January 18, 2008
Vote February 5!
OCBC's Board of Directors has approved positions on a number of statewide initiatives. Click here for OCBC's positions and analysis.
January 16, 2008
Governor supports completion of Foothill South 241 toll road!
In a letter to the California Coastal Commission yesterday, the Governor outlined his reasons for supporting this critical project, including its completion of stringent environmental reviews.
Visit www.relievetraffic.org, or contact OCBC Vice President of Government Affairs Kris Murray for more information on the project and how to lend your support at the upcoming Coastal Commission meeting for approval of the 241.
January 15, 2008
OCBC's Latino Educational Attainment program was profiled in the Orange County Register today.
Read the Article...
Contact Alicia Berhow for more information.
January 9, 2008
OCBC Opposes AB 1457. Assembly measure threatens completion of the Foothill South Toll Road.
Read the letter of opposition.
Support OCBC's postion -- use this sample letter to voice you or your organization's opposition to AB 1457.
January 9, 2008
OCBC Commends Governor's Commitment to Budgetary Reforms, Infrastructure and Education as outlined in his State of the State address.
Read the Press Release...
January 8, 2008
OCBC Incoming Chairman Steve Lenzi appears on Time Warner's Local Edition to promote OCBC and its January 29 Annual Dinner. The interview will air on CNN's Headline News throughout the month of January. Click Play button below to hear what's ahead for OCBC...
Check it out....
January 8, 2008
Governor delivers his State of the State address and proposes a constitutional amendment to reduce state spending.
Read the Details...
January 8, 2008
The latest edition of the Indicator, OCBC's e-Newsletter, is now available online.
Check it out...
January 4, 2008
OCBC's Dr. Wallace Walrod and Robb Korinke discuss the 2008 economic forecast on Cox Forum...
Check it out....
January 2, 2008
The Orange County Housing Trust unveils its latest progress report for 2007.
Take a look...
October 23, 2007
October 23 Edition of the Indicator, OCBC's e-Newsletter, Available Online
Check it out...
October 22, 2007
Economic Forecast Conference draws over 800 business and academic leaders to discuss the direction of the economy in Orange County and beyond.
Read More...
October 9, 2007
October 9 Edition of the Indicator, OCBC's e-Newsletter, Available Online
Check it out...
October 8, 2007
OCBC President & CEO Lucy Dunn testifies before California State Senate on behalf of 10 regional So. Cal. organizations urging legislators to bridge party lines and compromise on a comprehensive bond package during the current Special Session.
September 25, 2007
September 25 Edition of the Indicator, OCBC's e-Newsletter, Available Online
Check it out...
September 24, 2007
The Association of California Water (ACWA) Agencies has launched a new website, www.calwatercrisis.org as part of a statewide public education effort surrounding the state's increasingly dire water situation.
September 24, 2007
OCBC has unveiled its 2007 Workforce Indicators report, a comprehensive analysis of the Orange County Workforce presented by Dr. Wallace Walrod, OCBC Vice President of Research and Communications.
September 11, 2007
September 11, 2007 Edition of the Indicator, OCBC's e-Newsletter, Available Online
Check it out...
August 22, 2007
The Anaheim City Council has responded to the collection of thousands of signatures by Anaheim residents demanding a public vote to overturn the Council's previous position allowing non-resort uses in the lucrative resort district.
OCBC contends that "a deal is a deal," that the City Council wrongly ignored its general plan and agreements with the business community and that Anaheim voters should overturn the decision.
Voters will decide June 3, 2008 whether to allow homes in the Resort Area.
Read More...
August 21, 2007
State Budget Deal Struck!
The Senate passed a budget today that won protections against environmental lawsuits that would jeopardize key infrastructure projects.
The 51-day standoff saw the governor promise to cut an additional $700 million in state spending. Congratulations to the Republican Senators that held firm for key reforms during this process.
August 14, 2007
August 14th Edition of the Indicator, OCBC's e-Newsletter, Available Online
Check it out...
