United Chambers deals with Valley-wide, County-wide and Regional issues and promotes the San Fernando Valley’s overall welfare, progress and economic prosperity. They also advocate on businesses behalf on a State and Federal level for the good of all business. United Chambers encourages the development of new business ventures in the community and supports the existing commercial base. Additionally, United Chambers provides a network of communication among chambers, businesses, and government to amplify local concerns. They are made up of:
19 MEMBER CHAMBERS that represent 154,000 BUSINESSES VALLEY WIDE
Here is a list of positions United Chambers of Commerce took in 2020:
2020 Positions (as of 10/19/2020)
Opposes the creation of Split Roll Tax – Now named Proposition 15 on the November 2020 ballot.
Joined the Californians To Save Prop 13 and Stop Higher Property Taxes Coalition – Now named No on Prop 15 Coalition
Proposition 15 – OPPOSE
Tax on Commercial and Industrial Properties for Education and Local Government Funding Initiative
This constitutional amendment seeks to require commercial and industrial properties, except those zoned as commercial agriculture, to be taxed based on their market value, rather than their purchase price. This would change Proposition 13, the current governing law, which bases taxation on commercial and industrial properties on a property’s purchase price, with annual increases equal to the rate of inflation or 2 percent, whichever is lower.
Proposition 21 – OPPOSE
Local Rent Control Initiative
Would stymie the creation of any affordable housing units and would grant local cities the ability to enact rent control by repealing a key law (Costa Hawkins) that protects property owners and tenants.
SB1431 (Glazer) – SUPPORT
Property Taxation: Reassessment: Disaster Relief
Would clear the way for landlords to request property tax reassessments based on financial losses attributable to the COVID-19 virus. Specifically, these damages would need to come from rent freezes, eviction moratoria, and other tenant protections imposed by governments in response to the outbreak.
SB1410 (Gonzalez) – SUPPORT with Amendments
Rental Assistance: COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program
Would create the COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program. This bill recognizes the importance of COVID-19 tenant protections while attempting to give a boost to property owners feeling the negative financial effects of the measures imposed by local governments that seek financial relief for tenants including “anti-eviction” or “rent freeze” orders. These orders exert financial pressure on rental property owners when rent is not paid. Owners then struggle to pay their own bills, including taxes, mortgages, and payroll. We ask that amendments be made to help landlords deal with nuisance tenants that cannot show proof of financial hardship due to COVID-19
SB 1352 (Hueso) – SUPPORT
Gas Corporations: Biomethane Procurement
Requires California natural gas utilities to procure at least 20 percent of gas for residential and small-to-medium sized businesses from Biomethane. This bill will help ensure that a viable market exists for the companies and municipalities that invest in gas capturing systems. For landfill operations, capturing more biogas reduces odor emissions and the need for flare offs.
AB1552 (Ramos) – OPPOSE
Commercial Insurance: Business Interruption – Coverage for COVID-19
Would force insurance companies to pay out claims for business interruption due to government mandated closures caused by COVID-19. While we are part of the Save Small Business Coalition that was asking for this type of insurance claim to be covered, upon digging deeper into the issue it became clear that this would not help the majority of businesses as most insurance policies don’t include this type of coverage for these losses, and insurers did not collect premiums to pay such claims; this would threaten the financial health of the state’s insurance industry across the country; this action is unconstitutional as legislators cannot arbitrarily rewrite regulator-approved insurance policies and private contracts; and pandemics are uninsurable as the losses associated with them are incalculable, occur on a global scale and are beyond what the existing insurance mechanism can cover. Instead, the Save Small Business Coalition has been advocating with Representatives Vela (Texas) and Gooden (TX) for a federal Recovery Fund – the Small Business Comeback Act – to establish a fund that would provide stability to American businesses as the country continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic.
SB1383 (Jackson) – OPPOSE
Expansion of Protected Leave Under the California Family Rights Act (CFRA)
Expands the protected leave of absence to include any employer with just a single employee (from an employer with 50 or more employees) along with changing existing language of the current protected leave acts. This will cause an even bigger burden to businesses that are already struggling.
AB398 (Chu) – OPPOSE
COVID-19 Local Government and School Recovery and Relief Act
Tax on large businesses with 500 or more employees of $275 per employee. Starting sometime between January 2021 and January 2026. Monies collected to be disbursed among County, City, and School Districts – proportionate to the number of employees in that jurisdiction.