City & Chamber Fighting to Keep Convention Center & Other Valuable Land Due to RDA Dissolution

As I have reported to you in the past, the City of Santa Clara and Chamber have been working very hard to keep over 100 acres of Santa Clara real estate out of the hands of the State, County and other taxing agencies that make up our Oversight Board.  Unfortunately, the courts in Sacramento recently ruled that Governor Brown’s RDA Dissolution law is legal and all assets purchased with redevelopment funds must now be returned to the State and Oversight Board agencies.

Many cities in California spent their RDA funds on human resources, studies and other miscellaneous City projects.  Santa Clara invested their funds in purchasing land and building a convention center to provide future revenues for the City and to promote economic development.  In fact, several years ago, the City Council made a bold decision and asked the voters to approve purchasing the Great America property with RDA funds.  The voters approved this and not only saved the amusement park from closing, but also brought in an additional $5 million a year in lease revenue to the City’s general fund.  The Convention Center, Hyatt Regency, Tech Mart and Hilton Hotel were other examples of this sound RDA investment strategy.

The overall strategy paid off and brought over $13 million a year in lease revenue to the City’s general fund to pay for police, fire and infrastructure improvements.  It also led the way to major expansion and development of our North of Bayshore area.

Unfortunately, Governor Brown and the legislature passed a law that will now take these assets away from the City.  The Oversight Board is moving forward swiftly to move the land assets and Convention Center away from the City to be sold to the highest bidder.  These proceeds will not be coming to the City and will be dispersed to the Oversight Board member’s taxing organizations and State as required by law.    

I hope you agree with me and find this is simply outrageous.  Unfortunately, there is little we can do since the court has made a final ruling in favor of the Governor’s law.  We do hope that the Convention Center will remain under the control of the City, but it is still too early to know what will finally happen.

Imagine our Convention Center being run and owned by another company that has no skin in the game.  They could do whatever they wanted to meet their bottom line numbers reporting to agencies that don’t even represent the City.  We certainly hope this does not become the final outcome.

We are working very closely with the City Manager and Council in making every effort to be sure our voice is heard throughout this process.  If you’d like to have your voice heard, please reach out to Ken Yeager your County Supervisor.  He can be reached at 408-299-5040 or by email at supervisor.yeager@bos.sccgov.org.

Steve Van Dorn

Santa Clara Chamber of Commerce & Convention-Visitors Bureau President and CEO

steve.vandorn@santaclara.org

Changes to Employment Law – Are You Ready?

This year’s new California employment laws stand out by the extent to which they require virtually all employers to take proactive steps to comply.  The Santa Clara Chamber of Commerce & Convention-Visitors Bureau, in partnership with Hixson Nagatani LLP, will present an employment law update on January 21 from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the Chamber Office.  Attendees of this seminar to learn how to:

• Update sick leave and/or PTO policies to comply with California’s new sick leave law, including new insights that can be gleaned from the California Labor Commissioner’s recently published answers to FAQs.
• Amend leave policies and practices under anticipated new CFRA regulations.
• Comply with a new California court ruling that requires reimbursement for employees’ business use of personal cell phones.
• Adjust pay rates to comply with new minimums for exempt computer software professionals and non-exempt workers.
• Modify anti-harassment training to include prevention of “abusive conduct,” under a new state law.
• Adopt or amend arbitration agreements to preclude California employment law class actions.
• Conduct background checks in compliance with “ban the box” laws being passed across the country.
• Have compliant technology use policies, in light of the December 2014 NLRB ruling that employees are allowed to use company e-mail to engage in protected speech.

The program will also review several new developments in the area of wage and hour law, noteworthy recent lawsuits, settlements, and verdicts, and a variety of other hot topics.

Time will also be reserved for attendee questions during the program.  All attendees will receive detailed PowerPoint slides and additional written materials concerning the subjects addressed.

