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BUSINESS REVIEWFremont
PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE
PAIDFREMONT, CA
Permit No. 8
Fremont Chamber of Commerce39488 Stevenson Place, Suite 100Fremont, CA 94539
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49Years of
Excellence
1956-2005
Also Inside this issue
Legislative Update.......................2October Calendar of Events.............3New Members, Anniversaries.................4Connection Clubs, Business Lunch............5Member News .............................6Links for Disaster Prep..............7FCCTV: Entertaining....................8Member Benefit ............................8
Our Mission is to promote, supportand enhance a positive business
environment.
VOLUME 6,NUMBER 7
October2005Special Election Issue
November Ballot MeasuresImportant Information for the Responsible Voter
November's ballot will present us with a num-ber of propositions that will require our educatedvote. The following is a brief review of the propo-sitions that will be appearing on the ballot.
Please note that the Fremont Chamber ofCommerce has taken positions on matters of in-terest to the business community. We have in-cluded a line entitled Business Bottom Line thatasks a fundamental question that may help youarrive at your vote. We urge you to give consid-eration to the Chamber's position.
Please visit the listed web sites to obtain fur-ther explanation and view of these issues. Formore information and an impartial analysis, visith t t p : / / w w w . s s . c a . g o v / e l e c t i o n s /elections_j.htm#2005Special
Special Elections Propositions
Prop. 73 - Waiting Period and Paren-tal Notification for Termination ofMinor's Pregnancy
Proposition 73 will require the physician per-forming an abortion on a minor to notify the par-ent or legal guardian of a pregnant minor at least48 hours in advance..
Fremont Chamber position: NO POSITION- Insufficient impact on the business community.
Arguments for:1. Prop. 73 will stop minors from having anabortion without first notifying the family, mak-ing abortion more of a family matter.
2. Prop. 73 is a necessary measure to stop agrowing trend of secret abortions performed onminors.For more information: www.yeson73.net
Arguments against:1. Prop. 73 puts minors seeking abortions at riskbecause difficult family reactions to notification.2. Prop. 73 is an intrusion by the governmenton the privacy of minors.For more information:www.noonproposition73.org
Business bottom line: This is a personal deci-sion rather than a business decision.
By Billy Sandbrink
November 8, 2005 may be one of the mostimportant days in California politics for the next10 years. This is because there is a lot more atstake than how we draw our political districts, ifwe “live within our means,” if we think teachersshould be tenured after five years, etc. This elec-tion is about a high stakes game of politics be-tween rivals that has reached a boiling point.
One of the participants is the group consist-ing of the Governor and business leaders. Theyare interested in reforming the system, which insome people's eyes means taking away the po-litical power of unions and consumer groups thathave made California an anti-business state. Thisgroup is relying on the star power of the state'smost popular Governor in history who won theunprecedented recall election of 2003 and themoney of his business allies. They are pushinginitiatives that directly impact the groups whohave been the loudest critics and organizers ofthe anti-Schwarzenegger rallies that have fol-lowed the Governor. The initiatives are Prop. 74,regarding increasing the amount of time beforea teacher can receive "tenure"; Prop. 75 regard-ing the requirement of a union member's con-
Reading Between the Ballot Linessent before that persons dues can be used forpolitical purposes; Prop. 76, which changes theway the state spends money, changes the wayProp. 98 is funded, and gives more power to theGovernor to make cuts; Prop. 77, which seeks tochange the way the state's political districts aredrawn. Whether these initiatives are designed aspolitical attacks aimed at reducing the power oftheir enemies or whether these initiatives are partof a true reform effort to improve our state is amatter of conjecture, but one where critics havefavored the former, not the latter.
