March 16, 2023
Happy St. Patrick’s Day! May the luck o’the Irish be with us all.
Business Updates:
The middle seat became a bit less miserable this week as Chamber member Viasat expanded its deal with Delta Airlines to provide in-flight WiFi. Delta is now offering this WiFi free on select commercial flights, with a goal of all domestic flights having free WiFi by year’s end.
Legislative Updates
Federal:
Fuel project in the Final Frontier? Word on the street is that President Biden will approve Conoco’s Willow Project in Northern Alaska. The project would produce 600 million barrels of oil over the next three decades. The controversial project has received flak from environmental groups but support from some Alaskans.
Rough week for banks. And for anyone with enough of a memory to think back to the Great Recession who might be getting a little nervous watching the chaos of the markets. General wisdom held that the Fed would raise rates next week, but with Silicon Valley Bank’s downfall and the resulting instability, there is a question about whether Powell & Friends will raise rates at all. Rocks and hard places, all around.
…And on cue, Senator Warren is calling for a “reexamination” of the $250k cap on deposit insurance.
Oh yeah, and that whole debt limit thing continues to plague the federal government. Sec. Yellen offered some stern reminders earlier today.
International:
UK and Australia Prime Ministers met with President Biden in San Diego this week to discuss plans of supplying nuclear-powered submarines to stop Chinese efforts to control trade and travel in the Indo-Pacific. Australia is expected to obtain at least five U.S. Virginia-class submarines and highly sensitive technical information under the agreement.
The North American Development Bank granted a green credit of 3 billion pesos to the State of Baja California for the construction of infrastructure projects that ensure water supply and related to wastewater treatment, pollution, and water conservation. These funds will help finance the expansion of the International Wastewater Treatment Plant in San Ysidro to double its current capacity and treat transboundary polluted flows that impact our region.
As a follow up to the North American Leaders’ Summit back in January on the commitment to increase efforts to address the synthetic opioid epidemic, President López Obrador met with U.S. Homeland Security Advisor Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall, to further strengthen cooperation to combat illicit fentanyl production, the trafficking of high-caliber weapons and ammunition into Mexico, and transnational organized crime.
Mexico issued its first permit ever to import and purchase Cannabis seeds, grow and harvest, process and create, and ultimately sell cannabis products across the country to a Canadian company. This marks a significant moment for cannabis throughout the world and unlock numerous business opportunities in the Mexican economy.
As a way to continue honoring outstanding women during Women’s History month, the “Mujeres Sin Fronteras” (Women without borders) event is happening next Friday in Tijuana to recognize outstanding women and their work contributing to the development and unification of the Cali-Baja region. The money collected through ticket sales will go to the civil association ‘Tijuana Sin Hambre”, which aims to guarantee food for 600 girls and boys for a year. Spoiler alert: there may or may not be a big moment for our very own Executive Director of International Business Affairs, Kenia Zamarripa, but shhh you didn’t hear this from us!
State:
Governor Newsom signed an executive order on Friday that temporarily suspended certain regulations regarding water capture, making it easier for farmers to capture flood runoff from the latest round of storms to hit the state.
And speaking of the Governor… he is on a statewide tour over the weekend, eschewing a traditional State of the State address to do this instead. Expected policy announcements during the tour include public safety measures and homelessness funding.
In an uber-big win for ride share companies, a California Court of Appeals ruling holds that Proposition 22 (a rather spicy 2020 ballot measure) is constitutional. This measure explicitly allowed
Lyft, Uber, and other rideshare companies to classify workers as independent contractors. However, this fight may not be over as an appeal to the California Supreme Court is expected.
On Equal Pay Day, March 14, first-partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom announced that six cities, including San Diego, became the first to sign California’s Equal Pay Pledge.
Local:
Mayor Gloria and Councilmember Whitburn held a press conference today announcing updates to enforcement of homeless encampments and streamlining ways to open new shelter beds to address homeless numbers.
San Diego is taking on the disparities between wealthy and poor neighborhoods, making fundamental changes to how officials will create the city’s annual budget. An “equity-centered” coach has been assigned to each department head in order to evaluate decisions based upon equity. This budget is scheduled to be finalized June 12 for the fiscal year 2024.
The County Board of Supervisors approved funding for a new app that will help first responders and homeless outreach workers find where beds are available in local homeless shelters. A pilot program for the app could be up and running within six months, and the hope is to have every County shelter included before the year ends.
Get ready for the upcoming Club América vs. Xolos soccer match! This is the first Liga MX match to be held at the newly inaugurated Snapdragon Stadium on March 26, at 2pm. You can find more information here and buy your tickets here.
The San Diego Latino Film Festival is happening this week! This year is the Festival’s 30th anniversary and it showcases over 160 films from Latin America, the US, and Spain. Also a food, beer, and wine festival. Because who doesn’t love food, beer, and wine?
Upcoming Hearings & Public Input Opportunities
- The San Diego City Council will meet on March 20, where they will receive an update and hear recommendations from the Civic Center Revitalization Committee, and March 21.
- The City of San Diego’s Active Transportation & Infrastructure Committee will meet on March 22.
- The SANDAG Board of Directors will meet on March 24.
- The City of San Diego seeks feedback on Blueprint SD, a proposal that involves taking a look at the City’s General Plan land use strategy and finding ways to encourage sustainable growth, more homes and jobs. Industry feedback is highly encouraged. Take the Blueprint SD survey today and be on the lookout for additional opportunities for input through their website.
- The County of San Diego seeks feedback on developing a roadmap to how new land use policies will guide new housing development. Not to be confused with the City, the County encourages the public to provide input on their Housing Blueprint. Take the survey by March 31.
Capital Opportunities & Resources
- The next California Competes Tax Credit application period will be from March 6-March 20, with approximately $99.7 million available.
- San Diego County’s Small Business Stimulus Grant funds are still available for local small businesses and nonprofits impacted by the pandemic. County Districts 1, 2, and 3 are still accepting applications. Learn more here.
- Small business owners may currently receive $2,000 per employee that participates in the paid family leave program. Small business owners can apply here.
- Businesses can reach out to their nearest Small Business Development Center (SBDC), which has developed the Small Business Survival Resources Guide. SBDC can help with applying for COVID-19 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:
Transportation & Land Development Committee:
Our next meeting will be on March 21 at 8:00am via zoom.
Sustainability & Industry Committee:
Our next meeting will be on April 6, 8:00am via zoom.
Cannabis Working Group Forum:
Our next meeting will be on May 17 at 9:00am.
Education & Workforce Roundtable:
Our next meeting will be on June 21 at 8:00am via zoom.