August 13, 2007
OCBC's Executive Invitational Golf Tournament a huge success, thanks to all our sponsors!
Read More about the Tournament.
August 8, 2007
OCBC's Workforce Housing Scorecard featured in the World Journal, the largest circulation Chinese language daily in the US.
Take a look...
July 25, 2007
July 25th Edition of the Indicator, OCBC's e-Newsletter, Available Online
Check it out...
July 18, 2007
OCBC's Lucy Dunn and Dr. Wallace Walrod Appear on KOCE's 'Real Orange' to Discuss the Workforce Housing Scorecard.
Please Review the Complete Report.
July 11, 2007
A New Edition of the Indicator, OCBC's
e-Newsletter, is Now Available.
Check it Out...
July 2, 2007
OCBC on KPCC!
Southern California Public Radio KPCC covers the unveiling of the Workforce Housing Scorecard. OCBC's Dr. Wallace Walrod interviewed. Listen
June 27, 2007
OCBC Unveils Housing Scorecard,a comprehensive evaluation of the current and future state of Orange County’s housing supply and demand.
Click here for the Press Release...
And here for the Complete Report
June 5, 2007
June 5th Edition of the Indicator, OCBC's e-Newsletter, Available Online
Check it out...
May 29, 2007
Corona's Mayor Pro-Tem Weighs in on Toll Road Issue Via OC Register Op-Ed
Read it...
May 24, 2007
OCBC to Host Orange County's Second Annual Mayors Summit on June 8th
Register now!
May 22, 2007
May 22nd Edition of the Indicator, OCBC's e-Newsletter, Available Online
Check it out...
May 22, 2007
Governor Vows to Terminate "Job Killer" Legislation
 Governor Schwarzenegger addressed a crowd of 2,000 business members from across the state at the California Chamber's 2007 California Business Legislative Summit breakfast this morning. As OCBC’s VP of Government Affairs, Kris Murray, reports from Sacramento, he promised to "terminate" job killer legislation identified by the California Chamber.
The Governor also stressed that no legislation aimed to roll back workers’ compensation reforms would make it past his desk. He reported that workers’ comp premiums have dropped by 50 percent over the past three years and are projected drop another 16 percent over the next year. Further, he reinforced his commitment to reforming the state's health care system, indicating he plans to tackle the issue with the same tenacity he brought to the passage of infrastructure bonds and securing workers’ compensation reform. As always, OCBC will bring you all the latest . . .
May 21, 2007
OCBC's Transportation Bill, SB 872, in Suspense
 Senator Dick Ackerman remains steadfast in his commitment to SB 872, the OCBC-sponsored bill that will provide so called "self-help" counties (including Orange County) exclusive access to $1 billion set aside as matching-funds under Proposition 1B, approved last November. While SB 872 passed a contentious hearing before the Senate Transportation and Housing Committee in mid-April, the Senate Appropriations Committee put it in suspense yesterday morning, giving the committee’s leadership an opportunity to simultaneously consider and negotiate all Prop 1B allocations.
OCBC once again thanks Senator Ackerman for his tireless support. OCBC's VP of Government Affairs, Kris Murray, reports from Sacramento that the legislation remains high on the senator’s priority list, and we should have an update on the bill’s status late next week. Stay tuned to OCBC's website for all the latest news.
May 18, 2007
Inaugural BIZPAC Luncheon Features Administration Insider
 The Irvine Hyatt Regency was "the place to be Friday" as OCBC’s Chairman, Dan Miller of The Irvine Company, and BIZPAC hosted a crowd of more than 150 at its inaugural annual luncheon. Many elected officials attended the event, including Assemblymembers Jim Silva, Mike Duvall, Mimi Walters, Jose Solorio, and Todd Spitzer, as well as Orange Supervisors John Moorlach, Bill Campbell, and Pat Bates. Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle was also in attendance.
