Valley Industry and Commerce Association

VICA Positions

VICA’s Guiding Principles

Air Quality: VICA supports programs to improve air quality that are centered on market-based incentives and prioritize mobile source reductions that do not overburden employers and cause job losses.
VICA Supports More consistency in federal and state regulations so as to minimize economic impacts on local businesses Implementation of greenhouse gas emission standards through cost-effective, fair and scientifically sound programs, with the use of market-based strategies when possible, preferably at the national level, rather than state by state	VICA Opposes Measures that place onerous burdens on specific industries without fairly distributing responsibilities for improving air quality
Aviation: VICA supports policies to maximize economic benefits through air commerce.
VICA Supports A freely operating and unobstructed National Airway System Modernization of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to adequately address safety and new aircraft The availability of Customs Clearance at Valley airports (BUR and VNY)	VICA Opposes User fees, instead of the fuel tax, for aviation Operational limits on GA jet aircraft at local airports
Education: VICA supports structural reforms to bring education closer to the communities served, promote autonomy and entrepreneurship, and create a world class education system, one that also serves the needs of employers for a highly skilled workforce.
VICA Supports: Smaller school districts for K-12 students, preferably districts no larger than 50,000 pupils, and small learning communities within larger schools. Increased emphasis on math and science curriculum as useful tools for workforce development Efforts to strengthen career technical education (vocational education) programs that prepare students for the region’s growing labor pool needs Planning for anticipated enrollment and development efforts to prevent school overcrowding and support smaller schools placed in the areas where students actually live Improving teacher and student performance through stronger standards and incentives for exceeding them	VICA Opposes Efforts to limit or block innovative approaches to education reform, such as charter schools Unfunded mandates on school districts
Employer Mandates: VICA supports regulatory conformity among local, state and federal agencies affecting workplace rules, wages and employer conduct—not those that would put local employers at competitive disadvantages and deter job growth and investment.
VICA Supports Fair and equitable footing for management and unions in labor disputes Preservation of the existing labor election standards that allow workers to choose to unionize without intimidation Sensible workplace rules that are sensitive to California’s unique and diverse workforce and also protect employers from unreasonable lawsuits	VICA Opposes Locally implemented wage standards and worker retention ordinances that are inconsistent with state or federal laws
Energy: VICA supports policies that promote safe, clean and reliable sources of energy through conservation, investments in new technologies and new source exploration, market-based fuel efficiency, and permit streamlining for new energy generation and transmission facilities.
VICA Supports Efforts to diversify the region’s energy portfolio and increase consumer access to more forms of energy	VICA Opposes Regulations that make the delivery of energy more costly and impractical Municipally owned utility rate hikes that include any incremental transfer of revenues to cities’ general funds
Fiscal Stability: VICA supports government efficiency, containing the growth of government, minimizing its role in the private sector and making certain that tax and fee increases on employers are sought only as a last resort.
VICA Supports Increased accountability for government expenditures Better use of private sources of investments and partnership with public entities Eliminating government programs that are outdated and/or do not perform A general fund reserve	VICA Opposes Unnecessary increases to government bureaucracy Increased spending without designated sources of revenue until the structural deficit is eliminated Long-term commitments based on current revenue spikes
Healthcare: VICA supports nationally consistent policies that create more access to quality healthcare through programs that adequately satisfy small business affordability needs while protecting and strengthening California’s public and private safety net of healthcare providers.
VICA Supports Working with providers to ensure that emergency rooms remain open and are adequately reimbursed for treating the uninsured and undocumented Efforts to reduce the costs associated with healthcare, such as seismic retrofit mandates for hospitals and legal protections for healthcare providers Creating healthcare policies that fairly distribute the burden of providing healthcare on all responsible parties – individuals, employers, providers and the government	VICA Opposes Costly employer mandates that do not allow for shared responsibility More state bureaucracy Efforts to burden providers and hospitals with additional taxes and costs. Unfunded mandates
Housing: VICA supports policies that increase efficient production of housing for all income levels through processes that complement and create new job and public transportation centers.
VICA Supports Efforts to provide incentives to developers to voluntarily create affordable housing, jobs and transit-oriented development Streamlining the review processes for projects that clearly serve a local need in affordable housing, job growth and economic revitalization A fair review process for larger projects that takes into account traffic issues, new jobs, tax revenues and regional needs	VICA Opposes Mandates and fees on developers that discourage new housing production in urban areas Enabling neighborhood councils to block development by empowerment beyond advisory roles Rezoning of industrial and commercial parcels to residential zones
Job Creation: VICA endorses private sector job creation through policies that address the retention, growth and attraction of growing businesses, which provide meaningful careers and enhance tax revenue streams.
