July 11, 2022

Apply now! Applications for the Chamber’s Small Business Awards close by the end of the day today – which includes the Outstanding Emerging Business award (a small business that has operated for < 5 years). So go ahead and nominate a friend (or yourself) and join us on July 13th at Harbor View Loft.

Business Updates

We and our friends at the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority want to remind you about what’s going on with the San Diego International Airport (SAN) – Terminal 1 Construction: If you’re flying out or picking up at San Diego International Airport (SAN) next week, July 5 – 8, please plan ahead and arrive early. Everyone coming to the airport – whether flying, picking up or dropping off – should prepare for congestion and delays as construction on the New Terminal 1 project really “takes off”. Vehicle and pedestrian routes will temporarily shift throughout the week, so please give yourself more time traveling to and from SAN. Visit NewT1.com for more info.

General Dynamics NASSCO has been awarded a $600 million contract with the Navy for future work on three more ships.

Legislative Updates

Federal: 

It’s official! Ketanji Brown Jackson was sworn in as Supreme Court Justice today. Jackson is the first Black woman to be appointed to the highest court, and even clerked for retiring Justice Stephen Breyer back in the day.

Just this morning, SCOTUS ruled 5-4, that the Biden Administration had the power to repeal the Trump Era Remain in Mexico Policy.  This decision now allows the administration to keep asylum seekers in the United States and not send them back to Mexico.

Also today in a 6-3 ruling, SCOTUS adopted a narrow reading of the Clean Air Act, limiting the authority of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, and further complicating the nation’s plans to address climate change.

The Biden Administration unveiled this week a new plan to vaccinate Americans against monkeypox. Hundreds of thousands of doses of the Jynneos vaccine from Bavarian Nordic A/S will be readily available for Americans, according to the Department of Health and Human Services, with the goal to vaccinate at-risk communities first.

International: 

We have great news for you all: we’re going back to Mexico City this year! Registration is now open for this year’s Binational Delegation to Mexico City taking place October 23-26th. Delegates will meet with key federal officials and diverse business industry leaders to discuss the major areas of focus: border infrastructure efficiency, transboundary pollution impacting the Tijuana River, and trade & economic opportunities.

Happening a lot earlier than CDMX: join us on August 16 for our next IBA forum for a conversation on innovative advancements in clean energy and regional strategies to aid businesses to a low-carbon transition (stay tuned for more details!). We also want to hear from you on what topics, issues, and initiatives you would like us to focus on for upcoming forums. Click here to take a quick survey.

KPBS hosted a conversation about the cross-border economy featuring a panel of local experts from the private and public sectors. Chamber board member Ernesto Bravo from TECMA joined the discussion on the importance of understanding our economic ties and strengthening collaboration to boost our competitiveness. Missed it? Check it out here.

In the midst of the shortage of glass containers and the high cost of aluminum in the world, Heineken Mexico announced an investment of 1.8 billion pesos for a new can factory in Chihuahua. The plant will create 270 jobs within and distribute their products all over Mexico and abroad.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is meeting in Madrid this week to increase support for Ukraine’s fight against the Russian invasion, boost forces on NATO’s eastern flank and set priorities for the coming decade. NATO will be setting its goals for the coming years in a new Strategic Concept, which seeks to identify most urgent security concerns and how it will tackle them.

Representatives from the U.S, Mexico and Canada met to discuss regional issues, review agreements reached at the 9th North American Leaders Summit (NALS), and to follow up on the meeting between North American foreign ministers held during the Summit. Leaders shared an overview of key regional issues including SMEs innovation, supply chains, environment and climate change. To top it off: officials also discussed Mexico’s future work as organizer of the NALS which will be held later this year.

The G7 Summit was held in Elmau, Germany this week where key results included an established financial, humanitarian, military, and diplomatic aid to Ukraine; a global response to the climate crisis; protection of all people from hunger and malnutrition; and agreement on phasing out dependence on Russian energy supply without damaging climate and environmental goals.

President Biden is scheduled to meet Mexican President Lopez Obrador at the White House on July 12 to discuss joint efforts to address common challenges such as food security, climate & security, and energy. This bilateral gathering  will also serve as a platform to address the migration crisis which has been an ongoing challenge for both administrations.

Earlier this week, the EPA hosted a public meeting after the decision to move forward with the environmental review of a comprehensive infrastructure solution to address transboundary wastewater flows under the USMCA. Both the EPA and the International Boundary and Water Commission initiated a public review and comment period for the draft environmental impact statement which continues throughout July. To view the presentation and learn more visit their website.

State:

Although there was low voter turnout in the June primary elections, a survey conducted by Yankelovich Center for Social Science Research at UC San Diego, showed that key issues such abortion rights and the war in Ukriane will spur greater voter turnout. The survey asked 3000 Californians this month about their intentions to vote in the November General Election and the results yielded that those who did not keep up with hot button issues were less likely to vote. On the other hand, those that did keep up were much more likely to vote in November.