These initiatives have seen the most resis-tance from teachers unions, public employeeunions, nurses, firefighters, and peace officers.The Governor unveiled his "Year of Reform"agenda at his State of the State speech in Janu-ary 2005. His reform package had four parts:changing the CalPERS system, which directlyimpacts the unions mentioned above; the redis-tricting of the majority of seats in the Legisla-ture, potentially costing Democrats with whomunions traditionally ally; changing the way thestate's budget process by eliminating the "auto-pilot spending" in programs like Prop 98, impact-ing teachers; and finally, changing the rules re-garding teachers' tenure, which, once again, im-
pacts teachers.To combat these initiatives, these groups have
been running television ads for months, vilify-ing Governor Schwarzenegger as a promisebreaking politician only interested in gainingpolitical power by crushing the opposition. Thesegroups have relied on the massive amounts ofmoney in their coffers and the impervious shieldof sanctity that our society affords teachers,nurses, firefighters and peace officers. When itcomes down to it, who is going to argue with ateacher, a health care worker, a stay at home fam-ily member tending to his/her older relative inneed?
As it stands right now, the Governor's ap-proval ratings are down into the 30's and all ofhis initiatives, Propositions 74, 76 and 77 are trail-ing in the polls. The only ballot measure he hassupported that is up in the polls is Prop 75, whichhe has recently taken under his wing. Thejoinarnold.com camp is hoping the recent an-nouncement that the Governor is seeking re-elec-tion combined with a multi-million dollar mediablitz will help turn those numbers around and
In the wake of hurricanes Katrina and Rita,many members of the Fremont Chamber ofCommerce have opened their hearts to assistin providing aid to those whose lives have beendevastated. We are proud to acknowledge ourmembers who aided in the relief effort throughtheir own talents and resources. We are hon-ored to work with you.
Thursday AM Connection ClubThe Thursday AM Connection Club has
joined the Katrina relief effort by raising $500for donation to the American Red Cross. Atthe same time, the Thursday AM Club chal-lenges the six other Chamber ConnectionClubs to open their hearts and wallets andmatch the $500 donation to the American RedCross.
Visual Image Cuts for KatrinaOn Sunday, September 25th, Boris Oak of
Visual Image hosted “Cuts for Katrina”, a Hur-ricane Relief Fundraiser raising a little over
ChamberMembersProvide
HurricaneRelief
—Ballot Measures,page 2
—Hurricane Relief,page 7
—Between the Lines,page 7
Legislative UpdateThree Bills Still Pending, page 2
Member BenefitGovernment Advocacy, page 8
FCCTV: EntertainingSara Gausi of Allure Evente, page 8
2 Fremont Business Review October 2005
OfficersChair.....................................Barbara Jenkins Weekenders
Immediate Past Chair.......................Henry Yin Giant Y Inc.
Chair Elect 2006-2007..............Dirk Lorenz Fremont Flowers
Executive CommitteeBrent Hodson.......................Washington Hospital
David Lowman................New England Financial
Nina Moore............Fremont Education Foundation
Robert Profaca...........................Fremont Bank
Victoria O’Gorman....................Kaiser Permanente
DirectorsChia-Chee Chan........................Mass MutualMatt Dickstein..............Attorney at LawGeorge Duarte.......................Horizon FinancialJim Ferguson......................La Quinta InnDaren Fields...........................City of FremontGordon Goletto.......................Re/Max ExecutivePam Isom.......................ICE Safety SolutionsGerry McFaull.................Qualdeval InternationalRhonda Rigenhagen.........................NUMMILeta Stagnaro.........................Ohlone CollegeTim M. Tikalsky................RINA Accountancy Corp.Joyce Twomey....................................GROCOJeevan Zutshi..Indo-American Community Federation
StaffCindy Bonior...................President & CEOext 106 [email protected]
Danna Bergstrom...........Chief Operations Officerext 105 [email protected]
KK Kaneshiro..........Director of Member Servicesext 103 [email protected]
Billy Sandbrink...Director of Government Affairsext 107 [email protected]
Lana Hillary-Windom.......Admin. Assistantext 101 [email protected]
Napoleon Batalao.....Webmaster, Layout Editorext 102 [email protected]
ACCREDITEDCHAMBER OF COMMERCE
FIFTEENYEARS
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
OF THE UNITED STATES
The United StatesChamber of Commercehas acknowledged theexcellence of the Fre-mont Chamber of Com-merce by granting thedesignation of “Accred-ited Chamber” Only 12percent of all Chambersnationwide have re-ceived this honor.