Governor Schwarzenegger’s Cabinet Secretary and Deputy Chief of Staff, Dan Dunmoyer, presented the keynote, addressing all the latest from Sacramento, including the Governor’s healthcare proposal. He also engaged audience members on such timely topics as the Foothill South toll road extension, which he said he intended to investigate in greater detail on behalf of the Governor while in Orange County.
OCBC thanks the major sponsors: The Irvine Company; First American Title Company; Bank of America; Cox Business Services; The Disneyland Resort; Fluor Corporation; and VONS. BIZPAC will use the monies raised to assist elected officials and ballot measures that support of OCBC’s pro-business agenda.
May 16, 2007
OCBC's Pioneering Toll Road Op-Ed Sparks Flurry of Responses
OCBC President and CEO, Lucy Dunn, was the first to "sound the alarm" after Garden Grove Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez supported a bill amendment proposed by a county outsider (San Diego Congresswoman Susan Davis) that jeopardizes the Foothill South toll road extension. As Dunn quipped in her OC Register opinion editorial, "What the hell was Sanchez thinking?"
Dunn's May 11 op-ed has sparked a flurry of responses in the paper, including a Register editorial supporting the toll road extension and a response from Congresswoman Sanchez herself. Read the buzz . . .
ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
May 11, 2007
The Orange Grove: Sanchez betrayed O.C. on toll road – OPINION EDITORIAL
The Foothill South extension underwent years of environmental reviews.
By LUCY DUNN, President and CEO, Orange County Business Council
ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
May 13, 2007
Sanchez votes for more traffic – REGISTER EDITORIAL
The congresswoman sides with environmentalists and against O.C. drivers with toll-road vote.
By OC REGISTER STAFF
ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
May 15, 2007
No road work ahead for the 241 extension? – LETTER
By LORETTA SANCHEZ, Congresswoman
ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
May 16, 2007
The Orange Grove: South county needs to finish toll road – OPINION EDITORIAL
The growing region is too reliant on the I-5 Freeway for emergencies.
By PAT BATES, Orange County Supervisor, 5th District
Our friends at the OC Blog have been all over Dunn's op-ed, as well:
May 11, 2007
OCBC's Lucy Dunn On Sanchez's Tollroad Betrayal
May 15, 2007
Come Clean, Loretta
The Business Council demonstrates once again why it's Orange County's leading voice of business!
May 14, 2007
Orange County Business Council Optimistic About Governor’s May Budget Revision
Read the press release...
May 10, 2007
Dunn Toll Road Op-Ed to Appear in the Register's Orange Grove on May 11: "Sanchez Betrayed OC on Toll Road"
Read it...
May 8, 2007
May 8th Edition of the Indicator, OCBC's e-Newsletter, Available Online
Check it out...
May 7, 2007
OCBC Issues Call to Action to Protect SR-241 Toll Road Extension
OCBC is working with the Transportation Corridor Agencies to defeat a legislative effort that would challenge the TCA’s federal authority to complete the SR-241 Toll Road extension.
ISSUE: Congresswoman Susan Davis (D-San Diego) is planning to insert language into the National Defense Authorization bill that could effectively negate the TCA’s federal authority to build the toll toad extension.
ACTION: Call the office of Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez, who serves on the House Armed Services Committee, which is scheduled to mark-up the bill in just two days—Wednesday, May 9.
The Business Council issued a call to action, supplying a reference sheet that makes advocating to save the SR-241 Toll Road extension easy and asking its members to voice their opposition of any action that would jeopardize the TCA's authority. To add your voice to the opposition, click HERE to download the reference sheet and follow the simple steps outlined.
Remember, with the committee meeting just a couple of days away, time is of the essence! We must work together to fight any effort by a Member of Congress -– especially one from outside the county -– to negatively impact the construction and operation of this critical component of Orange County’s transportation network.
Thank you in advance for adding your voice to the leading voice of Orange County business. If you have questions about this or any other advocacy issue, please contact Kris Murray, VP of Government and Community Affairs, at 949.794.7210.
