L.A. COMPACT - FROM CRADLE TO CAREER
The value of the L.A. Compact's efforts to break away from traditional silos and work collectively to improve student outcomes was a topic of discussion at the Compact's Joint Advocacy Group lunch on Friday at the Chamber. Rep. Maxine Waters, Assemblymembers Richard Bloom and Reggie Jones Sawyer, State Sen. Ed Hernandez, legislative staff members, Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent John Deasy and Board President Monica Garcia were all in attendence. Above left, Kim Belshé, the Compact's newest signer and First 5 LA's executive director spoke about the importance of early childhood and the L.A. Compact's renewed focus on improving cradle to career education outcomes.Contact Carrie Shapton, 213.580.7591.


• California Environmental Quality Act
Next week, Chamber President & CEO Gary Toebben will testify, on behalf of the statewide CEQA Working Group, for SB 731. "We appreciate the effort that has been put into the bill thus far. We still have a long way to go to achieve what can be called meaningful reform," said Toebben. The CEQA Working Group is a broad coalition of people from local government, business, transportation, transit, schools, hospitals and others who support meaningful CEQA reform. Contact Jessica Duboff, 213.580.7558.

• Los Angeles Convention Center RFP
This week the L.A. City Council held a joint meeting of the Trade, Commerce & Tourism and Budget & Finance committees to discuss how to move forward with the Request For Proposal process for the management of the Los Angeles Convention Center. The Chamber testified it was vital that this RFP move forward in a competitive, fair manner in order to lay the groundwork for other public-private partnership opportunities. The Committee voted to re-issue the RFP for an additional 30 days. Contact Jessica Duboff, 213.580.7558.

• Wastehaul franchise
On Wednesday, the L.A. City Council approved the City of Los Angeles - Bureau of Sanitation's implementation plan for the exclusive waste franchise system. The Chamber testified there are still outstanding questions related to cost structure and customer service mechanisms. The Chamber urged the Council to consider studying more waste zones and increase subcontractor requirements for more business participation. The Bureau will return to the Council committee in February 2014 with the RFP. Contact Jessica Duboff, 213.580.7558.

• Cap-and-Trade Auction Proceeds
The California Air Resources Board recently released the draft Cap-and-Trade Auction Proceeds investment plan. The Chamber requested a significant share of the funding be invested in L.A., that freight and goods movement infrastructure and technology advancement be prioritized for investment, and that higher energy costs associated with the Cap-and-Trade program be offset for businesses. The governor and state Legislature will finalize the plan in May. Contact Frank Lopez, 213.580.7531. 

• San Onofre Nuclear Generation Station
The Chamber commented in support of a resolution adopted by the City of L.A. on Tuesday that affirms the support for a public review process of Southern California Edison's proposed restart of the San Onofre Nuclear Generation Station, which has been offline for more than a year. It is the single largest source of energy in Southern California and is undergoing a rigorous federal regulatory process to ensure a safe restart. Contact Frank Lopez, 213.580.7531. 



Land Use, Construction & Housing
On Tuesday, the City of L.A.'s Planning and Land Use Management Committee moved forward with parts of a proposed plan to integrate the departments of Planning and Building and Safety under a new Department of City Planning and Development. The Chamber testified in support of the conceptual plan as an important step to increase efficiency, accountability and certainty in the City's development process. On Wednesday, City officials Michael LoGrande and Bud Ovrom provided more details on the plan at the Chamber's Land Use, Construction & Housing Council. "It’s important to convince customers that their business is our business," said LoGrande. The Council approved recommendations to guide implementation of the potential new department. Contact Tina Hossain, 213.580.7531.

Thanks to the following for their support of our 125th Anniversary campaign: Southern California Gas Company, a Sempra Energy utility; AC Martin Partners and David Fleming. Photograph of the cornerstone laying ceremony at the Chamber of Commerce building, between 1st and 2nd streets on Broadway in 1903. Read more. USC Special Collections