The San Gabriel Valley Legislative Coalition of Chambers, of which the Sierra Madre Chamber is a member, at its August meeting took positions on several of the November ballot initiatives.  The Coalition, whose membership includes thirteen valley Chambers of Commerce, serves as a public policy advocacy body on issues that impact the business and economic climate of the San Gabriel Valley.  The Coalition operates on a platform that was approved by each respective Chamber, covering the following areas: Government, Energy, Health Care, Infrastructure and Environment, Labor, Regulations, Transportation and Education.

Following are the positions taken by the Coalition:

Prop. 19.   LEGALIZES MARIJUANA UNDER CALIFORNIA BUT NOT FEDERAL LAW. PERMITS LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO REGULATE AND TAX COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION, DISTRIBUTION, AND SALE OF MARIJUANA. INITIATIVE STATUTE  Coalition Position: No position taken   The members did not feel that the issue applied to the areas of the Coalition's legislative platform.

Prop. 20.   REDISTRICTING OF CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS  Coalition Position: Support   It was the consensus of the members that the Legislature has not been successful in its efforts to restructure the districts in a equitable manner and that a Citizens Redistricting Commission will be more likely to be successful.

Prop 21. ESTABLISHES $18 ANNUAL VEHICLE LICENSE SURCHARGE TO HELP FUND STATE PARKS AND WILDLIFE PROGRAMS. GRANTS SURCHARGED VEHICLES FREE ADMISSION TO ALL STATE PARKS    Coalition Position:  Oppose    The members of the Coalition felt that this fee will negatively impact many businesses, and it would be problematic to increase costs to businesses in the current economic climate.

Prop. 22.   PROHIBITS THE STATE FROM BORROWING OR TAKING FUNDS USED FOR TRANSPORTATION, REDEVELOPMENT, OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT PROJECTS AND SERVICES Coalition Position:  Support  The members of the Coalition voted to support this act, which protects investments in transportation projects, prohibits the state from borrowing local government property taxes and monies from  Prop. 42 (gas tax) funds.

Prop 23.  SUSPENDS IMPLEMENTATION OF AIR POLLUTION CONTROL LAW (AB 32) REQUIRING MAJOR SOURCES OF EMISSIONS TO REPORT AND REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS THAT CAUSE GLOBAL WARMING, UNTIL UNEMPLOYMENT DROPS TO 5.5 PERCENT OR LESS FOR FULL YEAR   Coalition Position: TBD  The members of the Coalition voted to delay taking a position on this initiative until their September meeting, in order to give the members of the Coalition more time to research both sides of the issue and make a more informed decision.

Prop. 24.  REPEALS RECENT LEGISLATION THAT WOULD ALLOW BUSINESSES TO LOWER THEIR TAX LIABILITY  Coalition Position: Oppose   The Coalition voted to oppose this initiative because most of the items that would be repealed by the initiatives are items that the Coalition had previously supported.

Prop. 25.    CHANGES LEGISLATIVE VOTE REQUIREMENT TO PASS BUDGET AND BUDGET-RELATED LEGISLATION FROM TWO-THIRDS TO A SIMPLE MAJORITY. RETAINS TWO-THIRDS VOTE REQUIREMENT FOR TAXES   Coalition Position: Oppose    The Coalition voted to opposed this measure because most of the members felt that it is important that budgets require a super-majority.  While members expressed frustration at the current annual impasses that the State deals with, they felt it would be better to force the legislators to do what they were in Sacramento to do, than to reduce the requirements for budget approval.

Prop. 26.    REQUIRES THAT CERTAIN STATE AND LOCAL FEES BE APPROVED BY TWO-THIRDS VOTE. FEES INCLUDE THOSE THAT ADDRESS ADVERSE IMPACTS ON SOCIETY OR THE ENVIRONMENTCAUSED BY THE FEE-PAYER'S BUSINESS   Coalition Position:  Support   The Coalition felt that California businesses are already at a disadvantage when compared to tax rates in other states and that it will be in businesses' best interest to close the loophole in the law that allows the Legislatures to raise taxes by a majority vote rather than a super-majority by calling something a fee, rather than a tax.

Prop. 27.   ELIMINATES STATE COMMISSION ON REDISTRICTING. CONSOLIDATES AUTHORITY FOR REDISTRICTING WITH ELECTED REPRESENTATIVESCoalition Position:  Oppose   It was the consensus of the members that the Legislature has not been successful in its efforts to restructure districts in a fair and equitable manner and that a Citizens Redistricting Commission would best accomplish the objective.

Chambers that are members of the San Gabriel Valley Legislative Coalition are: Arcadia, Azusa, Duarte, El Monte/South El Monte, Irwindale, La Verne, Monrovia, Regional (Diamond Bar/Walnut), Rosemead, San Dimas, Sierra Madre, Temple City and West Covina.

