The Chamber’s 25th Annual Vintners was an extraordinary success! It was an important event that celebrated our region’s rich wine history, bold micro-breweries, fabulous restaurants, and amazing businesses who drive our thriving economy. It was made possible by all our sponsors, and especially our major sponsors: Ontario Convention Center, City of Rancho Cucamonga, Daden Software LLC, Estelle & Kennedy, and MGR Property Management. We were proud to partner with the above businesses and appreciate their support. A special thank you to our Executive Director, Flora Dugbartey, and our Vintners Committee co-chairs, Rhonda Keliipio of Sparrow Lily Realty, and Carina Bursese of Evolution Fresh, for their creativity and vision in producing Vintners.
It was very rewarding to attend Vintners after enduring the pandemic. Our business community is resilient and never gives up. An exceptional example of perseverance is Longhorn Steakhouse. This restaurant remodeled the location at Foothill and Day Creek and opened in February 2020 but was forced to close the following month. Longhorn persevered during the pandemic by adapting to take-out and later creating outdoor dining until it could return to normal operations. Wayne Harold’s BBQ is another distinguished example of an entrepreneur who was not deterred by the pandemic and opened a great restaurant at Victoria Gardens. These business owners inspire and embody the never-quit spirit that makes our community strong. Please patronize these fine establishments.
Veterans Day is this Thursday. The city will be hosting a Veterans Day ceremony at 11:00 a.m. at Freedom Courtyard at Central Park. This is a great opportunity to honor our armed forces and remember their sacrifices to defend our freedom. Life is precious so take a moment to thank a veteran for their service to our country. Remember, gratitude produces happiness.
On November 5, 2021, the Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued its “COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing; Emergency Temporary Standard.” This purported rule requires employers with 100 or more employees to mandate vaccinations or undergo regular testing and wear a mask. It was temporarily halted by the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. The court battle is just beginning and will eventually wind up before the Supreme Court.
The OSHA rule is 490 pages long! A 490-page document strains the definition of an emergency and nothing temporary requires such a lengthy description. Therefore, it is telling that this situation is neither an emergency nor temporary. The reality is that this rule will eventually become permanent and expand to all employers, not just those with 100 or more employees. Moreover, OSHA is only one of nineteen federal agencies that administer employer-employee relationships. Once OSHA implements its rules, the other agencies will follow with additional rules, if for nothing else, to justify their existence. The time to oppose this is now.
Only the federal government can take 490 pages to say what should be understood in one sentence: get the shot or your fired. Proponents of the rule will argue that there is a testing option in lieu of the vaccination. I suppose that is what the other 489 pages explain. The testing option must be OSHA’s constant harassment with weekly swabs until you acquiesce. OSHA has a long history of coercion through monetary fines on businesses with little or no recourse to contest. We should be very cautious with further empowering such an agency. OSHA presupposes employees will pay for the testing, but this runs contrary to established law that any expense an employer requires of an employee must be reimbursed by the employer. So, the debate of who pays is also far from over.
Policymakers who support this rule will argue that it is necessary to protect people and save lives but will say nothing about its constitutionality or the dangers of burdensome government overreach on businesses. While saving lives is a laudable goal, it should not be used as a carte blanche excuse to act so egregiously. It is not the role of any federal agency to interfere with medical decisions between employer-employee. If saving lives is truly the goal, then policymakers may want to focus on real problems in need of attention. For example, there was a 5.6% increase in violent crime nationwide in 2020. More succinctly, homicides in California jumped from 1,658 in 2019 to 2,161 in 2020 - an astonishing increase of 30.3%. This is one example of many dangerous declines our society has taken while overly focusing on Covid. Policymakers should take action on real dangers and tell OSHA to stay in its congressionally authorized function rather than mandating health care decisions it does not know about.
The Rancho Cucamonga Chamber of Commerce will continue to speak against burdensome regulations and in favor of economic liberty. I encourage all businesses to join the Chamber and let their voice be heard. If the Chamber can be of any assistance, please contact me at: Chairman@ranchochamber.org
Sincerely, your Chamber President,
Robert A. Hufnagel.