15 Years ofExcellence
Fremont Business ReviewPublished monthly by the Fremont Chamber ofCommerce. Available by subscription, $135 peryear. Free subscription with annual membershipdues. For more information and our online di-rectory: www.fremontbusiness.com. email:[email protected]
Prop. 74 - Teacher TenureProposition 74 will change the current pro-
bationary period for teachers from two yearsto five years and simplify the process by whicha school board can dismiss a teacher who re-ceives two unsatisfactory evaluations.
Fremont Chamber position: OPPOSE - TheFremont Chamber is unconvinced that extend-ing the probation period for teachers from twoyears to five years will increase the quality ofteachers and get rid of bad teachers. Increas-ing the tenure period may have the oppositeeffect, discouraging the recruitment of teach-ers due to a lack of job security. While stream-lining the process for teacher termination is notsomething the Chamber disagrees with, theimpact of the entire proposition requires a po-sition of OPPOSE.
Arguments for:1. Ensures money will spent on high qualityteachers, not low quality teachers.2. Eases current termination laws which makeit nearly impossible to fire low quality teachersbecause of a long termination procedure, willexpedite the process.3. Prop. 74 ensures that low quality teacherswill not teach children and high quality teach-ers will be rewarded.For more information: www.joinarnold.com
Arguments against:1. Prop. 74 does nothing to bring real educa-tion reform, like reducing class sizes, increas-ing book supplies, make schools clean and safe.2. Prop. 74 punishes hard working teachersand discourages the recruitment of teachers.3. Proponents of this proposition mislead
people when they say that this will reward highquality teachers because there are not provisionsin the proposition that will reward high qualityteachers.For more information:www.noonproposition74.com
Business Bottom Line: Do you think changingtenure rules and revising the termination pro-cess will improve the quality of our teachers?
Prop. 75 - Public Employee UnionDues for Political PurposesProposition 75 will force unions to get written,annual consent from a governmental employeebefore union dues may be used for political pur-poses. These rules would apply to both unionand non-union members.
Chamber position - SUPPORT- Giving employ-ees the ability to choose whether their union duesare used for political purposes is fair. Prop. 75will not hamper the ability of unions to raisemoney for political purposes because union mem-bers can still contribute to political purposes ifthey choose to. Prop. 75 puts the onus on unionsto represent their members' views.
Arguments for:1. Prop. 75 will help protect union membersfrom being forced to contribute to political ac-tivities they may not agree with or not want toparticipate in.2. Prop. 75 will prevent union leaders from tak-ing union dues from their members for their ownpolitical agendas.For more information:www.caforpaycheckprotection.com
Arguments against:1. Prop. 75 will seriously hinder a union's abil-ity to raise money for campaigns because of a bu-reaucratic hurdle that should not exist.2. Prop. 75 is unnecessary because public em-ployees have the right to join a union or not join aunion as well as contribute to political campaigns.3. Prop. 75 is a political power play to try andneutralize the strength of unions.For more information: www.prop75no.com
Business bottom line: Should public employeeunion members be required to give consentbefore their dues are used for political pur-poses?
Prop. 76 - Live Within Our Means ActProposition 76 limits the expenditures of the
State's general and special funds to the previousyear's level of expenditures, adjusted by the aver-age growth rates in General Fund and special fundrevenues in the three prior years.
Prop. 76 grants the Governor expanded pow-ers over spending once the Governor's adminis-tration declares a fiscal emergency and the Leg-islature does not pass legislation within 45 daysto address the problem. If legislation is not en-acted on time, the Governor will have unilateralpower to reduce spending on most items to re-duce the shortfall and the Legislature cannot over-ride these items.
Prop. 76 also makes the following changes toProp. 98, specifically the elimination of "Test 3",a mechanism to lower Prop. 98 funding and the"maintenance factor," the money that must be re-
Ballot Measures—from page 1
—Propositions,next page
By Billy SandbrinkDirector of Government Affairs
September 9, 2005 signaled the end of the2005 Legislative year, meaning all bills thatfailed to make it out of the legislature and ontothe Governor's desk have essentially expired.The Governor has 30 days, until October 9,2005, to decide whether to sign or veto all bills,nearly 3,000 this year. If the Governor doesnot take action on a bill, the bill automaticallybecomes law.
