Today, VICA hosted a Virtual Leaders Forum where we welcomed Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman to speak on her goals and plans during her tenure at the Council. The event started with a networking session, where VICA members could catch up and build relationships even in a remote setting.

During the program, Councilmember Raman tackled issues on challenges related to small businesses, reopening plans, and economic inequality. Raman engaged with issues that small business leaders face as well, such as the eviction moratorium and business losses, which can be devastating to our entire community. Further, the Councilmember addressed the high cost of housing that make it difficult for businesses and employees to succeed in Los Angeles.

During the Q&A session, Councilmember Raman engaged VICA's member concerns directly. Many questions arose regarding homelessness, transportation, and the expenses of starting a business in the Los Angeles region.

VICA is proud to have hosted another insightful event, and we are excited to build a strong relationship with Councilmember Raman to get our economy on its feet again. A big thank you to our presenting sponsors, Comcast NBCUniversal, EKA and Southern California Gas Company, and our co-sponsors, Metro and Southland Regional Association of Realtors for making this great event possible.

This week, VICA hosted a Hospitality Roundtable in partnership with Fisher Phillips. The Roundtables are a new series of events created to provide education and guidance to VICA members and non-members alike to support our business community across a wide range of industries.

The VICA Hospitality Roundtable was the first of this series, and was specifically created to help the hotel, restaurant, and tourism industries navigate major reforms underway at the local, state and federal level. VICA was pleased to welcome Nicole Kamm and Hannah Sweiss, labor and employment attorneys at the Fisher Phillips firm. Topics ranged from the Right of Recall, to workplace safety standards, and attendees had the opportunity to ask a diverse array of questions regarding legal issue that employers may face and litigation that might arise in the future.

Silver Member:

Members:

VICA called in to the City Council again this week to urge the Council to consider amendments to the now adopted Anti-Harassment of Tenants ordinance to ensure balance and protection for all parties.

As a business organization, we condemn any form of harassment. However, this ordinance will leave responsible housing providers vulnerable to bad-faith or frivolous lawsuits. Before its passage, VICA requested the expansion of the "Right to Cure" to apply to all items to add a layer of protection for rental operators to be notified of alleged violations and given an opportunity to rectify misunderstandings. Further, VICA requested that the definition of harassment in the ordinance be made consistent with the California Civil Code.

Unfortunately, our requests were not honored to ensure equitable protection for all parties. Instead, the item passed on consent. VICA will continue to be active to protect housing in our region.

VICA was happy to cohost a Unite LA event this week, titled "California Plans to Invest Boldly: A Once-In-A-Generation $76 Billion Budget Surplus". At the event, we welcomed Assemblymember Kevin McCarty, the Chair of the Assembly Budget Committee on Education Finance, and Christopher Ferguson, the Education Systems Program Budget Manager at the California Department of Finance. There was a robust discussion on the need for early childhood education and the need for investment in the future of our economy, with Assemblymember McCarty saying, "Look at some of the top issues we're trying to address in California: the student achievement gap, the opportunity gap, intergenerational poverty, criminal justice issues. Every economist will say the No. 1 thing we can do to work on these issues is invest in our early learners."

VICA was proud to cohost this event, and we look forward to working with Unite LA to advance early childhood education in the future.

Friday, July 9

California will fully reopen its economy next Tuesday under remarkably favorable conditions, with COVID-19 cases at the lowest levels in 14 months.

Kaiser Permanente is launching a COVID-19 vaccine trial for children ages 5-11 in California this week, part of a nationwide safety study in 4,600 children.

The S&P 500 rose 0.5% and is on track for its third straight, while consumer prices jumped 5% in May, but the increase in inflation is expected to be temporary.

El Salvador has become the first country to make Bitcoin unrestricted legal tender, allowing prices, tax contributions, and exchanges in the digital currency.

California leads the nation with the largest drop in Spring 2021 college enrollment numbers, largely due to a steep decline in community college students.

One of the first in-person events of the 2022 L.A. mayoral race ended Monday with a woman arrested for pulling a knife out a few feet from Councilman Buscaino.

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