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Nearly two-dozen BizFed members engaged in an insightful small-group dialogue last month with Congressman Kevin McCarthy, delving into issues ranging from taxes and transportation to education and visa reform –...
Nearly two-dozen BizFed-member business leaders took part in a special behind-the-scenes Inspection Trip of the Colorado River Aqueduct & Hoover Dam Nov. 2-4. The educational trip was hosted by Metropolitan Water...
Today we are pleased to report that the LA County Board of Supervisors voted NOT TO PROCEED with the proposed “Clean Water, Clean Beaches” parcel tax measure. This is a big victory for the business...
With this year's unprecedented turnover in LA County's state legislative delegation (13 Assembly and 2 Senate), BizFed held its first-ever special breakfast reception Feb. 22 for freshman state legislators to...
BizFed leaders are continuing their nearly 2 years of direct engagement with Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office to help move California’s economy forward, meeting recently to discuss the status of his office...
You saw the news about LA City Council approving the Southern California International Gateway (SCIG), which will both create jobs and improve air quality for Southern California.  As hard as we work to urge...
LA Mayor-elect Eric Garcetti last week gave BizFed a shout-out by name, at a breakfast with key business leaders, and emphasized his commitment to making Los Angeles a better place to do business. BizFed has already...
A BizFed leadership delegation visited Sacramento May 15, continuing our alliance's advocacy on behalf of business across the region. BizFed leaders who attended included: Tracy Rafter, BizFed CEO;  Mark...
MOVE LA has authored an exceptional piece looking at the top transportation gains during Mayor Villaraigosa's tenure as mayor of LA City. BizFed - and its many member organizations - have been involved in many of...

Region Gains New Authority with SFV COG

The new San Fernando Valley Council of Governments - formed to govern the Southern California Association of Government’s San Fernando Valley sub-region - held its first public meeting July 8 with representatives from the Valley's seven LA City Council areas, two LA County Supervisors and officials from Glendale, Burbank, San Fernando and Santa Clarita. LA County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky was elected board chairman and the next meeting has been set for Aug. 12.

Sunrise Powerlink Moves Forward in SoCal

Sempra Energy subsidiary San Diego Gas & Electric Co. this week gained another key approval  to build a $1.9 billion power line that runs 120 miles from Imperial Valley to the city of San Diego when the U.S. Forest Service approved construction of a 19-mile stretch through Cleveland National Forest. The state PUC and the U.S.

The national healthcare reform law passed earlier this year includes a provision that requires businesses to issue 1099 tax forms not just to contract workers but to any individual or corporation from which they buy more than $600 in goods or services in a tax year. This mandate – which takes effect in 2012 - threatens to swamp businesses with new tax paperwork and has sparked an outcry including a legislative challenge by Rep. Dan Lungren (R-Calif).

 

BizFed continues to vigorously champion the Creation of a Business Friendly Environment as part of LA County's first, comprehensive Strategic Plan for Economic Development, and a growing number of members are also stepping up with official support. As of today, BizFed endorsers include: AIA-LA, City National Bank, David Grannis, LAX Coastal Area Chamber, Mercury Air Group, San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership, Valley Economic Alliance and Woodbury University.

Supervisor Knabe is New Chair of MTA Board

Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe officially became the new Chairman of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Board of Directors July 1, replacing outgoing Board Chairman, Glendale Mayor Ara Najarian. “As Metro’s new Chair, I will promote a balanced transportation plan that equitably benefits residents in all parts of Los Angeles County,” said Knabe. “Our efforts must also include accelerating upgrades to our highways and improving our existing mass transit system.”

As negotiations continue in the Capitol to pull an $11.14 billion water bond off the November ballot, the steering committee for the campaign to support the bond issued a statement explaining the move. Meanwhile, the Delta Stewardship Council, charged with developing an interim plan to protect the Delta environment and water supply, will hold the first of a series of public workgroups this week.

With California lawmakers at an impasse over a state budget that's now two weeks overdue, IOUs remain a threat - but the latest figures from the controller's office predict no cash shortfall until the fall. The state issued IOUs on July 2 last year. Lawmakers pushed back such a day of reckoning early this year by allowing the controller to defer $4.7 billion in bill payments during the expected summer stalemate.

Four BizFed members have been named among the top 40 U.S. companies for diversity by Black Enterprise magazine: Sempra Energy, Verizon, Bank of America and AT&T. Sempra was one of only two companies in California named to the sixth annual listing.