There are three bills the Fremont Chamberof Commerce has taken a position on that areworking their way through the legislative pro-cess.
AB 1623 - Congestion ManagementFeeFremont Chamber position: SUPPORT
AB 1623, if passed, will raise money forcongestion management projects, by allowingthe Alameda County Congestion ManagementAgency (CMA), along with a number of other
Bay Area agencies, to charge a fee up to $5 onvehicle registrations for congestion managementpurposes. The money for this program, whichfigures to be about $5 million for the CMA peryear, must be used on congestion managementactivities and for the mitigation of impacts ofmotor vehicles on the environment. While $5million is not enough money to fund a project, itwill help provide funding for the environmentalstudies, planning activities and engineering workthat is required of projects prior to construction.Once these activities are completed, they areready to go and are considered first for funding.
To help the Chamber SUPPORT AB 1623 andto help improve our transportation system, visitwww.fremontbusiness.com and click on Cham-ber Supported Transportation Bill on Governor'sDesk.
AB 48 - Minimum Wage IncreaseFremont Chamber position: OPPOSE
AB 48 (Lieber), a bill that will increaseCalifornia's minimum wage passed through theLegislature, as expected. This was an expectedoutcome considering the fact that the Legislaturepassed legislation last year to increase the mini-mum wage. When the bill reached the Governorlast year, he vetoed it. Governor Schwarzeneggeris expected to veto AB 48 this year.
AB 48 proposes to increase California's mini-mum wage to $7.25 per hour effective July 1,
2006, $7.75 per hour effective July 1, 2007, in-creasing the minimum wage to keep pace withinflation beginning January 1, 2008 and every yearthereafter.
The Chamber believes that while the qualityof life in a community and the income of thepeople living in that community is important, AB48 will place too high a burden on the businesscommunity to shoulder.
The Fremont Chamber has urged the Gover-nor to VETO AB 48 and is looking for your help.Visit www.fremontbusiness.com and click onChamber Urges Governor's Veto.
AB 485 - Master Business LicenseProgramFremont Chamber position: SUPPORT
AB 485 (Arambula), a bill supported by theFremont Chamber and aimed at streamlining thepermit process for businesses, stalled on the Sen-ate floor, failing to make it to the Governor's deskbefore the September 9, 2005 deadline for bills togain final passage through the Legislature. AB485 is being considered a “two-year bill,” mean-ing that it can be revisited when the new Legisla-tive session begins in January with the same sta-tus. AB 485's current status is that it is ready forits third and final reading on the Senate floor be-
Legislative Update - ThreeChamber Bills of Interest Still
Pending
—Legislative Update,page 7
October 2005 Fremont Business Review 3
(510) 770-161739849 Paseo Padre Parkway
Fremont, CA 94538
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Edward Jones has been ranked "Highest in InvestorSatisfaction With Full Service Brokerage Firms" by
J.D. Power and Associates.
Drew ThompsonJim Urda, CFP
OctoberCalendar of Events
3 Executive Board of Directors Meeting7:30 a.m., Chamber Conference Room
FCCTV October Show "Entertaining: It's all in theDetails" Premieres8:30 p.m., Fremont Cable Channel 29
4 Fremont City Council Meeting7 p.m., City Council Chambers
5 Ambassadors Club Meeting8 a.m., Chamber Conference Room
6 Leadership Fremont, Class of 2006 Session8:30 a.m., Chamber Conference Room
7 Board of Directors Meeting7:30 a.m., Chamber Conference Room
10 Fremont City Council/FUSD Board Joint Meeting4 p.m., City Council Chambers
11 Fremont City Council Meeting7 p.m., City Council Chambers
12 Deccan Spa Mixer5-7 p.m.1860 Mowry Ave., Fremont, CAPhone: (510) 284-4160Deccan Spa brings you the latest in medical skin carewith a team of highly trained professionals delivering allservices under a Physician's supervision. They take pridein maintaining the highest standards in medical skin caretreatments and customer satisfaction.