April 30, 2007
Governor's Intervention Delays Potential OCTA Strike
The Orange County Transportation Authority and Teamsters Union have come to an impasse on their contract negotiations, with the current contract set to expire on May 1. At OCTA's request, Governor Schwarzenegger intervened by appointing a three- member board to investigate the dispute.
According to a statement issued by Art Leahy, OCTA CEO, the union members voted to authorize a strike and have walked away from an offer by OCTA to provide its 1,100 coach operators a more than 13 percent increase in wages and benefits over the next three years.
The Governor's action delays the strike for a week (until May 8). Click here to review the text of Governor Schwarzenegger's letter to the appointees issued today.
Because so many rely on OCTA's daily bus services, we wanted to alert you to the urgency of the situation. We will keep you abreast of future developments and invite you to please share this information with your employees, families, and students.
April 27, 2007
OCBC Supports Anaheim Chamber and Residents' Efforts to Preserve City’s Resort Plan
The Anaheim City Council voted 3-2 on Tuesday to enact a zoning change that will allow residential development within its Resort District, a 2-square mile area adjacent to the Disney theme parks zoned solely for commercial uses in the city’s General Plan. OCBC President and CEO, Lucy Dunn, joined Todd Ament and Margaret Pashko of the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce, and other opponents of the zoning change, including Senator Lou Correa and Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle, at a press conference in front of the Chamber yesterday afternoon. The group announced a referendum drive to overturn the City Council’s General Plan amendment. The Chamber-led referendum initiative has 30 days to gather 13,200 signatures in an effort to overturn the City Council’s action.
Explaining the Business Council’s opposition to the City Council’s actions on Tuesday, OCBC President and CEO, Lucy Dunn, released the following statement:
The Orange County Business Council supports thoughtful, orderly planning and development through a public process with the usual and customary environmental and fiscal reviews. This is how cities plan for and help build businesses, homes, roads and schools and generate reasonable public revenue for public services like police, fire, parks, after-school programs and the like.
The Anaheim Resort District was thoughtfully planned and developed in this way. Businesses and residents relied on that plan—and the city's consistency with that plan—to make their own strategic decisions to grow, pay taxes, invest, live and work in Anaheim.
Further, the Anaheim Resort District is a successful economic engine for Anaheim, the County of Orange and, in fact, the Southland. The Anaheim Resort District's plan has already demonstrated a solid track record of success—and it is complimentary with the city's recent, successful track record to expedite planning and processing for a full spectrum of housing supply and choices for its growing population and jobs generation—including housing for its workforce and the most needy.
The Anaheim Resort District encompasses 5% of the land area of Anaheim. As the Governor's former Director of Housing and Community Development responsible for assessing a city's duties to provide housing for its people, I can attest to Anaheim's innovative approaches to ensuring an adequate supply of for-sale and rental housing in all price ranges being designated on suitable sites within the remaining 95% of the city's land. Anaheim is in compliance with the state's housing law.
OCBC supports the Anaheim Chamber and residents' efforts to preserve the plan and see that it is fully implemented as envisioned by those who worked so long and hard to negotiate, compromise and create it.
A deal is a deal.
April 24, 2007
BIZPAC Luncheon to Feature Keynote Address by Dan Dunmoyer, the Governor’s Cabinet Secretary and Deputy Chief of Staff
Become a sponsor today!
April 24, 2007
April 24th Edition of the Indicator, OCBC's e-Newsletter, Available Online
Check it out...
April 23, 2007
OCBC's 2007-2008 Legislative Action Guide Available Online
Download a copy today...
April 10, 2007
April 10th Edition of the Indicator, OCBC's e-Newsletter, Available Online
Check it out...
April 5, 2007
BIZPAC to Hold Luncheon to Advance OCBC's Advocacy Efforts
Learn more...
[BREAKING NEWS ARCHIVE]
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