The San Gabriel Valley Legislative Coalition of Chambers, of which the Sierra Madre Chamber is a member, at its August meeting took positions on several of the November ballot initiatives.  The Coalition, whose membership includes thirteen valley Chambers of Commerce, serves as a public policy advocacy body on issues that impact the business and economic climate of the San Gabriel Valley.  The Coalition operates on a platform that was approved by each respective Chamber, covering the following areas: Government, Energy, Health Care, Infrastructure and Environment, Labor, Regulations, Transportation and Education.

Prop. 19.   LEGALIZES MARIJUANA UNDER CALIFORNIA BUT NOT FEDERAL LAW. PERMITS LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO REGULATE AND TAX COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION, DISTRIBUTION, AND SALE OF MARIJUANA. INITIATIVE STATUTE  Coalition Position: No position taken   The members did not feel that the issue applied to the areas of the Coalition's legislative platform.

Prop. 20.   REDISTRICTING OF CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS  Coalition Position: Support   It was the consensus of the members that the Legislature has not been successful in its efforts to restructure the districts in a equitable manner and that a Citizens Redistricting Commission will be more likely to be successful.

Prop 21. ESTABLISHES $18 ANNUAL VEHICLE LICENSE SURCHARGE TO HELP FUND STATE PARKS AND WILDLIFE PROGRAMS. GRANTS SURCHARGED VEHICLES FREE ADMISSION TO ALL STATE PARKS    Coalition Position:  Oppose    The members of the Coalition felt that this fee will negatively impact many businesses, and it would be problematic to increase costs to businesses in the current economic climate.

Prop. 22.   PROHIBITS THE STATE FROM BORROWING OR TAKING FUNDS USED FOR TRANSPORTATION, REDEVELOPMENT, OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT PROJECTS AND SERVICES Coalition Position:  Support  The members of the Coalition voted to support this act, which protects investments in transportation projects, prohibits the state from borrowing local government property taxes and monies from  Prop. 42 (gas tax) funds.

Prop 23.  SUSPENDS IMPLEMENTATION OF AIR POLLUTION CONTROL LAW (AB 32) REQUIRING MAJOR SOURCES OF EMISSIONS TO REPORT AND REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS THAT CAUSE GLOBAL WARMING, UNTIL UNEMPLOYMENT DROPS TO 5.5 PERCENT OR LESS FOR FULL YEAR   Coalition Position: TBD  The members of the Coalition voted to delay taking a position on this initiative until their September meeting, in order to give the members of the Coalition more time to research both sides of the issue and make a more informed decision.

Prop. 24.  REPEALS RECENT LEGISLATION THAT WOULD ALLOW BUSINESSES TO LOWER THEIR TAX LIABILITY  Coalition Position: Oppose   The Coalition voted to oppose this initiative because most of the items that would be repealed by the initiatives are items that the Coalition had previously supported.

Prop. 25.    CHANGES LEGISLATIVE VOTE REQUIREMENT TO PASS BUDGET AND BUDGET-RELATED LEGISLATION FROM TWO-THIRDS TO A SIMPLE MAJORITY. RETAINS TWO-THIRDS VOTE REQUIREMENT FOR TAXES   Coalition Position: Oppose    The Coalition voted to opposed this measure because most of the members felt that it is important that budgets require a super-majority.  While members expressed frustration at the current annual impasses that the State deals with, they felt it would be better to force the legislators to do what they were in Sacramento to do, than to reduce the requirements for budget approval.

Prop. 26.    REQUIRES THAT CERTAIN STATE AND LOCAL FEES BE APPROVED BY TWO-THIRDS VOTE. FEES INCLUDE THOSE THAT ADDRESS ADVERSE IMPACTS ON SOCIETY OR THE ENVIRONMENTCAUSED BY THE FEE-PAYER'S BUSINESS   Coalition Position:  Support   The Coalition felt that California businesses are already at a disadvantage when compared to tax rates in other states and that it will be in businesses' best interest to close the loophole in the law that allows the Legislatures to raise taxes by a majority vote rather than a super-majority by calling something a fee, rather than a tax.

Prop. 27.   ELIMINATES STATE COMMISSION ON REDISTRICTING. CONSOLIDATES AUTHORITY FOR REDISTRICTING WITH ELECTED REPRESENTATIVESCoalition Position:  Oppose   It was the consensus of the members that the Legislature has not been successful in its efforts to restructure districts in a fair and equitable manner and that a Citizens Redistricting Commission would best accomplish the objective.

Chambers that are members of the San Gabriel Valley Legislative Coalition are: Arcadia, Azusa, Duarte, El Monte/South El Monte, Irwindale, La Verne, Monrovia, Regional (Diamond Bar/Walnut), Rosemead, San Dimas, Sierra Madre, Temple City and West Covina.