Blogs of the LA Area Chamber
California Needs Your Voice - Register to Vote
Gary Toebben on April 24, 2018 at 9:00:00 am
Posted in The Business Perspective
Six weeks from today, California will hold the statewide June primary election. Voters will select candidates for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Treasurer, Controller, Attorney General, Secretary of State, Insurance Commissioner and Superintendent of Public Instruction. Five statewide propositions will be on the ballot, as well as a U.S Senate seat, Congressional seats, state Senate and Assembly races, Board of Equalization districts and countywide office holders like Sheriff and Assessor.
Logistics - The Lifeblood of our Region
Gary Toebben on April 18, 2018 at 9:00:00 am
Posted in The Business Perspective
Half a million direct jobs. Nearly 600 million tons of freight annually valued at $1.7 trillion. A 55 percent increase in warehouse jobs in the last decade. These numbers from a 2017 LAEDC report are a snapshot into the importance of the goods movement industry in Southern California. From the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, through the heart of L.A. and Orange counties, and deep into the Inland Empire, the jobs associated with international trade and e-commerce sustain more than one-half million families in our region. And the number is growing.
Applause: Two Bold Steps For Our Future
Gary Toebben on April 17, 2018 at 9:00:00 am
Posted in The Business Perspective
Last week, two bold steps were taken that will positively affect Los Angeles and Southern California for decades. The Chamber was a proud champion of both.
92nd Annual World Trade Week celebration to highlight power and importance of international trade
Gary Toebben on April 10, 2018 at 6:00:00 am
Posted in The Business Perspective
Not since the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) came into force on Jan. 1, 1994 has international trade been in the national news on a daily basis. The U.S. trade representative Robert Lighthizer elected to cancel the last NAFTA roundtable renegotiations scheduled to take place this week, instead he call to have a series of ministerial meetings on the agreement. Along with the tariffs on imports being proposed by the U.S. and China, this is an appropriate time to remind Southern Californians about the huge importance of international trade to our local economy.
Community College Transfers Are Key to State's Future
Gary Toebben on April 3, 2018 at 9:00:00 am
Posted in The Business Perspective
In today’s increasingly competitive economy, every projection shows that California is not on track to produce the skilled workforce we need to fulfill future economic demands. By 2020, 65 percent of all jobs in the U.S. will require some level of postsecondary education and training. The Public Policy Institute (PPIC) estimates that California will face a shortage of 1.1 million workers with a bachelor’s degree by 2030.