VICA Weekly: Happy Holidays

December 15, 2017

In This Issue

Media Highlights

Hot Issues

Media Highlights

Hot Issues

Member Messages

"We in America are operating from the grassroots - from the cities, from the states, from corporate leaders, from universities and from civil society."

- Governor Brown on the acceleration of local and regional climate action

Media Highlights

The California Response to the GOP Tax Bill,

KPCC,

December 14

VICA Calls for Consolidated Special Elections to Fill San Fernando Valley Vacancies

Fox & Hounds Daily ,

December 12

My Holiday Wish List

San Fernando Valley Business Journal

December 11

Members

VICA Thanks Our Renewing Members

________________

Silver Member

(2000)

Bronze Member

(2016)

Kramar's Iron & Metal, Inc.

Los Angeles Airport Peace Officers Association

Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board

Oschin Partners Inc.

Rodriguez Strategies

Stacy Miller Public Affairs

V&A Inc.

Calendar

Save The Date

Transportation Committee

Tue., Jan. 9

8 to 10 am

The Garland

4222 Vineland Ave.

North Hollywood

Click here to RSVP

Aviation Committee

Wed., Jan 10

Noon to 1:30 pm

Aerolease/Aeroplex

7943 Woodley Ave.

Van Nuys

Click here to RSVP

Government Affairs Committee

Wed., Jan 17

Noon to 2 pm

Providence Tarzana Hospital

18321 Clark St.

Tarzana

Click here to RSVP

Sacramento Advocacy Trip

Wed., Jan 24

All Day

Sacramento, CA

Click here to RSVP

Ambassador Committee

Wed., Jan 24

8:30 to 10 am

VICA Office

16600 Sherman Way, Suite 170, Van Nuys

Click here to RSVP

Hot Issues

Tax Reform

VICA continues to express its concerns about capping the state and local tax (SALT) deduction as leaders in the House and Senate agreed in principle to bridge the gaps between their competing versions of the $1.5 trillion tax bill.

Housing

The Los Angeles City Council has adopted two ordinances that seek to address the region's ongoing affordable housing crisis, the "Value Capture" ordinance and the Linkage Fee ordinance , in spite of strong opposition from business groups including VICA.

Land Use

VICA will continue to work with LA City as they release initial concepts for the Orange Line Neighborhood Plan. The proposed plan targets five stations: Sherman Way, Reseda, Sepulveda, Van Nuys and the North Hollywood terminus.

Homelessness

The United Nations monitor on extreme poverty walked the streets of LA's skid row as part of a national tour investigating human rights conditions for the poorest U.S. citizens.

Politics

California Democrats will be without a supermajority in the Assembly for months and risk losing the two-thirds edge needed to pass tax and fee increases in the Senate due to member resignations amid sexual misconduct allegations. VICA has called for consolidated elections to reduce the number of trips Valley voters will make to the polls.

Net Neutrality

The Federal Communications Commission voted to repeal

' net neutrality ' rules, which restrict the power of Internet service providers to influence loading speeds for specific websites or apps.

Budget

California Assembly Democrats announced a budget proposal, including $4.3 billion in new spending. The proposal marks the Assembly's opening volley in six months of budget negotiations with the Senate and Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown.

Economy

The Federal Reserve is raising its key interest rate for the third time this year and foresees three additional hikes in 2018, a vote of confidence that the U.S. economy remains on solid footing 8 years after the end of the Great Recession.

The VICA team wishes you and your family a joyous holiday and happy New Year!

VICA staff is grateful for the support, cooperation and partnership we receive from our members each year. With the holidays upon us, we would like to thank our members for your loyal support and wish everyone continued success in the New Year.

The VICA office will be closed on the following dates:

Monday, December 25

Tuesday, December 26

Monday, January 1

Tuesday, January 2

Join VICA in Sacramento in 2018!

Join VICA in 2018 as we continue to visit Sacramento for our monthly advocacy trips!

These member-only trips allow direct interaction with state elected officials and create the freedom for discussion on issues that are vital to the business community.

2018 Trip Dates:

January 24

February 6

More dates TBA

Click here to reserve your spot for one of VICA's advocacy trips!

Los Angeles Department of City Planning Joins VICA at Land Use Committee

VICA Land Use Co-Chair Larry Gray ( Spindler Engineering), VICA Land Use Chair Brad Rosenheim ( Rosenheim & Associates), Senior City Planner Christine Saponara, Principal City Planners Ken Bernstein, Shana Bonstin and Blake Lamb, Interim Chief Zoning Administrator Charlie Rausch, and Deputy Director Lisa Webber at VICA's Land Use Committee Meeting on Tuesday.

On Tuesday, the VICA Land Use committee met with management from the Los Angeles Department of City Planning to discuss challenges and opportunities with the existing land use entitlement process, as well as strategies to enhance the process. The department has hired additional staff to help projects move quicker in the planning process and will be focusing on expediting projects in 2018. The department will also be focusing on creating policies that will streamline housing development in order to help meet the demand of housing in Los Angeles. VICA will continue to work with the Department of City Planning to improve the process and provide guidance on community planning and development-related policies that will benefit the entire city. Thank you to the speakers who attended: Deputy Director Lisa Webber, Principal City Planners Ken Bernstein, Shana Bonstin and Blake Lamb, Interim Chief Zoning Administrator Charlie Rausch, and Senior City Planner Christine Saponara.

Would You Like to Host or Sponsor a VICA Committee in 2018?

VICA is looking for members to host or sponsor committee meetings for the upcoming year.

HOSTS: If your company can accommodate between 20 and 40 people comfortably, we may have a committee for you. As a host you will have an opportunity to say a few words of welcome and give members the chance to visit your site. You will also be listed on each agenda as the host and table cards will be provided at the meeting.

SPONSORS: If you have the financial wherewithal, but not a site, consider sponsoring the meeting at VICA. Please see the costs of sponsorships below. Your company would still get to welcome everyone at the meeting and would have their logo on the agendas.

Click here for more information on sponsorships.

Help Drive Economic Development in Los Angeles

The City of Los Angeles Economic and Workforce Development Department has been tasked with developing a Citywide Economic Development Strategy and Five-year Implementation Plan. The Strategy will likely address a range of goals and objectives including: robust economic growth for the City's residents; enhanced economic competitiveness for businesses and industry sectors; broadly-shared prosperity and wealth; and access to opportunity.

Your feedback is critical to help the City identify the importance of various business, workforce, and community issues, as well as actions that the City's economic development strategy should prioritize. Complete the City's survey to make sure the Valley's business concerns are heard.

Click here to take the survey.

Don't Miss Your Chance to Advertise in VICA's 2018 Government Handbook!

RESERVE YOUR ADVERTISING SPACE TODAY!

The VICA Government Handbook is the San Fernando Valley and the Greater Los Angeles area's go-to guide for information about federal, state and local government officials and elected leaders. It is frequently used from Los Angeles to Sacramento and even in Washington, D.C.

This year's edition will feature all the information you've come to expect for the Government Handbook, including detailed maps of City Council, Legislative and Congressional districts.

Download our rate sheet and reserve your ad space today!

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 Helene@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.