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Top Action Items
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December 21, 2009
2009 Report Cards: Fresno Chamber Holds Elected Officials Accountable
The Chamber works closely with elected officials as
part of our commitment to advocate on behalf of our members,
business and to promote the economic vitality of our community.
We monitor their positions on issues ranging from fee
increases and zoning to revitalization of downtown and public
safety. And, just like we do for our State and Federal elected officials,
we track the vote records of our city council members.
Below are the report cards for the elected officials at the
local, state and federal levels of government who represent Fresno.
Click here to
download the 2009 City Council Report Card.
Click here to download
the 2009 State Report Card.
Click here to
download the 2009 Federal Report Card. |
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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. |
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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!
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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!
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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!
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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.
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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.
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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.
Click here to take action!
Pictured right:
Fresno Chamber
Government Affairs Council Chair Ruth Evans
representing the Fresno business community with then State Senator
Chuck Poochigian in the State Capitol.
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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. |
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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 |
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