Your presenters will be attorneys Brian Nagatani and Mary Wang, who are partners of the law firm Hixson Nagatani LLP.  Hixson Nagatani LLP advises and represents employers in a wide range of employment law matters.  The firm provides advice and counsel on proactive steps that employers should take to ensure compliance and minimize legal risks, including with respect to creating and updating personnel policies and practices, personnel-related forms, risk assessment of contemplated personnel actions, and managers’ legal training.  The firm also defends employers against actual and threatened employee claims, including claims made in state and federal courts, arbitration, and government agencies.

To register for the January 21 session, please complete the enclosed form or register online at www.santaclarachamber.org/events.  Registration is $45 for members and $60 for non-members.

Meet NFL Alumni at Lunch with the Legends

Interested in meeting NFL Alumni?  Looking for an opportunity to tour Levi’s Stadium?  All while helping out the Gridiron Greats and 49ers Foundation?  Then Lunch with the Legends is the event for you!  On Thursday, November 19th the Santa Clara Chamber of Commerce & Convention-Visitors Bureau presents Lunch with the Legends.  Features of the luncheon include the opportunity to meet 49ers Alumni such as Keena Turner, Bob St. Clair, Jimmie Johnson and Guy McIntyre (subject to change) while bidding on great sports and pop culture memorabilia. Ricky Watters will emcee the luncheon.  Sponsors include Southwest Airlines, Neto’s Sausage, Hilton Santa Clara, Farber & Company Attorneys, LLC, KW Bay Area Estates, and PFS Tax. To learn more, visit us online at www.santaclarachamber.org/LunchwiththeLegends.

Workshop on Business Opportunities at Super Bowl 50

In partnership with the Santa Clara Chamber of Commerce & Convention-Visitors Bureau, the Super Bowl 50 Host Committee will present a workshop on BUSINESS CONNECT – the NFL’s supplier diversity program.  The Kick-Off Workshop will take place on Monday, November 17 from 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.  The purpose of the workshop is to introduce local businesses to the process of Super Bowl business, and provide networking, educational and other support.

BUSINESS CONNECT is open  to qualifying businesses in the nine-county Bay Area region.  To participate in the program, businesses must be certified (at least 51% owned & operated) as one or more of the following:

• Minority-owned businesses (MBE)
• Women-owned businesses (WBE)
• Disabled veteran-owned businesses (DVBE)

Once accepted into BUSINESS CONNECT, businesses will be listed in the Business Resource Guide, which will be posted on the Host Committee’s website and will function as the central resource for potential Super Bowl Business procurement.  For additional information, please visit the Super Bowl 50 Host Committee Business Connect website.

Non-Resident Withholding Compliance

The State Franchise Tax Board (FTB) wants to ensure that businesses are compliant in regards to withholding taxes when it comes to nonresidents.  Generally, if a business pays a nonresident independent contractor more than $1,500 in a calendar year, the business is responsible for withholding 7% of the payment and sending it to FTB. Nonresidents are required to file tax returns on the income they earn in California; this withholding is a prepayment of the tax that may be due on that income.

The FTB website has many tools and information on this topic to help you stay compliant. 

• Determine if withholding is required, you may conduct an agent self-test – www.ftb.ca.gov/individuals/wsc/self_test/selftest.asp

• Retrieve general information on the three stages of withholding – www.ftb.ca.gov/forms/misc/1018.pdf

• Access current year forms and publications – www.ftb.ca.gov/individuals/wsc/forms_and_publications.shtml

• Review the withholding voluntary compliance program to assist self-agents in remitting past due, non-wage withholding – www.ftb.ca.gov/individuals/wsc/Withholding_Voluntary_Compliance_Program/index.shtml

For further information, please visit the FTB website at www.ftb.ca.gov.

Member Referrals: August 2014

We would like to recognize and acknowledge member referrals for the Santa Clara Chamber of Commerce.  The following new members were referred by an existing member of the Chamber, and we would like to recognize and thank them for their support.

