The Chamber’s Public Policy Agenda articulates the broad policy issues that serve as a roadmap for our advocacy efforts on a broad range of legislative, regulatory and policy issues.

 

The Chamber’s policy agenda is developed to reflect the business policy issues of interest to our members. Working with the Government Relations Committee, strategic partners, board members and other Chamber committees, a broad policy agenda is developed which reflects the key policy issues of importance to the Chamber members. 

 

The Chamber’s Policy Agenda reflects positions in the following areas: 

1. Government Regulations
	a. Government Operations and Business Regulations
	b. Taxes and Fees
2. Infrastructure
	a. Transportation
	b. Water
	c. Energy
	d. Communication & Technology
3. Workplace Laws and Regulation
	a. Worker’s Compensation
	b. Health Care
	c. Wage Mandates
4. Education
5. Housing and Development
6. Environmental Regulations
7. Economic Development

 

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1. Government Regulations

 

a. Government Operations and Business Regulations:

Policy Objectives: Government agencies should review the complete cost associated with the adoption and implementation of regulations and justify to the public how the benefits brought will outweigh the costs associated.

Support: Regular reviews of government functions and funding mechanisms to ensure fiscal responsibility and efforts to cut wasteful spending, duplication or unnecessary programs or regulations.

 

Support: A balanced state budget that restores the fair and appropriate allocation of funds to local government and does not disproportionately tax California businesses.

 

Support: A balanced local government budget that fairly distributes the burden of local government finance without creating an artificially high cost of doing business in our community. 

 

Oppose: State government balancing the budget at the expense of local jurisdictions. 

 

Oppose: Regulations that give California and our community a competitive disadvantage in attracting jobs.

 

Oppose: Bureaucratic processes that increase cost and delays to business.  

 

Oppose: Unfunded government mandates.

 

b. Taxes and Fees:

 

Policy Objectives: The Chamber generally opposes efforts to raise taxes and fees on businesses and individuals to pay for core government services that should otherwise be paid out of general funds, sales taxes, property taxes or gasoline taxes. Tax increases are generally opposed unless clear and specified benefit can be justified to the business community.

Support: Efforts on the federal, state and local levels that would simplify the current tax system and reduce the tax burden on businesses and individuals.

 

Oppose: Taxes and fees which are levied for purposes other than those directly linked to the provision of specific government services.

 

Oppose: Inequitable, hidden, or burdensome taxes and fees on businesses.

Policy Objectives: In order to maintain economic vitality and continue to stand as one of the most desirable communities in the region in which to reside, we must maintain and build on our infrastructure plan with major emphasis on transportation systems, reliable water and power resources, utilizing a forward-thinking, proactive approach. We must remain competitive in our ability to attract and maintain jobs that are essential to our economic well-being. 

 

a. Transportation: 

 

Support: Local efforts to secure regional, state and federal funds that will improve traffic flow on surface streets, highways and freeways. 

 

Oppose: Undue financial burden to local businesses and residents for alleviating traffic congestion in our area. 

 

b. Water:

 

Support: Policy and legislation that insures an economical, reliable and sustainable supply of water to assure that our current and future businesses and residents will always have ample water supply in wet and dry years.

 

c. Power: 

 

Support: Solutions for reliable, low-cost power resources for our businesses and residents including, but not limited to, alternative power sources and diversification from the grid.                       

 

d. Communication & Technology: 

 

Support: Policy and legislation that enables our technology providers to offer businesses and residents the most advance communication and technology.

 

 

Policy Objectives: Government laws and regulation must carefully balance the needs of business and the economy with appropriate protections for workers to ensure a strong job base sufficient to sustain a community.  

 

a. Worker’s Compensation 

 

Support: The passage of laws that reform the worker’s compensation system to stem abuse and fraud and provide for appropriate protections for workers while maintaining reasonable rates for employers and removing employer obligations for non-work related injuries.

 

b. Health Care

 

Support: Incentives and tax deductions for employer paid health care coverage and employee health care expenses. 

 

Oppose: Government mandates on employers for health care coverage. 

 

c. Wage Mandates 

 

Oppose: Artificial wage mandates.

 

Policy Objectives: To enhance and maintain a high quality education system to ensure an educated local workforce.

 

Support: The passage of fiscally responsible local and state bond measures, where necessary and appropriate.

 

Support: Curriculum that prepares students with the necessary skills to be successful and productive in the workplace.  

 

Support: The recruitment of higher education facilities to the South Placer Region.

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5. Housing and Development

 

Policy Objectives: Our community maintains a reasonable supply of housing to meet its internal growth needs, and provide a sufficient number of new housing to encourage new business to locate to our community. The ability for employees to have housing choice available to them near where they work has a positive affect on employee moral, productivity, and by reducing commute lengths, reduces traffic and air pollution. Balanced land use decisions are the key to maintaining the positive business environment in the City.

 

Support: Land use that provides adequate land for residential and non-residential land uses. Review existing inventories and adjust to economic changes that alter that long term needs of a particular land use.

 

Support: Land use and plan areas that result in a fiscal benefit to the community as a whole.  

 

Support: The City’s present requirement for affordable housing to very low, low and moderate income level households.  

 

Support: Proposals for redevelopment of existing sites within older neighborhoods. Support revitalization and rezoning of properties that no longer are economically viable under their current zoning. Support planning efforts to identify opportunities for infill development.

 

Oppose: Efforts to mandate further inclusionary zoning requirements or ones that eliminate the moderate housing requirement in place of additional lower income requirements.

 

Oppose: Efforts to increase the cost of housing through the imposition of fees intended to meet unfunded mandates or new building standards

 

Oppose: Unreasonable limits or undue burdens for entitlement approvals for development projects. In face of ballot measures provide full disclosure of the impacts on business and residents.

 

Oppose: Ballot box planning.

 

Policy Objectives: Government agencies designated to protect the environment should provide reasonable regulations, including cost-effecting reporting requirements, to support a sustainable environment in balance with commerce.

 

Support: Reform to the federal, state, county and local environmental regulations that avoid unnecessary duplication of permits and enforcement.  

 

Support: Incentives that encourage clean-air driving and reduced emissions on a cost-effective basis.

 

Support: Equitable spread of costs of compliance to society as a whole, rather than placing the financial burden disproportionately on business and property ownership.  

 

Oppose: Policy decisions based on emotions or political opinions rather than based on scientific evidence.

 

Oppose: Regulatory requirements that are complex and ambiguous.

 

Policy Objectives: The business environment is strengthened by effective economic development programs that are developed in partnership with local businesses.

 

Support: Economic incentives that attract and keep businesses and jobs in California. 

 

Support: Economic development initiatives that are developed in partnership with local employers and business organizations.

 

Oppose: Fees that are a disincentive to attracting new business.