Late last night, the state legislature passed the $300 billion budget deal supported by Governor Gavin Newsom, Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins, and Speaker Anthony Rendon. Included in the budget are: $1.5 billion homelessness funding; an expansion of Cal Grants for college students; $9.5 billion tax rebate program, $9 billion for public education; $250 million for small businesses and nonprofits; $205 million to expand reproductive health care infrastructure; and increase Social Security grants.

More trash talk: Environmentalists, industry groups, and lawmakers are close to reaching a deal for support of SB-54, which would tackle plastic trash recycling issues to ensure all single-use packaging and foodware is recyclable, reusable, refillable, or compostable.

The two sports betting ballot measures have qualified for the November ballot. The first measure, backed by a group of Native American tribes and the Chamber, would allow for tribal casinos and the state’s four horse racing tracks to offer game betting while expanding games the casinos can provide. The second measure, which qualified this week, would allow gaming companies to offer online sports betting in California so long as they partner with a Native American tribe and pay a one time fee of $100 million.

Voters will now decide in November whether the State Constitution should protect a person’s right to an abortion. According to a poll earlier this year by the Public Policy Institute of California, 76% of CA voters did not want Roe vs. Wade overturned.

Local:

For those who will be celebrating locally, check out this list compiled by the Times of San Diego on where to watch fireworks on July 4th. Enjoy and stay safe!

We love to see it! The City of San Diego has officially recertified as a U.S. Coast Guard – Coast Guard City.

The Southwest drought drags on: County leaders continue to urge San Diegans to boost conservation efforts by taking steps to avoid water waste.

Here’s what happened at the City of San Diego’s Council hearings:

• Mayor Todd Gloria’s proposed settlement for 101 Ash Street and Civic Center Plaza – a $132 million buyout plan – will be heard next month to allow more time for public review.
• The San Diego City Council voted to continue and expand the Safe Parking Program in Mission Valley and two locations in Kearny Mesa, operated by Jewish Family Service of San Diego (and a Chamber member too!).
• By the time you read this, the Environment Committee hearing will already be underway, where Councilmembers will be presented on the Climate Action Plan (CAP) Update and the CAP Consistency Regulations. Tune into next week’s email for the meeting recap!

Here’s what happened at the County of San Diego Board of Supervisors’ hearings:

• On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors approved a $7.36 billion budget for FY 22-23, adding more than 1,000 new staff positions and allocating hundreds of millions to tackle behavioral health ($71.8 million), homelessness ($10 million), affordable housing ($11.9 million) and environmental issues ($56.3 million). Explore the recommended funding details here.
• The Board of Supervisors declared fentanyl a public health emergency and directed County staff to create a comprehensive plan which would include reducing supply, education, and providing treatment, to address the problem.

Upcoming City of San Diego Public Input Opportunities:

• Build Better SD, the citywide fee proposal to provide a more equitable funding approach for public spaces and facilities is expected to be heard at City Council later this summer. Learn more here. If you have any questions, please contact Chamber staff – Angeli Calinog.

Upcoming County Public Input Opportunities:

• Planning & Development Services will be holding the third round of outreach events to discuss the creation of a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) program  in the County. Future meetings will be held on July 1 and July 7. More information can be found on the CBA webpage.
• The County is hosting a series of workshops on the proposed strategies and measures of their Climate Action Plan update. To learn more and to find the dates of future meetings, click here.
• The next Regional Decarbonization Framework public meetings will take place on July 26.

Upcoming Hearings

• The San Diego City Council will be on legislative recess from July 4-July 8.
• The City of San Diego’s Planning Commission will meet on July 7.
• The SANDAG Board of Directors will meet on July 8.

Capital Opportunities & Resources

• Round 2 is open for the County of San Diego’s $2,500 grants for microbusinesses (five employees or less) operating within the County.
• Applications for micro-enterprise home kitchen operations (MEHKOs) in the County of San Diego can be found here.
• The California Dream Fund has micro grants up to $10k available for entrepreneurs and small business creation.
• The CARES Act Revolving Loan Fund provides assistance for eligible expenses to businesses in the City of San Diego and City of Chula VIsta impacted by the pandemic.
• The California Rebuilding Fund is offering small businesses with fewer than 50 full-time equivalent employees loans up to $100,000. Learn more and apply here.
• The County’s Small Business Stimulus Grant Program is accepting additional applications. Eligible businesses must have fewer than 100 full-time employees and are following sectors (restaurant, gym fitness center, yoga studio, movie theater, museum, zoo, or aquarium) that were impacted by moving from the Red to Purple Tier OR part of the event industry. Learn more and apply here.
• Businesses can reach out to their nearest Small Business Development Center (SBDC), which has developed the Small Business Survival Resources Guide to help business owners navigate through the chaos COVID-19 is having on our communities. SBDC can help with applying for relief, guiding you through available resources, and assisting with cash flow concerns, supply-chain interruptions, workforce capacity, insurance coverage, and more–all at no cost.

Future Chamber Meetings (Virtual) & Committee Actions

Defense, Veterans & Military Affairs Committee

Our next meeting will be on July 6, 8:00am via zoom.

Transportation & Land Development Committee

Our next meeting will be on July 19, 8:00am via zoom.

Health Committee

We are dark in July. Our next meeting will be on August 10, 8:00am via zoom.