Gina Harper with The Mountain Winery referred Craig Seymour with IfOnly.  Are you looking for a celebrity appearance at your next event?  Contact Craig at (650) 810-5489 to discuss all of the possibilities for a unique experience and opportunity to give back to a charity at the same time.   For a fabulous venue with a spectacular view, contact Gina at (408) 484-3509 to book your next event at this fabulous property!

Want to see your name here?  If someone you know would benefit by joining the Santa Clara Chamber of Commerce, please refer them to Carol Zimring at (408) 380-1236.  Every month we publish new member referrals, listing both the new member and the Chamber member who referred them.   When a member has referred a total of three new members, they will receive a $100.00 advertising credit for use in our weekly and monthly publications.

Pyramid Awards Wrap-Up

Left to Right: Lynette Vedder, Individual Member of the Year Joe Siecinski and Maxine Brookner.

Left to Right: Board Members Lidia Blair (Co-Ambassador of the Year) and Sasha Nand.

President & CEO Steve Van Dorn and Chair David Tobkin.

Melonie Drotts of Kaiser Permanente about to bid on a silent auction item.

Keynote SpeakerGreg Carey of Goldman Sachs.

Co-Ambassadors of the Year John Waller and Lidia Blair (middle) with Santa Clara Chamber of Commerce & CVB CEO Steve Van Dorn (left) and Chair David Tobkin (right).

Distinguished Community Leader given to Kevin Moore (middle).

Distinguished Community Leader given to Kevin Moore (middle).

The Power Partners made their presence known!

Dan MacNaughton Memorial Scholarship presented to Young Kim of Santa Clara High School.

Don Von Raesfeld Chamber Volunteer Award (left to right): Steve Van Dorn, Marlene Ybarra, Don Von Raesfeld, Marge Banko, Dee Alarcon and Dave Tobkin.

Presentation of the gavel (left to right): Steve Van Dorn, Chair Elizabeth Williams and Past Chair Dave Tobkin.

Business Member of the Year, The Mlnarik Law Group.

Mayor Matthews installed the Santa Clara Chamber of Commerce & Convention-Visitors Bureau Board of Directors.

Member Referrals

We would like to recognize and acknowledge member referrals for the Santa Clara Chamber of Commerce.  The following new members were referred by an existing member of the Chamber, and we would like to recognize and thank them for their support.

John Waller with The OnHold Experience & Steve Ernst with Spot Focus, LLC referred Vaishali Shaw with Erik’s DeliCafe @Gateway, which is a great new place to have breakfast, lunch or dinner.  Stop by their new and beautiful location at 5451 Great America Parkway, Suite 101, “sandwiched” in between Dell & Arista, or call (408) 727-8181.   To help your business grow, contact John (408) 679-4050 to turn on hold time into sold time and Steve at (408) 859-1003 to electronically advertise your business at the Santa Clara Convention Center.

Ravinder Lal with The UPS Store #4636 referred Bob Min with Sandler Training.  If you or your business is in need of training in the sales arena, give Bob a call at (408) 368-2773 to find out more.  If you need shipping, printing, signs or other business products, contact Ravinder at (408) 247-4010 or visit him at 2784 Homestead Road, Santa Clara.

Robin Benetiz, with City Beach referred Nyasha Harris with John & Michaels Dollar Outlet, a new store at 2225 El Camino Real, Santa Clara.  Do you want to find out all of the great items that your dollar will buy?   Call Nyasha at (408) 217-4607 to find out more.  For team building events for your group, call Robin at (408) 654-9330.

Want to see your name here?  If someone you know would benefit by joining the Santa Clara Chamber of Commerce, please refer them to Carol Zimring at (408) 380-1236.  Every month we publish new member referrals, listing both the new member and the Chamber member who referred them.   When a member has referred a total of three new members, they will receive a $100.00 advertising credit for use in our weekly and monthly publications.