VICA Supports Recruitment of job sectors and businesses that show promise for long term economic growth and job creation such as bio-med and entertainment tech Retention of existing businesses that continue to provide good-paying jobs and tax revenues such as aerospace and entertainment	VICA Opposes Labor mandates (including wage mandates), tax increases, and other efforts that hinder job creation and business retention Other policies that further place California businesses at a competitive disadvantage by continued increases in regulations and costs relative to those of other states
Land Use: VICA supports policies that encourage long term planning for the appropriate placement of development without displacing existing commercial and industrial land uses that are significant to preservation of jobs and a healthy jobs-housing balance.
VICA Supports Preservation of the Valley’s industrial zones as vibrant job and economic centers Industrial, commercial and residential projects that create jobs, grow tax revenues and improve the region’s job-housing balance Projects and planning decisions that are based on smart-growth concepts such as transit-oriented housing, mixed use and energy sustainability Adding more recreational parks and open spaces to enhance the Valley’s quality of life through joint-use programs with schools and other facilities Efforts to streamline the permitting process for projects	VICA Opposes Local ordinances that limit infrastructure improvements Mandates on developers that discourage rather than encourage more private investments in affordable housing and job creation
Political Reform: VICA supports political reforms that invite more participation in the political and legislative processes with increased transparency and disclosure information about who is trying to exert influence.
VICA Supports Campaign finance reforms that level the playing field for candidates challenging incumbents and others trying to overcome the large amount of special interest money in political races Legislation that furthers the goals of the Truth in Bonding Act (a law that VICA helped draft) to clarify the language in state bond initiatives and tax proposals Adherence to Prop. 218, which requires a two-thirds voter approval for all tax hikes Redistricting reform that ensures reapportionment is achieved without regard to political orientation or party, and that electoral boundaries are based around communities of interest Preservation of L.A.’s neighborhood councils’ advisory roles and tighter rules governing eligibility to vote and to serve	VICA Opposes Deceptive and disingenuous methods of encouraging voters to vote for measures that they may not otherwise support
Public Safety: VICA considers public safety to be a top taxpayer and business priority, and believes that good management is critical to an efficient system.
VICA Supports Increasing levels and effectiveness of law enforcement personnel in the Valley to tackle gang violence, robberies, graffiti and other crimes Equitable deployment of resources so that all local areas have rapid response times and uniform programming Reasonably preparing the region for natural and manmade disasters	VICA Opposes Policies that inhibit law enforcement personnel to carry out their functions in a timely manner
Solid Waste: VICA supports efforts to reduce waste and dependence on disposal facilities as well as the maximization of existing waste facilities as much as possible through wider recycling programs and implementation of alternative waste management technologies.
VICA Supports Efficient use of the region’s landfills with a goal towards conversion of waste to energy Increased efforts to encourage recycling and create anti-litter programs Incentives for increased use of environmentally sound packaging	VICA Opposes Unrealistic, burdensome bans on food packaging
Taxation: VICA endorses tax reforms to improve the local, regional and global competitiveness of our businesses through fair allocation of tax burdens.
VICA Supports Government prioritization of economy and efficiency as its primary responsibilities Further reduction of taxes on gross receipts and other business related taxes Tax credits for prominent Valley industries such as filmmaking, manufacturing, research and development, technology, etc. New sources of tax revenues through privatization of some public services Preservation of California’s two-thirds voter approval for tax increases Redefining fees as taxes and therefore subject to two-thirds voter approval for increases	VICA Opposes Higher taxes that further hamper California’s competitiveness for economic growth and do not provide significant benefits to the region’s infrastructure
Transportation: VICA supports policies to optimize mobility and relieve congestion on our roads, harbors and airports to maximize the region’s ability to move goods and people.
VICA Supports Allocation of a fair share of state and federal transportation dollars for the Valley and L.A. County The creation and extension of the Valley’s Orange Line and complementary transportation lines Cost-effective projects that include design-build and public-private partnerships Ensuring that goods movement is considered in all proposals to relieve congestion on our roads	VICA Opposes Rules that inhibit time and cost-efficiency in the transportation construction processes Use of Proposition 42 funds for anything other than specified transportation purposes
Water: VICA supports programs that maximize existing supplies and prepare our water infrastructure for continued growth in population and demand for a reliable, clean and affordable water supply.
VICA Supports Adequate funding for water conveyance in the Sacramento Delta region to protect the environment and provide a healthy water supply for Southern California Incentives for businesses and residents to invest in water efficient landscaping and other conservation methods Utilizing new technologies that convert waste water into safe potable water Reductions in water runoff through incentives and fairly applied regulations	VICA Opposes Increasing water rate hikes unless they are needed for infrastructure improvements Strict rationing of water, except as a last resort