News & Updates

Member Success Story: Hiring Veterans in the Transportation Industry

Member StoriesSmall Business Resources

December 22, 2015

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Sean Steeves of Torrey Pines Town Car with Eve Nasby of B.R.A.V.E.

Nationwide, chauffeured transportation businesses consistently struggle to find qualified employees. However, for Sean Steeves and Eve Nasby, current members of the Chamber’s Defense, Veterans & Military Committee, there is abundance of talent found in San Diego’s veterans community.

From Sean Steeves, the Assistant General Manager of Torrey Pines Town Car:

We have three chauffeurs who are veterans, and we’ve had great success with these guys.They’re some of the hardest workers you’ll find [and] instilled with punctuality and professionalism and come from a regimented, on-time background.

To find more veteran candidates, Sean Steeves has partnered up with Eve Nasby, Vice President of B.R.A.V.E. (Businesses Recruiting Allies for Veteran Employment). Together, they have began working on a veteran mentoring program in order to make significant impact towards hiring veteran employees.

Click here for the full story.

Apply for a $3,000 GO by BIKE Mini-Grant

San Diego

December 22, 2015

The SANDAG iCommute program is offering a total of $30,000 in grants for programs that promote biking as an excellent option for commuting! Eligible applicants include: local government, nonprofit, and community-based organizations; colleges and universities; business improvement districts; main districts; and chambers of commerce. Organizations with an innovative idea for promoting bike transportation can use the grant to turn their ideas into reality! Creative ideas include:

  • Community rides, bike scavenger hunts, or guided bike tours,
  • Bike maintenance and safety classes,
  • “Bike to Business” promotions in a neighborhood business district,
  • “Bike to Work” or “Bike to Campus” events,
  • Campaigns or contests that promote bike riding, or
  • Bike valets at bike-related community events – the possibilities are endless.

To apply, complete a mini-grant application on the iCommute Bike Month website.

Chamber Releases Statement in Response to Climate Action Plan

Policy

December 22, 2015

Last week, San Diego’s City Council made headlines by unanimously voting to approve an ambitious Climate Action Plan. The Chamber, along with a diverse coalition of business and community leaders, released the following statement:

“Everyone agrees that we need to reduce carbon emissions. It’s important for a healthy environment, but it’s also important for a healthy economy. The San Diego business community applauds Mayor Faulconer and the City Council for charting a path for the City to significantly reduce carbon emissions, while providing enough flexibility to be adaptable, cost-effective and to enable innovation. Many of the breakthroughs that will propel our planet’s sustainable future are sure to come from right here in San Diego, and we look forward to working together with the City and others to make that vision a reality.”

Chamber President & CEO, Jerry Sanders

Among other bold measures such as replacing 50 percent of the City’s fleet with electric vehicles by 2035, and cutting vehicle trips by 50 percent in designated transit areas, San Diego is the largest city to legally commit itself to 100 percent renewable energy by 2035.

For the full report, view the Climate Action Plan Adoption Draft here.

POLICY WIN: Congress Reauthorizes Export-Import Bank

InternationalPolicy

December 4, 2015

Last night, the U.S. Congress approved a five-year reauthorization of the U.S. Export-Import (Ex-Im) Bank as part of the $305 billion U.S. highway funding plan. The Ex-Im Bank, which previously expired in June, has played a vital role in expanding our binational region’s economy by allowing small and large businesses to expose their products to the global market.

How the Ex-Im Bank Works

Businesses who wish to sell their goods in the global marketplace may appeal the Ex-Im Bank to grant loans to foreign customers. With a new loan, foreign customers are now enabled to purchase U.S. goods at a competitive price.

What This Means For San Diego

With nearly 60 other countries using a similar mechanism to boost their own exports, the San Diego region stands to lose a lot without the Ex-Im Bank’s help. In San Diego County alone, the Bank has supported a total of $2.8 billion in exports from 107 exporters. 80 percent of these came from small businesses.

The Chamber applauds our San Diego Congressmembers (Rep. Susan Davis, Rep. Duncan Hunter, Rep. Darrell Issa, Rep. Scott Peters, and Rep. Juan Vargas), the California congressional delegation, and other members of Congress for supporting the Ex-Im Bank’s reauthorization and advocating on behalf of our region’s businesses.

The bill will now await its final approval from the President.

ACTION ALERT: Help Ensure a Truly Sustainable Future for San Diego

Policy

December 4, 2015

The City of San Diego is expected to consider approval of its draft Climate Action Plan by the end of this year, outlining a series of steps to reduce local greenhouse gas emissions over the coming decades. Creating a healthier and more sustainable environment is a goal that should unite all San Diegans, and is one that is supported by local business and community leaders. And since the plan has the potential to affect how San Diegans live their lives and run their businesses, ensuring we reach this important goal in the most efficient and cost-effective way possible is equally as important.

That is why the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce is leading a broad coalition of local business and community leaders to make certain the City addresses climate change in a manner that creates jobs, benefits our innovation economy, minimizes costs and supports our most vulnerable communities.

