Last Week's Poll Results: "Have You Or Your Family Ever Utilized The Local YMCA Facilities?"

*If you have additional comments please email us at chris@escondidochamber.org

Next week is an important week for the Chamber. As we continue to march toward year’s end next week’s three Chamber sponsored events are one of the last opportunities to learn and celebrate together until 2022!

On Tuesday 12/7 Police Chief Ed Varso will present updates from local law enforcement, specifically the Escondido Police Department. The Chief will give a briefing and then take questions from attendees. Here’s your chance to hear directly from our Police Chief and to ask questions as Chief Varso will be taking questions. The meeting will be held here at the Chamber at 4p and we’re opening this for anyone to attend and there is no charge. We just ask for attendees to register, and you can register HERE.

Then on Wednesday 12/8 at Jennifer Schoeneck the City’s Deputy Director of Economic Development will present and hold a workshop on applying for two new City grants to support local businesses recover from the pandemic. We encourage all businesses in Escondido to be informed and attend. The meeting will be held here at the Chamber at 4p and we’re opening this for anyone to attend. There is no charge. We just ask for attendees to register, and you can register HERE.

Finally, on Thursday 12/9 under the rotunda at City Hall the Chamber will host the 11th Community-In-Unity event. This is truly a must-attend event, and gives you a chance to give back by bringing toys or pajamas to donate. It also gives you an opportunity to mix and mingle with your elected officials and business leaders...and Santa. Oh, the event is also all about the food and drink --- this all inclusive event let's you sample culinary treats from a variety of Escondido's leading restaurants! Register HERE.

The Chamber has been vigilant in presenting and encouraging everyone to participate in the redistricting process which is coming to a close in early this month for Federal, State and County boundary adjustments. Escondido redistricting process timeline extends into April.

To sum up what adjustments might look like we’re sharing an excerpt from a column written by Sameea Kamal and Jeremiah Kimelman just today and published by CalMatters.

But in reality, party politics shadows the entire process — and the citizens commission is getting plenty of outside pressure as it meets this week to cull through public comment on its preliminary maps and consider changes.

And how it draws the final districts will nonetheless impact partisan dynamics — including whether Democrats are able to keep the supermajority in the Legislature they won in 2018 and retained in 2020.

Heading into the 2022 elections, Democrats have a stranglehold on power in California: 59 of 80 seats in the state Assembly and 31 of 40 in the state Senate, plus 42 of 53 in the U.S. House.

While slightly more competitive, the preliminary districts aren’t likely to change those numbers much, according to one study. Democrats are likely to keep 40 of 52 House seats, 62 Assembly seats and 31 Senate seats, says the Public Policy Institute of California analysis.

But those party breakdowns could shift in the final districts that the commission will be working on the next several weeks before adopting them just before Christmas.