By TR Robertson
The online Zoom meeting for the May Carlsbad Government Affairs Committee centered on a look at the Redistricting process and several bills that either would be detrimental for workers and companies or would aid a variety of workers and companies.
Patricia Sinay, Commissioner for California Redistricting Commission was on hand to explain the process cities and districts go through to redistrict their communities. She presented a power point on California Redistricting Basics. Patricia is one of 14 Commissioners at the state level. There are 7 Commissioners from Northern California and 7 from Southern California. She said most cities will be redistricting, drawing new boundaries based on census results and a variety of other conditions. Cities and districts will be looking at unequal numbers to make sure they are complying. Redistricting affects all people as it makes differences in funding, power, boundaries, and issues. Due to COVID census numbers are being delayed until the end of summer. Currently there are 52 seats assigned to California. She pointed out 6 criteria that the commissioners will consider about redistricting. These are: Equal Population, the Voting Rights Act, Contiguity, Community of Interest, Geographically Compact and Nesting Districts. Community of Interest is a concentrated population which shares common social and economic interests for purposes of effective and fair representation. People can belong to multiple communities. For changes, a COI tool can create a map of proposed district changes. This can be submitted, describing the data used for changes, prevalent issues for the change and stories of the district that might effect the change. By the Fall, CRC will begin to draw proposed district lines. By early 2022, CRC will have submitted 4 final maps for approval effecting Congressional, Senate, Assembly and Board Equalization districts. Cities can also submit map changes that might affect districts within their city for City Councils, School Boards, and other needed agencies. Go to www.WeDrawTheLinesCA.org for more information.
Catherine Magana, Bret Schanzenbach and Haley Wonsley presented information about several Assembly and Senate bills being considered, some with a positive effect on workers and companies and some with a negative effect. The Government Affairs Committee was asked to vote in support of or in non-support of each of these bills for submission to the California Chamber of Commerce. Initially there were 25 bills considered Job Killer Bills. OF these 10 have been removed, 7 already being discussed by Cal Chamber. Interested parties can Google CalChamber Job killer List to check out all the bills being considered. Discusses at the Committee meeting was AB 616 – Forced Unionization Process for Agricultural Employees. The Committee voted to support passage of this bill. AB 650 Employer-provided benefits; health care workers; COVID-10: hazard pay retention bonuses was next discussed. The Committee voted to oppose this bill. SB 62 Increased Costs and Liability on Employers was recommended for approval. SB 213 Expands Costly Presumption of Injury and SB 606 Expansion of Cal/OSHA Authority and Enforcement were both voted to be opposed.
Legislative Reports:
City of Carlsbad – Bret Schanzenbach, CEO of Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce – reported on the city of Carlsbad Council meeting recent decisions. The Council approved 2 new housing projects for the city. The Council also heard from Callaway and Taylor Made appeals to the city concerning their licensing fee calculations. The Council vote against the dispute but said there would be no retroactive penalties and they would have an investigation studied on the methods for the calculations.
Kristal Jabara from County Supervisor Jim Desmond’s Office – She stated the recent Board meeting was 12 hours long. There were discussions concerning paramedicine for rural areas of the county, legal representation for migrant workers, rent increases and eviction issues from the COVID-19 time and a report on the Palomar Airport Master Plan. For any questions go to kristal.jabara@sdcounty.ca.gov.
Matthew Phy from State Senator Patricia Bates Office – He stated EDD payments are still an issue they are dealing with. The Senator supports SB 265 – a COVID-19 Relief Tax Free bill and AB 80 – another bill dealing with small business taxation. For questions go to Matthew.Phy@sen.ca.gov.
Kyle Krahel from U.S. Congressman Mike Levin’s Office – He stated the Restaurant Revitalization Award is now open – go to www.Restaurants.SBA.gov for information. The Congressman supports the American Jobs Plan and the Community Projects Funding Requests that would provide items live streetlights and traffic flow for safety and bluffs repair and shoring.
Lynn Pittman listed several COVID Disaster Funding projects that were opening. She stated the PPP is out of money and the California Relief Grants have closed. But the EIDL Loan Program is still open, and the Restaurant Revitalization Fund and the Shuttered Venue Operators Grants are open. Go to https://www.sdivsbdc.org/covidhelp for more information.
Bret Schanzenbach, CEO for the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce – Bret went over the transition to in-person events and meetings and stated the August Government Affairs would be both an in person and a Zoom participation meeting.
The next Carlsbad online Government Affairs Committee Meeting will be June 2.
