On May 9, 2019, Governor Gavin Newsom announced updates to his budget proposal following the May Revision. While the original January proposal focused heavily on funding solutions to homelessness and the housing affordability crisis, a large tax revenue windfall is motivating the Governor to pursue...
Last week, OCBC and a delegation of business leaders traveled to Washington, D.C. for the annual One Voice Two Capitols advocacy trip. Attendees met with lawmakers and other decision-makers on business issues including economic development, workforce development, workforce housing, and infrastructure. During the trip, the business delegation...
On April 26, 2019, OCBC welcomed former Governor of Colorado and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate John Hickenlooper in a special meeting joined by the Orange County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.Mr. Hickenlooper analyzed the current partisan division in the nation and explained his moderate approach to...
On Wednesday, April 17, OCBC’s Workforce Development Committee and Community College Working Group hosted Mark Steiman, Executive Director of Human Resources for CHOC Children's.In back-to-back meetings with these groups, Mark provided insightful information on the CHOC Children's culture, and how he identifies talent that either...
OCBC’s Government Affairs team has been sending letters to bill authors and committees expressing support and opposition to proposed legislation impacting business.So far in 2019, OCBC has recorded several victories: the defeat of AB 766 (Chiu), a bill that sought to ban the sale of...
On April 8, 2019, the OCMoves Committee was proud to host Stephanie Wiggins, the newly-appointed CEO of Metrolink. Ms. Wiggins was formerly the Deputy CEO of Metrolink and brings a wealth of institutional and industry knowledge to the transit organization. During the meeting, Ms. Wiggins discussed...
On April 9, OCBC's Infrastructure Committee welcomed Grace Tell, Caltrans District 12 Branch Chief of Advance Planning-Project Studies, and Ryan Chamberlain, District 12 Director, to brief the Committee regarding the I-5 Managed Lanes Project.The Project would establish express lanes on the I-5 between the Los...
On April 5, OCBC's Government Affairs Committee welcomed Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris (D-74) to discuss Assembly Bill (AB) 65. AB 65 was authored by Petrie-Norris and supports coastal districts statewide by creating natural infrastructure, or natural ecological systems or processes, to mitigate rising sea levels resulting from...
On April 6, OCBC and the Orange County Transportation Authority were pleased to welcome U.S. House of Representatives Chairman for the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Peter DeFazio (D-Oregon's 4th District), and Freshman Representative Harley Rouda (D-CA's 48th District), to discuss federal transportation projects in Orange County. Among the...
IRVINE, CA— Orange County Business Council is pleased to welcome Jesse Ben-Ron as Director of Workforce and Economic Development, beginning March 26.Ben-Ron comes to OCBC following his role as District Coordinator of Jobs, Economic Development and the Economy for Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva.“We are so pleased...