• Development Review Committee
• Education Committee
• Health Care Committee
• Infrastructure Committee
• Tax and Regulatory Committee

DEVELOPMENT REVIEW COMMITTEE
Co-Chairs:

Gerry De Young, President, Ruth & Going, Inc.
Tony Mirenda, President, Toeniskoetter & Breeding, Inc., Construction

Staff:

Jody Hansen, VP for Public Policy & Communications

The Development Review Committee is the Chamber’s eyes and ears for issues relating to building and developing in the City of San Jose and Silicon Valley. The committee is charged with the responsibility of making policy recommendations to the Chamber’s Board of Directors on Chamber positions regarding proposed ordinances, regulations and policies under consideration as they relate to building and developing in San Jose. The committee also works closely with the staff of the San Jose’s Planning, Building & Code Enforcement Department on creating more cost-effective, business-friendly development/permit review process.

In 2007, a subcommittee drafted a comprehensive set of recommendations for improving and streamlining the permitting process for development. Phase I of Streamlining has been completed, and work will continue on Phase II in 2008. The San Jose City Council recently approved a $100,000 expenditure to study signage reform; this is a “win” for the business community, which has advocated for an overhaul of the signage ordinance for several decades.

Committee Meeting Times: The committee generally convenes four times throughout the year in the Board of Directors Room at the SJSV Chamber of Commerce from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. 2008 Schedule: March 21, May 22, August 21, October 23. Meetings are open to members. Recommend members contact the SJSV Chamber to confirm meeting times.


EDUCATION COMMITTEE
Co-Chairs:

Stan Arterberry, Chancellor, West Valley-Mission Community College District
Don Iglesias, Superintendent, San Jose Unified School District

Staff:

Jody Hansen, VP for Public Policy & Communications; Jimmy Parrish, Public Policy Manager

Nothing is more critical to long-term, sustained economic growth than a local, well-educated workforce. Good schools also correlate to higher property values and quality of life for the community. The Chamber Education Committee realizes this and works in a number of ways to create a strong education system in Silicon Valley.

The Education Committee works with Chamber Staff to identify opportunities for the Chamber and Chamber members to partner with local and regional education institutions on workforce development opportunities. The committee also looks for opportunities for the Chamber to host educational forums that help educate business leaders and the business community at large on the issues confronting our schools and available solutions. Hosts annual Silicon Valley Morning Buzz.

The Education Committee recommends education policy for consideration by the full Chamber Board of Directors, including policy on the state and federal levels regarding public funding and curriculum development and on the local level regarding bond and parcel tax measures and other ballot initiatives.

The Education Committee identifies and recognizes individuals in our community who have exhibited an outstanding commitment to education. During the annual Legends and Leaders event, the committee recognizes recipients of the Principal of the Year, Educator of the Year, and Outstanding Student of the year for acknowledgement and scholarship/stipend.

Committee Meeting Times: The committee generally convenes once a month on the second Tuesday of each month in the Executive Conference Room at the SJSV Chamber of Commerce from 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Meetings are open to members. Recommend members contact the Chamber to confirm meeting times.


HEALTH CARE COMMITTEE
Co-Chairs:

Dr. William Updyke, D.C., Palmer College of Chiropractic-West
Drew Miller, Strategic Employee Benefit Services

Staff:

Jody Hansen, VP for Public Policy & Communications; Kymberli Brady, Communications Director

The Chamber’s Health Care Committee serves as the Chamber’s voice on health care policy on the local, state, and federal level. The committee analyzes issues from the business perspective and makes recommendations on policy positions to the Board of Directors on a wide array of legislation ranging from the seismic retrofitting of hospitals to universal health care legislation being proposed. A key goal of the Health Care Committee is to provide information to Chamber members and the business community about trends for promoting wellness and controlling employer health care costs through the GoWell! Summit, an annual health care forum.

The Health Care Committee is actively engaged in advocating for state health care reform and has worked directly with Governor Schwarzenegger’s staff to support reform that promotes shared responsibility for funding, universal care for all Californians, guaranteed coverage, preventive and wellness benefits, and individual mandate.

Committee Meeting Times: The committee generally convenes once a month on the fourth Wednesday of each month in the Executive Conference Room at the SJSV Chamber of Commerce from 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Meetings are open to members. Recommend members contact the Chamber to confirm meeting times.


INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE
Chair:

Charles Jones, AT&T

Staff:

Jody Hansen, VP for Public Policy & Communications; Jimmy Parrish, Public Policy Manager

The Infrastructure Committee develops policy recommendations for the Board of Director’s consideration on transportation projects and funding, energy development and supply, housing, water quality and supply, telecommunications, broadband access and other public infrastructure needs. The Committee is also responsible for advising the Board on any proposed changes or problems with expansion and modernization of the Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport and proposed funding for the BART extension to San Jose. ¬¬¬The committee successfully advocated for California High Speed Rail alignment via Pacheco Pass into San Jose, rather than an East Bay route.

Committee Meeting Times: The committee generally convenes once a month on the second Thursday of each month in the Executive Conference Room at the SJSV Chamber of Commerce from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Meetings are open to members. Recommend members contact the Chamber to confirm meeting times.


TAX AND REGULATORY COMMITTEE
Chair:

Brian Baer, Deloitte

Staff:

Jody Hansen, VP for Public Policy & Communications; Jimmy Parrish, Public Policy Manager

Businesses face a constant barrage of new taxes, new fees, and new regulations that hurt businesses of all sizes and curb job creation. The Tax and Regulatory Committee monitors business tax issues and unnecessary and burdensome regulations for the Chamber. Some principles that guide the Tax and Regulatory Committee include:

• Increases in taxes and fees on business generally hurt business expansion, and often inhibit employers from creating more jobs.
• Economic development is a legitimate, and needed, component of state and local tax policy.
• Equity and fairness are essential characteristics of good tax policy.
• During economic downturns, tax increases are Òanti-stimulusÓ in nature, and will delay and impede economic recovery.
• Industry-specific taxes, like those often discussed on alcoholic beverages, are largely inequitable.
• Oversight of government expenditures should occur in order to assure that such spending is efficient, effective, and produces a good return on the investment of such resources.

By following these principles, the Tax and Regulatory Committee often makes recommendations to the Chamber’s full Board of Directors on policies as wide ranging as the tax credits for manufacturers who invest in California to parcel taxes proposed by local school districts to workers’ compensation reform measures to state budget reform issues. The committee also serves as a clearinghouse to ascertain the economic impact for business of positions brought forward from other public policy committees.

Committee Meeting Times: The committee generally convenes once a month on the second Thursday of each month in the Executive Conference Room at the SJSV Chamber of Commerce from 8:30 – 9:30 a.m. Meetings are open to members. Recommend members contact the Chamber to confirm meeting times.

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For more information on committees, including meeting times and locations, contact the Chamber at info@sjchamber.com or by calling 291-5250.