"The Olympics, two NFL teams, and George Lucas all know L.A. is the future - so should Amazon."
- Mayor Eric Garcetti
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VICA Thanks our Renewing Members
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Silver Member
Since 2005
AV Masters
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Fiona Hutton & Associates
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Golden State Gateway Coalition
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Holiday Inn Express, North Hollywood
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Northridge Hospital Medical Center
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Walter W. Mosher
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ICYMI: California State Legislature This Week |
VICA has been closely tracking and advocating on bills moving through the California State Legislature, including some two-year bills from 2017 and other newly-introduced bills.
Key bills include AB 319 by Assemblymember Mark Stone, which would ban plastic bottle caps which are not tethered to the bottle. The technology for tethered caps doesn't exist for carbonated drinks, and since most sport top caps include a protective plastic wrapper, the bill would fail to reduce plastic litter. CalRecycle advises customers to return plastic bottles with the caps on, and their data indicates that 87% of bottles are returned with the caps on.
VICA continues to strongly oppose AB 5 by Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher, which would require employers to offer additional hours to existing employees before hiring any new part-time workers.
As California reacts to federal tax reform, legislators have introduced a series of bills including SB 227, which would allow California taxpayers to make a charitable donation to the state of California in lieu of paying state income tax and deduct the 'donation' from their federal tax returns. Alarmingly, Assembly Constitutional Amendment 22 would place an additional state tax on all businesses with revenue over $1 million.
Join VICA for our next Sacramento Advocacy Day on Wednesday, January 24 to tell our legislators what these bills will mean for your business. |
FRIDAY, MARCH 9, 2018
5:30 - 8:30 p.m.
The Globe Theatre ·
Universal Studios Hollywood
Don't miss this opportunity for Valley business leaders to connect with state lawmakers in an informal and fun setting, during our Annual State Officeholders Dinner.
CONFIRMED SPEAKERS:
(as of 1/18)
SENATOR
Holly Mitchell
BOARD OF EQUALIZATION CHAIR
Fiona Ma
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ASSEMBLYMEMBERS
Jim Cooper
Heath Flora
Jim Frazier
Laura Friedman
Mike Gipson
Tim Grayson
Miguel Santiago
Marc Steinorth |
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Ban on Modified Hydrofluoric Acid Would Cost Thousands of Jobs
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Join VICA this Saturday to oppose SCAQMD's Proposed Rule 1410, which would ban oil refineries from using Modified Hydrofluoric Acid (MHF).
For generations, oil production and refining have been key components of California's economy and banning MHF would have a significant impact on California families that depend on those jobs. Banning MHF could cause two Southern California refineries to cease operations, which would reduce the production of California's gasoline and result in a 30 percent loss of gas supply in Southern California. The economic impact would be felt across the state costing thousands of jobs and increasing gasoline prices for California residents and businesses by an estimated 26 cents per gallon. California's refineries adhere to the strictest regulations in the world, including safety measures that protect their workers and the communities that surround them. This ban is unnecessary and the SCAQMD Governing Board should oppose any such ban or phase-out. See below for details regarding tomorrow's hearing.
WHAT: SCAQMD Refinery Committee Meeting
WHEN: Saturday, January 20 at 9 AM
WHERE: Gateway Ballroom · Holiday Inn Los Angeles Gateway (19800 S. Vermont Ave, Torrance, CA 90502)
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Join more than 200 civic and business leaders for the region's premier advocacy trip to the nation's capitol. Attendees will meet with Congress and senior Administration officials on priorities important to Southern California.
Join the VICA delegation for exclusive advocacy meetings, briefings, lunch with a member of Congress, and an optional VICA dinner.
DATES:
Tuesday March 13 - Thursday March 16
CONFERENCE HOTEL:
JW Marriott · Group rate available
Early Bird registration fee: $750
(before February 13)
Registration fee after February 13: $850
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VICA Welcomes Increased Transparency at LAUSD
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VICA welcomes the Los Angeles Board of Education's movement towards greater transparency and accountability with the approval of the "LAUSDATA: Los Angeles Unified Sharing Data for Accessibility, Transparency and Accountability" resolution. Introduced by Board Vice President Nick Melvoin, LAUSDATA calls for the adoption of an Open Data Policy, the creation of an LAUSD Open Data Portal website, and the designation of an Open Data Officer to oversee this work.
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WEDNESDAY APRIL 4, 2018
11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
The Garland · 4222 Vineland Avenue, North Hollywood
Don't miss our 5th Annual Congressional Luncheon, a unique opportunity to engage with federal elected officials who represent the Valley.
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Rep. Tony Cardenas
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Rep. Brad Sherman
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Government Affairs Committee (1/17)
Hosted by Providence Tarzana Medical Center
- Joao Silverstein, Treasurer of the UCBA Trade Association, updated the committee on progress implementing state and local regulations for cannabis businesses.
- Marc Joffe, senior policy analyst at the Reason Foundation, highlighted the benefits and risks of federal tax reform, including the impact on California families and the national debt.
- The committee also heard from David Meza (Southern California Gas Company) about the negative impacts of a proposed CPUC moratorium on new natural gas connections.
- The committee recommended to support two ballot measures, which will protect SB 1 revenue for transportation purposes, and delay the effective date of ballot measures until after the Secretary of State files the vote.
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Member Messages:
Get Your Message in VICA Weekly!
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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
Helene@vica.com
or
call (818) 817-0545.
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