Greater Grass Valley Chamber of Commerce eNews

January 10th, 2014

NEWS & NOTES

Keep in Touch with The Greater Grass Valley Chamber!

Download the PDF here.

2014 First Quarter Business Development Workshops:

Offered on the 3rd Wednesday of each month 11:30am - 1:30pm

Location: NCCA Conference Center 149 Crown Point Court, Grass Valley

$10 for Greater Grass Valley Chamber Members and Nevada County Contractor Association Members

$20 for non-members

January 15th , 2014

Creating Business/Marketing Plan that Gets Results

Best selling business author and coach Machen MacDonald of the ProBrilliance Leadership Institute

Establish a clear vision for your company

Identify the key performance indicators to stay focused on to grow your business

Develop an action plan to better market your business

Establish a strategic road map to keep you on track throughout the year

February 19th, 2014

Websites that convert Prospects into Clients

Doug Faraco, owner Jennco Web Works and shows business how to affordably develop functional websites.

Evaluate and quantify your current website

Learn how to avoid making the mistakes your competitors make with their website

Understand how easy it can be to get a website that makes you money

Download the event flyer here.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 9, 2014

SENATOR GAINES RESPONDS TO GOVERNOR BROWN'S 2014-2015 STATE BUDGET

SACRAMENTO - Senator Ted Gaines (R-Roseville) today issued the following statement regarding Governor Brown's 2014-2015 state budget proposal.

"I support Governor Brown's attempts to reduce our wall of debt and establish some semblance of a rainy day fund. However, the budget also proposes increased spending by more than $8 billion with new funding for projects like high-speed rail.

At a time when we should be seriously buckling down and tightening our belts, the Governor has taken the rosier budget outlook as license to charge ahead with a spending spree. Creating new programs based on funding that is not guaranteed in the future is a recipe for disaster.

It is critical that we rein in spending and remain in the 'black' so that California never falls back into the fiscal pit we've dug ourselves into in the past. I agree that 'wisdom and prudence should be the order of the day.' Now, it's time to live by it."

Senator Ted Gaines represents the 1st Senate District, which includes all or parts of Alpine, El Dorado, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, Shasta, Sierra and Siskiyou counties.

CONTACT: Betsey Hodges at (916) 651-4001 (office); (916) 207-2600 (cell); or betsey.hodges@sen.ca.gov

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Download the PDF here.

Winter Bash at the 5 Mile House

Download the PDF Flyer here.

It's Here!

Each year, the Wild & Scenic® Film Festival draws top filmmakers, celebrities, leading activists, social innovators and well-known world adventurers to the historic downtown of Nevada City, California. Along with our usual line-up of beautiful, engaging and eye-opening films, we will have a particular focus this year (to be announced soon) as well as some recognition of the "change makers" who are creating a more livable future.

Considered one of the nation's premiere environmental and adventure film festivals, this year's films combine stellar filmmaking, beautiful cinematography and first-rate storytelling to inform, inspire and ignite solutions and possibilities to restore the earth and human communities while creating a positive future for the next generation. Festival-goers can expect to see Award winning films about nature, community activism, adventure, conservation, water, energy and climate change, wildlife, environmental justice, agriculture, Native American and indigenous cultures.

View the schedule here.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 6, 2014

SENATOR GAINES INTRODUCES LEGISLATION TO CANCEL FIRE TAX FOR VICTIMS OF NATURAL DISASTERS

SACRAMENTO - In his continued efforts to fight against the illegal fire tax, Senator Ted Gaines (R-Roseville) today introduced legislation that would exempt anyone who has lost a home to a wildfire or other natural disaster from paying the tax.

"I don't want insult added to injury," said Senator Gaines. "The state should be helping families who have lost everything in these catastrophes, not billing them for homes that no longer exist."

Senate Bill 832 would cancel the "fire tax" for anyone who owns a property within a State Responsibility Area (SRA) that has been destroyed, or significantly damaged, as a result of a natural disaster.

The fire tax is an annual levy imposed on the owners of more than 800,000 properties in the state that are within the boundaries of SRA. According to census and Cal Fire data, Senator Gaines' largely rural district includes roughly 20-percent or approximately 160,000 of the properties whose owners are subject to the fee.

SB 832 was inspired by the Clover Fire that burned more than 8,000 acres southwest of Redding last fall. According to Cal Fire, 68 residences and 128 outbuildings were destroyed; 5 residences and 10 outbuildings were damaged as well. The effects of this fire will be felt by the residents for years to come and Gaines does not want them billed.

"I have fought this illegal tax at every turn. I have been saying that it will do nothing to keep people and property safe and the recent Clover Fire was further proof," said Senator Gaines. "This bill will make it clear going forward that if you lose your home to a wildfire, you won't owe the tax. It's that simple."

Senator Gaines has been a leading critic of the tax and introduced numerous pieces of legislation last year that attempted to provide relief for rural Californians. Unfortunately, none were successful, but this is a clear-cut case, according to the Senator, "This is not politics, it's common sense. The tax is levied on habitable structures. These homeowners wish that's what they still had."

Senator Ted Gaines represents the 1st Senate District, which includes all or parts of Alpine, El Dorado, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, Shasta, Sierra and Siskiyou counties.

CONTACT: Betsey Hodges at (916) 651-4001 (office); (916) 207-2600 (cell); or betsey.hodges@sen.ca.gov