Chamber and CVB Celebrates 2014 Accomplishments at Pyramid Awards

On June 19, 2014 I hope you were one of the almost 300 attendees that attended our annual Pyramid Awards Dinner. If not, you missed out on an exciting evening, excellent food and great networking.

I’d like to list in my column this month my top 10 list of accomplishments for the year that I briefly discussed at the Pyramid Awards Dinner.  Here you go:

10.  The Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) generated press releases resulting in over $500,000 in trackable print & electronic media coverage.

9. Re-Launched the Silicon Valley Young Professionals (SVYP) and held several events during the year including a Big Wig Session at the 49ers Preview Center.

8. Activated the Chamber’s Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn pages to connect with our members through additional social media channels.

7. The Convention and Visitors Bureau’s Convention Sales, Marketing and Services department increased future hotel room night bookings by 45% over last year.

6. Santa Clara Convention Center’s December revenue was the highest ever to date for that month.

5. The Chamber increased Pyramid of Leaders membership by 42% over previous year.

4. Santaclara.org website continues to average over 50,000 unique users per month and is our number one source for obtaining convention and meeting Requests for Proposals (RFPs).

3. Santa Clara Convention Center is projected to end the year with a profit for the fourth year in a row and is forecast to do the same next fiscal year.

2. The Chamber’s Government Relations Committee reviewed and acted upon over 50 bills that were to impact the business community.

1. Held the inaugural Silicon Valley Chamber Business Xpo bringing together 100 exhibitors, nine different chambers and close to 1,000 attendees.

Again, these are just a few highlights of what we are doing for you, our members, while you are busy working on growing your business.

Please let me know what you think we should focus on next year to assist your business growth.  I can be reached at steve.vandorn@santaclara.org or at 408-380-1231.

Steve Van Dorn

President and CEO of the Santa Clara Chamber of Commerce & Convention-Visitors Bureau

steve.vandorn@santaclara.org

Chamber Joins Silicon Valley Business Leaders on Visits to State Lawmakers

On May 20, 2014 Steve Van Dorn (President & CEO of the Santa Clara Chamber of Commerce & Convention-Visitors Bureau) and several Chamber members joined other Silicon Valley business leaders on the Annual State Legislative Summit in Sacramento coordinated by the San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce. The entire group met with 25 assembly and senate representatives. Steve’s team of five met with three of the five legislators they were assigned. “Overall, it was a great experience that I recommend our members consider attending next year,” said Van Dorn.

The message the group delivered was clear and consistent. They asked that our elected officials focus on a number of areas. Here is a sample of what was discussed during the visits:

CEQA Reform: CEQA continues to be a burden to economic development across California. Abuse of this well intentioned legislation has become legendary. These abuses are currently threatening jobs here in Silicon Valley and must be reframed so the law can do what it was intended.

Expanding Government/Taxation: Businesses and individuals already pay a myriad of taxes and fees, and yet there is an insatiable need by state and local government for more. We must be prudent with our spending, provide room for the private sector to thrive, and be sure the tax revenue we do pay is spent efficiently.

Unnecessary Regulation: California is continually ranked as one of the worst states for doing business due to a burdensome regulatory environment and high cost of doing business. Removing unnecessary regulations and barriers that prevent business from expanding will create jobs in Silicon Valley and throughout California.

Workforce Education: We need innovative education and technical training that supports our industries and provides our citizens with pathways to stable careers and also the ability to move ahead and become higher-earning workers. This starts with pre K-12 education and continues to the college level and beyond.

“We received strong support on our focus areas from a few of the elected officials we met with, but there is still much work to do. The Santa Clara Chamber of Commerce will continue to advocate for your business so that it can continue to grow and prosper,” said Van Dorn.

Please let Steve Van Dorn know what you think we should communicate to our elected officials to improve the business climate in Santa Clara and Silicon Valley. He can be reached by email at steve.vandorn@santaclara.org or at 408-380-1231.