July 5, 2019

In This Issue
" This homelessness issue is out of control. Californians are outraged. They are disgusted ... We have a crisis."

- California Governor Gavin Newsom
 
Members

VICA Thanks Our Renewing Members
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(2000)
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(2017)

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Galaxy Building Systems
(2003)

LG Strategies
(2017)

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New Members

BenefitMall Payroll

 
Calendar

Upcoming Week

Transportation Committee
Hosted by The Garland
Tuesday, July 9 
8:00 to 10:00 a.m.
The Garland 
4222 Vineland Avenue, North Hollywood
Click here to RSVP

Not-For-Profit Committee
Hosted by Child Care Resource Center
Thursday, July 11
8:30 to 10:00 a.m.
Child Care Resource Center
19809 Prairie St, 2nd Floor,
Chatsworth
Click here to RSVP
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Save the Date

VICA After Dark with Assemblymember Christy Smith
Tuesday, July 16 
5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Airtel Plaza Hotel
7277 Valjean Avenue, 
Van Nuys
Click here to RSVP

Government Affairs Committee
Hosted by  Penny Lane Centers
Wednesday, July 17
8:30 to 10:30 a.m.
Penny Lane Centers
15314 Rayen Street, North Hills
Click  here to RSVP

Ambassador Committee
Tuesday, July 23
8:30 to 10:00 a.m.
VICA Office
16600 Sherman Way, Suite #170, Van Nuys
Click here to RSVP



Hot Issues 

PG&E
Gov. Gavin Newsom's effort to pay for future wildfires and life PG&E Corp. out of bankruptcy will require a two-thirds supermajority to pass the Legislature.

Agriculture
Democratic and Republican congressmen lined up Friday with Sonny Perdue, President Trump's agriculture secretary, to hear the concerns of Central Valley farmers and ranchers.

Climate and Wildfires
California residents can expect the frequency of wildfires to increase over last year and lower elevations will be vulnerable, say fire experts.

Uber & Lyft
Despite the Service Employees International Union's insistence that it supports full employment status for drivers, the union appears willing to continue negotiating with Uber and Lyft.

Labor Strikes
Grocery workers bracing for a potential strike received support on Monday from other key labor organizations from the Los Angeles Country Federation of Labor.

Housing & Homelessness
The California Senate approved on Monday a bill that would set aside $2.4 billion to address housing and homelessness while setting up a process to punish "anti-housing" cities.

Housing
A month after a push to prevent no-fault evictions failed in the state Assembly, lawmakers are now attempting to make eviction protections part of a statewide rent cap bill, facing push back from landlord interest groups.

Stop New Restrictions on Towing Abandoned Vehicles
VICA strongly opposes Assembly Bill 516 (Chiu), which would remove the authority for cities to impound or tow vehicles with five or more parking or traffic violations, or have  had a lapse in
registration for six or more months. The bill would also delay the removal of vehicles which have been consecutively parked for 72 or more hours on a public street, requiring an additional 10-working-day wait before removal. Removal of vehicles from public streets is a critical enforcement tool for municipalities. Removing the city's ability to remove these vehicles will hurt residents and businesses who rely on street parking. There are alternative ways to reduce any burden on low-income vehicle owners which would be less harmful to a municipalities' ability to effectively enforce parking restrictions.
Click here to send a letter opposing AB 516.



Tuesday, July 16, 2019
5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Airtel Plaza Hotel
7277 Valjean Ave.,  Van Nuys

Assemblymember Christy Smith

Join VICA for our upcoming After Dark, featuring California State Assemblymember Christy Smith. Attendees enjoy hosted drinks and appetizers as they meet and interact with other prominent business leaders from the community.  VICA After Darks are complimentary to VICA members.

Sponsorships are still available - email Jessica@vica.com or call the 
VICA Office at (818) 817-0545

Non-members who are interested in attending are encouraged to contact Cathy @vica.com.

Support Necessary Restrictions on Cannabis Advertisements
VICA supports Assembly Bill 1417 (Rubio), which would require online cannabis advertisements to display the state license number, in line with existing print, radio, and cable advertising requirements. Some internet platforms engaged in cannabis advertising fail to display the businesses' license number. This has the potential to cause confusion among consumers, who may not realize they are purchasing products from an illegal operator. Illegal operators provide cannabis that hasn't been tested for harmful chemicals, a public safety issue for consumers. Advertising lower-cost, illegal products harms legally operated businesses who are complying with state and local law, which is hurting the development of a robust legal market.


Click here to send a letter supporting AB 1417.


THURSDAY, AUGUST 8
11:30 - 2 P.M.

BURBANK AIRPORT MARRIOTT - 2500 N. HOLLYWOOD WAY, BURBANK

CONFIRMED LOCAL OFFICEHOLDERS  (as of 6/25)

COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES
Board of Supervisors: 
Kathryn Barger
Sheila Kuehl

Assessor:
Jeffrey Prang

CITY OF LOS ANGELES
City Attorney
Mike Feuer

Councilmember:
Bob Blumenfield
Paul Koretz
Paul Krekorian

City Administrator
Richard Llewllyn

General Manager
Seleta Reynolds
LOCAL CITIES
City of Burbank 
Sharon Springer

City of Pasadena
Terry Tornek

City of San Fernando
Joel Fajardo

City of Simi Valley
Keith Mashburn
LAUSD
Board Member
Scott Schmerelson
Nick Melvoin

LACCD
Trustee
Scott Svonkin


Support Critical Early Developmental
 Screening Services
VICA supports Assembly Bill 1004 (McCarty), which would improve developmental screenings for children 0 to 3 years of age, provided as part of the Early and Periodic Screening,
Diagnostic and Treatment benefit under  Medi-Cal.  Approximately 85 percent of brain
development occurs in the first three years of life, during which young minds develop the foundation for lifelong learning, behavior, and health. However, while roughly 25 percent of young children are at risk for developmental delays, 70 percent of children will go through kindergarten with those delays remaining undetected.  AB 1004 would increase early identification of developmental delays or disorders among these young children, helping to create a more stable and supportive environment for every child's needs.
.
Click here to send a letter supporting AB 1004.
VICA is Hiring!
VICA is currently looking for two individuals to join our dynamic team. The two positions are:

Membership Manager: VICA is looking for a Membership Manager to help recruit new members, retain existing members, sell sponsorships and advertising and develop a strong membership program and ambassador committee. This is an excellent opportunity for a dedicated professional who wants to facilitate participation and networking in the most influential business community in the Valley. 

Legislative Affairs Associate: VICA is looking for a Legislative Affairs Associate to support the legislative affairs team's advocacy efforts for business at the local, state, and federal level. This is an excellent opportunity for a recent graduate to work in a fast-paced environment on a wide range of policy issues, with opportunities to learn, grow, and gain valuable networks and experience.

If you or anyone you know would like to work for the most influential business group in the Valley, email a resume and cover letter to  Jessica@vica.com.

Click here to view the job descriptions.
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.