
Noon - 1:30 PM
Hosted by Aerolease Group
RSVP
| |
|
Government Affairs Committee Meeting
Wednesday, October 19
Noon - 2:00 PM
VICA Office
Sponsored by Dolphin Group
RSVP
| |
|
Homeless Population Grows by 22,000
California's homelessness crisis since the pandemic hit reveals that the number of people without stable dwellings increased by 22,500 over the past three years. Homelessness experts attribute the rise to precipitous drops in earnings during the pandemic among Californians already teetering on edge. However, they also point to a worsening housing affordability crisis that has been decades in the making. With homelessness growing by 15%, experts credit pandemic-era safety nets like rental assistance, eviction moratoria, and stimulus checks as indications that the problem has worsened for the state's population, especially minority communities.
California Gas Prices Hit Record Highs
Gas prices have hit record highs once more in Los Angeles, with a pledge by OPEC+ to reduce its oil production by 2 million barrels daily, bringing concerns about more economic pain. California is facing surging oil prices after shutdowns at several oil refineries to produce a specific fuel grade for the state. Prices began to creep up in September after several months of declining prices. The most recent spike has been confined to California and the West Coast. Experts say it is unclear how the reductions will affect pump prices, but it poses a threat to an already shaky global economy and the concerns about a recession.
Remote Workers are Working Two Jobs
Workers have found a way to increase their income without increasing their overall hours through "over-employment." Instead of clocking out of one job and into another, they perform multiple full-time jobs simultaneously without their employers knowing. The appeal for workers includes having multiple employers that allow them to diversify their skills and look for ways to hedge against layoffs or reorganization from employers. However, a challenge to workers includes secrecy from their employers, who generally can fire those caught working another full-time job.
| |
|
CA Pledge to Cut Use of Colorado River
California water agencies depending on the Colorado River will significantly reduce their water use starting next year. The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California said they plan to endorse mandatory conservation measures to ration water for cities and local agencies that supply 19 million people across six counties. California is entitled to use 4.4 million acre-feet of the Colorado River water per year, more than any other state. Water agencies have been under pressure to shoulder substantial water cutbacks, with federal officials calling for the seven states that rely on the Colorado River to devise plans to reduce annual water diversions to 4 million acre-feet drastically.
Elon Musk offers to buy Twitter, Again
Elon Musk has offered to buy Twitter at the price he proposed months ago before trying to call it off, according to a legal filing. Musk offered to purchase twitter at $54.20 a share before the trial started on October 17. On Tuesday, Twitter said it received the letter and intended to close the transaction at the original share price offered by Musk's team. The company plans to accept the offer but is waiting for confirmation that the judge can oversee the process. Legal experts say Musk's willingness to close the deal suggests that he may have realized that he was in a weaker position than he believed going into the trial and his deposition.
CA ApprovesTesting for Drinking Water
California water regulators approved the world's first requirements for testing microplastics in drinking water sources. The State Water Resources Control Board approved a policy handbook for testing microplastic water supplies over four years. Under the plan approved today, up to 30 of the state's largest water providers will be ordered to start quarterly testing for two years beginning in 2023. The new requirements come after a state law adopted in 2018 required four years of testing to determine how widespread microplastics are in drinking water and guidelines establishing safe drinking levels.
| |
Member Messages
Get Your Message in VICA Weekly!
VICA members can promote their business, events and news in VICA Weekly. Member messages are available for $50 per week or $175 for four weeks. Messages are text-based and may not contain more than 70 words. A logo may be added for an additional $5 per week. For more information or to schedule your member message, contact cathy@vica.com or call (818) 817-0545.
| |
ABOUT VICA
Presenting the business perspective on behalf of employers in the
San Fernando Valley cities of Los Angeles, Burbank, Glendale, Calabasas,
Hidden Hills, San Fernando and Santa Clarita.
| | | | | |