As the Climate Action Plan moves forward, City officials need to hear from us that efforts to improve the environment must balance all of these critical needs and include thoughtful cost-benefit analyses to ensure we get the greatest environmental benefit for the least cost. Here are three ways you can help TODAY:

1. Mark Your Calendar for the City Council Hearing

Plan to attend and voice your opinion in person:

Tuesday, December 15, 2015
San Diego City Hall
202 C St., 12th floor (map)
RSVP to Sean Karafin at SKarafin@SDChamber.org

2. Get Up to Speed

If you’re not already, take some time before December 15 to learn more about the draft Climate Action Plan and the strategies it will use to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in San Diego. For a summary of the Plan, click here.

3. Write a Letter

Send a letter to your City Councilmember requesting the Climate Action Plan protect local businesses, communities and the economy by including flexibility and cost-benefit analyses. Email letters to SKarafin@SDChamber.org and we will deliver them to City Hall.

This Climate Action Plan will shape San Diego for decades to come, so it is critical local business and community leaders speak up NOW to ensure a truly sustainable future.

How the Trans-Pacific Partnership Benefits San Diego

InternationalPolicy

December 3, 2015

ACTION ALERT: We need your help to ensure our policy leaders hear directly from the business community on how the Trans-Pacific Partnership will benefit them. To get involved, contact our staff to sign-on to the Chamber’s open letter of support and/or participate in a quick survey from Business Forward on how the Trans-Pacific Partnership will affect your business.

 

The Trans-Pacific Partnership is a free trade agreement between twelve Pacific-Rim countries: Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States, and Vietnam.

TPP maintains free trade between these countries by eliminating all tariffs and trade barriers, establishing protection for intellectual property, and introducing mechanisms to settle investor-state disputes, among other measures. (Read the full details on Medium.)

What This Means For San Diego

Although San Diego is the 17th largest economy in the United States, it ranks only 61st in terms of export intensity. With considerable growing industries such as the life sciences, cleantech, IT, and maritime, TPP presents an opportunity for San Diego to expand its foothold in the global marketplace and create more jobs in the region. (As of June of this year, 110,000 San Diego jobs were directly supported by international exports and foreign investment.)

Furthermore, with six of San Diego’s largest trading partners represented (Australia, Canada, Chile, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, and Signapore ), TPP’s elimination of trade barriers gives San Diego direct access to 500 million consumers, representing a total GDP of almost $12 trillion.

We Need Your Help!

The Chamber strongly urges all members to sign on to our open letter of support for the Trans-Pacific Partnership. With your help, we can open new markets, create new jobs, and strengthen our regional economy.

Councilmember Kersey Announces Infrastructure Initiative

Policy

December 3, 2015

Yesterday, Councilmember Mark Kersey announced Rebuild San Diego, a ballot measure that – if passed – will secure $4-5 billion to finance infrastructure improvements over the next 30 years. The secures funds through three revenue streams:

  • Future sales tax growth,
  • Savings from voter-approved pension reform, and
  • Half of all new major general fund growth.

A tax increase is not required to execute Kersey’s plan.

If approved by City Council, the initiative will go to San Diego voters in 2016. The first round of reviews will begin Wednesday, December 9 at the City’s Infrastructure Committee.

Read the full press release here.

Increased Water Rates Means Increased Water Supply

Policy

December 2, 2015

Last month, the San Diego City Council voted to increase water rates by 16 percent in 2016. Although the new rates will affect both businesses and residents, the Chamber is in support of the measure, as it is necessary to create a safe and reliable water supply for the region.

Up to 90 percent of San Diego’s water is imported, which – in significant part to the California drought – leaves the region in a very vulnerable position. The new rates are expected to ameliorate the situation through several ways:

  • Offset new water prices, which according to the Cost of Service study conducted by the City, is predicted to increase by more than twice the current amount over the next decade;
  • Develop a locally-controlled, sustainable, and drought-proof water supply (such as the Carlsbad Desalination Plant and the Pure Water program); and
  • Replace aging water mains, transmission pipelines and pump stations in order to produce safe and reliable service.

The first round of rate increases will begin in January at 9.8 percent, then again in July at 6.4 percent. After implementation, two audits will be conducted in 2016 to report back to the City.

Chamber Team Attends Tecate’s State of the City Address

International

November 30, 2015

tecateWednesday, Chamber staff attended a State of the City address from Tecate, a long-time partner of the Chamber. The Mayor mentioned several binational accomplishments, including those achieved in partnership with the Chamber, such as the Mayor of Tecate’s first visit to the White House during September’s DC delegation trip.

Calling All Under 40’s: San Diego Young Leaders

NewsSan Diego

November 20, 2015

SDYL40_logoThe Chamber’s recently launched San Diego Regional Chamber Young Leaders (SDYL) is driving young professional growth in the San Diego-Baja region by providing the relationships, mentoring and community awareness necessary to become an influential business leader.

SDYL is made up of a diverse group of 21 to 40 year-old professionals who are emerging leaders in their field, with a commitment to community involvement and professional growth.

Learn more about this new program and how you can get involved here.