Top Action Items

December 21, 2009

November 13, 2009

Action Needed: Express Your Disappointment With Congressmen Costa And Cardoza's Support of Healthcare Legislation

Congressmen Jim Costa and Dennis Cardoza chose to support H.R. 3962, The Affordable Health Care for America Act, which does little to reform the current healthcare system and instead will increase costs for local business owners and further damage our local economy.

We need to let our elected representatives know how disappointed we are that they chose to support this “job killer legislation”. We need our Congressmen to vote in support of business not against it. Our representatives showed more allegiance to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi rather than their constituents back home.
 

Click to send Congressman Costa a letter.

Click to send Congressman Cardoza a letter.

November 10, 2009

Action Needed: Urge Senators Boxer And Feinstein To Oppose Healthcare Bill

This weekend, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act, legislation aimed at reforming the healthcare system. But H.R. 3962 is not the answer we need. This legislation will increase health care costs, create new burdens on businesses, greatly increase the government’s involvement in the health sector, and raise taxes on individuals and small businesses. The Wall Street Journal recently called it “the worst bill ever.”

Unfortunately, two of our Valley Congressmen voted to support this “job killer” legislation that will harm our local economy and make it even more difficult for local business owners to survive in these tough economic times.

The Fresno Chamber is disappointed that Congressmen Jim Costa and Dennis Cardoza voted in favor of H.R. 3962. The Fresno Chamber commends Congressmen Devin Nunes and George Radanovich for doing the right thing and voting against this legislation.

H.R. 3962 made its way through the House we must now encourage our Senators Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein to make the right decision and oppose the Senate version of the legislation. We need true reform of our healthcare system and this legislation is not the answer.

Click here to take action and submit your letter!

October 13, 2009

Action Needed: Urge Congress To Extend The Homebuyer Tax Credit

The $8,000 first-time homebuyer tax credit is set to expire by November 30, 2009 and we need your help urging Congress to extend the credit.

This tax credit has helped to improve the Valley’s housing market by allowing more people to move into the housing market.

Local home developers and construction companies have seen the benefits this tax credit has provided.

Please help the local housing market by signing a letter asking our Congressmen and Senators to extend this valuable tax credit.

Click here to take action and submit your letter!

September 21, 2009

Submit Your Letter: Urge The Governor To Continue Discussions On Water Legislation

The Legislature was on the verge of crafting important legislation to ensure a comprehensive solution to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta crisis when the legislative session came to an end. Now the only way to ensure legislation will be enacted before the end of the year is for Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to call an extraordinary session of the Legislature to continue their water discussions.

We need the Legislature to approve a final package this year that will ensure the restoration of the Delta and include a bond to pay for new water storage projects.

Click here to submit your letter asking the Governor to keep the momentum going on water reform!

September 14, 2009

Submit Your Letter: Two Important Federal Issues Need Your Action Today!

As Congress begins the fall session, they are undertaking one of history's largest legislative agendas.
 

Consumer Finance

One issue up for debate is H.R. 3126, the Consumer Financial Protection Agency (CFPA) Act, legislation that would dramatically reshape consumer finance.

This bill, said to be a response to the financial crisis, is set to be another government takeover of American business.

While there were certainly excesses in the financial services industry that hurt many Americans, the one-size-fits-all approach to consumer finance required by this bill is the wrong answer.

 
And it's not just financial companies that will be regulated. Small business will also suffer under this bill.
 

Click here to take action on H.R. 3126.
 

Healthcare

In addition, healthcare reform continues to dominate the legislative agenda.

However, the Fresno Chamber believes the current healthcare proposals are not realistic. The current proposals will increase costs for business by punishing them with even more penalties and taxes for not providing health insurance coverage and creating a system that will force out the private sector in favor of a government-run healthcare plan.

Your voice must be heard! Let our Congressional delegation and our US Senators know that you want a healthcare solution that is affordable and provides adequate coverage.

Click here to take action on healthcare reform.

September 3, 2009

Action Needed: Two Important Issues Impacting Fresno's Local Economy

1. Urge Our Senators To Oppose Cap and Trade Bill

When your Senators return from summer vacation next week, health care isn't the only contentious issue they'll have to address.

They will also consider the so-called "Cap-and-Trade" bill - a deeply flawed measure that will create a new energy tax on every household in America.

The House of Representatives has already passed this bill, although very narrowly, before they recessed for the summer. We must make our voices heard as the debate now shifts to the United States Senate.

This tax will do little or nothing to actually reduce global greenhouse gases - but it will raise energy prices, balloon the EPA's bureaucracy, and threaten American jobs.

