CVCC staff and board are fully dedicated to the organization’s public policy component. The CVCC Business Advocacy Roundtable (BAR) consists of members, who are committed, informed and willing to research the issues and make recommendations to the executive body and full board regarding many potential ordinances/laws, coming via the city, county, state and the federal elected jurisdictions. 

This committee also features “Hot Topics Breakfasts,” where important policy issues are discussed three times a year with elected and appointed officials and the general public.  The BAR’s staff advisor is the Government Relations Director, Pat Kistler, who has served in this position since 2008.

The membership of the CVCC is informed via e-mail, with a twice-monthly online newsletter and a monthly printed/mailed newsletter regarding what the organization has accomplished or is considering supporting.  The newsletters and other updated materials are also available on this website.

Finally, the Carpinteria Valley Chamber of Commerce is the first place an appointed or elected official, a state or federal legislator, a member of the media and/or a local business leader will contact, for updated information about Carpinteria.  Want to know more?  Please call (805) 684-5479, any weekday between 9am and 4 pm, or send an email to CEO, Lynda Lang @ lynda@carpinteriachamber.org.

PLEASE SEE THE LATEST NEWS FROM THE BUSINESS ADVOCACY ROUNDTABLE:

“Frankly Speaking”
A Government Issues Update of Interest to the CVCC Membership
By Patricia Kistler, Government Relations Director

October 2011

Debating the Obama Jobs Plan:

Directly following President Obama’s ‘Jobs’ speech last week, an array of critiques and analysis has followed……. some were heard on the network evening news, others have popped up in our personal or work email, and some have appeared in the editorial section of the local newspaper.

Experts in the field of economics have also chimed in with their thoughts.  Here are a few very well founded comments for your consideration.  They have come from the Center for Budget & Policy Priorities and the American Action Forum.

* The Obama Plan will create jobs.  However it is estimated to cost $450 billion to add 1.2 million jobs.  This does not sound like a ‘good buy’ for the American taxpayer. 

* Doing nothing about jobs could leave the unemployment rate where it is or perhaps, push it higher than the current 9.1 percent.

* Spending on public infrastructure and increasing unemployment support to 99 weeks is a very good idea.

* Continuing and expanding the payroll tax holiday, which is set to expire this year, would provide a business incentive to hire more employees.

* Reducing and revamping the corporate income tax, plus getting serious about entitlement reform, would probably be the best stimulus for this country right now.

As most of you know President Obama will be announcing additional deficit reduction plans on or after September 19.  It is hoped that the areas of Obama’s “one-two-punch” second announcement, will start the wheels of the economy rolling again. 

Only time will tell.  What are your thoughts about Obama’s plan?  Do you think he and his advisors are on the right track to stimulating the economy?   Send an email to ibnkist@cox.net, with your comments, which are welcome anytime.