Instead of passing this deeply flawed bill, the Senate should start from scratch and focus on helping - and not destroying - American jobs and our economy, by promoting new energies and technologies.

Click here to submit your letter to Feinstein and Boxer.

2. Ease the Burden of California's Fiscal Crisis

This last summer the State Controller began issuing IOUs to pay California's bills as a result of our on-going budget crisis. Since July 2, the state has dispensed 101,930 IOUs. These IOUs total an equivalent of $389 million in vital payments that is effectively being denied to service providers, non-profit organizations, and taxpayers!

While state law requires the public to accept these registered warrants (IOUs) the state is not required to accept such securities as payment. This is a double standard that harms those hardworking taxpayers and contracted businesses caught in the middle.

AB 1506 requires the state to accept its own IOUs as payment for state taxes and fees. This is a fair allowance in order to permit citizens to make necessary payments to the state, such as DMV registration, tax payments, and school tuition.

For example, with this bill if you are a business with state contracts and you receive an IOU for $50,000 from the state, and you also owe the state $50,000 in payroll taxes, you would be able to send the IOU to the Franchise Tax Board as payment for your tax obligation.

Click here to submit your letter on AB 1506.

August 24, 2009

Take Action: Support Senator Chuck Poochigian's Appointment To The 5th District Court Of Appeal
 

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced that he is appointing former Fresno-area State Senator Chuck Poochigian to the 5th District Court of Appeal.

But his appointment is not a done deal and must still be confirmed by the Commission on Judicial Appointments.

We need your help in urging the commission to confirm Senator Chuck Poochigian, who is a long-time friend to the Fresno Chamber and the Fresno business community.
 

August 18, 2009

Fresno Chamber Releases Position On Federal Healthcare Reforms

The United States has the world’s best health care system, but it is being priced out of reach for more and more American citizens and companies. Companies struggle to find health care plans that provide adequate coverage and are still affordable, and worry about what will come next year.
 

Click here to take action on healthcare reform.

The Greater Fresno Area Chamber of Commerce recognizes that most health care coverage is provided by employers. To make it easier for employers and their employees to afford the health care coverage they need, we support legislative action to:
 
1. Retain viable employer-sponsored health care. Employers provide voluntary health insurance to over 177 million. ERISA allows many of them the flexibility to provide uniform benefits to their employees. ERISA is the backbone of employer-provided coverage and must be preserved.
 

2. Reform the delivery system including payment and reimbursement reform to reduce costs while increasing quality and outcomes including:

- Implementation of comprehensive strategies to boost health information technology, wellness, prevention, disease management, and coordination of care.
 

- Create a more vibrant private health insurance market for individuals and small businesses.
 

- Hold down soaring health care costs due to the explosive growth in medical liability awards and insurance costs through specialized health courts.
 

- Encourage more Americans to purchase health insurance by enacting refundable tax credits for that purpose.
 

- Encourage more Americans to save for medical expenses tax-free by expanding Health Saving Accounts and allowing those with Flexible Spending Accounts to roll over unused balances to pay for future medical expenses.
 
The Greater Fresno Area Chamber of Commerce does not support legislative action that would:
 
1. Create a Government-run (Public) plan:  A government-run plan would be an unfair competitor, with the government acting as both a team owner and the referee. Government programs shift costs to the private sector. The Lewin Group estimates 130 million people would move from private to public insurance. This could lead to a government-controlled single-payer system.
 

2. Create Employer Mandates: Punishing employers who cannot afford to provide health insurance coverage, including requirements to pay or play, is not the answer. Employer mandates, by their nature limit flexibility and innovation - the cornerstones of American health care. 
 

3. Create Minimum Required Coverage Level:  Proposing a huge Federal Employee Health Benefits Program (FEHBP)-like minimum coverage package will bankrupt employers and workers. Cadillac, gold-plated coverage like this will not appeal to the young. The minimum level of coverage should be more akin to a high-deductible health plan with coverage of preventative services.
 

4. Impose additional tax burdens individuals or businesses:  The implementation of new taxes and fees for businesses and/or individuals that cannot afford health insurance would be dramatically counterproductive.  Further, the taxation of health benefits will lead to a reduction in benefits offered by employers and will lead to higher taxes for many individuals and businesses.

August 7, 2009

Take Action: These Three Most Important Issues Demand Your Involvement

The Fresno Chamber is active representing the interests of the Fresno business community at all levels of government. Our success depends on your involvement. So, we need your help.

Click on each proposed law listed below to submit your letter.

Click here to submit your letter on AB 2

Click here to submit your letter on AB 943

Click here to submit your letter on SB 227