14 Board of Directors Meeting7:30 a.m., Chamber Conference Room
November Newsletter Deadline
18 Fremont City Council Work Session4 p.m., City Council Chambers
19 Connection Club Leaders Meeting8 a.m., Chamber Conference Room
24 Communications/Web Site Team Meeting1:30 p.m., Chamber Conference Room
25 Leadership Steering Committee Meeting8 a.m., Chamber Conference Room
Fremont City Council Meeting7 p.m., City Council Chambers
26 Government Affairs Committee Meeting7:30 a.m., Chamber Conference Room
Connection Club Mixer at La Piñata5-7 p.m.39136 Paseo Padre Pkwy., Fremont, CAOur annual Connection Club mixer hosted at La Piñata'sMexican Restaurant showcases the Chamber's eightConnection Clubs. Connection Clubs are networkinggroups that meet on a regular basis to help each othergrow their businesses and exchange leads. They havebecome a very popular venue for Chamber members. AllChamber members are welcome to attend and meetsome highly skilled networkers.
27 Leadership Fremont, Class of 2006 Session8:30 a.m., Family Resource Center
31 Halloween
paid to schools will be eliminated. Also, if the state "sus-pends" Prop. 98 funding, it will no longer have to calcu-late the suspended money into the funding base for futureyears. Instead, it will be seen as a one-time loan.
Prop. 76 guarantees full funding for Prop. 42, the dedi-cation of the state's portion of sales tax to transportationprojects, effective in 2006-2007 as well as sets deadlinesfor the repayment of Prop. 42 loans, special fund loansand state mandate repayments.
Chamber position - OPPOSE - Prop. 76 will give oneperson, the Governor, the ability to make unilateral cutsin certain situations. This places too much power in thehands of one person and goes against the notion of a checkand balance system that is a cornerstone of our society.Prop. 76 will have a negative impact on education fund-ing, causing funding to be reduced in the near future and,according to the Legislative Analyst, put education evenmore on "autopilot spending" than it currently is. WhileProp. 76 does have strong points in that it protects trans-portation funding and sets a schedule for state repaymentof special fund loans and “state mandates,” the argumentsagainst Prop. 76 are stronger.
Arguments for:1. Prop. 76 limits spending to the average tax growth overthe past three years so we don't overspend in good timesand have big deficits in bad times.2. Prop. 76 establishes checks and balances so the Leg-islature and Governor work together. When tax revenueslows, the Legislature can cut spending to balance thebudget and if they don't act, the Governor can cut spend-ing.3. Stops the “auto-pilot spending” that has contributedto the state's current budget crisis.4. Prop. 76 stabilizes K-14 spending by cutting wastefulspending on other items so there can be more money spenton important items.5. Prop. 76 guarantees the taxes dedicated for highwaysand roads are spent on those projects are not suspended tobalance the budget.For more information: www.joinarnold.com
Arguments against:1. Prop. 76 will give the Governor unprecedented con-trol over the budget with no accountability or oversight.2. Prop. 76 will reduce school funding by $4 billion ayear, cutting voter approved funding levels passed by Prop.98 and Prop. 111.3. Prop. 76 doesn't prevent taxes from being enacted, butencourages taxes because additional revenue will beneeded to cover shortfalls.4. Local governments will have funding for essentialservices stripped away because of reduced revenues at thestate level.For more information:http://www.ss.ca.gov/elections/bp_nov05/voter_info_pdf/entire76.pdf, pages 9-10
Business bottom line: Do you think the Governorshould have the ability to unilaterally cut spendingunder certain circumstances? Should funding for edu-cation be changed in ways that will reduce the mini-mum funding base? Should Prop. 42 funding be guar-anteed after 2006-2007?
Prop. 77 - RedistrictingProposition 77 will change the redistricting process for Cali-
fornia Legislatorial, Board of Equalization and Congressionalboundaries by having the Legislature appoint a three-person panelof retired judges, called special masters, who will develop theredistricting plans. Prop. 77 mandates that redistricting be basedon district populations being kept as equal as possible, districtboundaries being contiguous and generally conforming to cityand county geographic boundaries, and the impacts of redistrict-ing on parties and incumbents cannot be taken into account.
Chamber position - SUPPORT - Prop. 77 makes the redistrict-ing process fair by placing the process in the hands of judges, notlegislators. There is an inherent conflict of interest in the currentsystem, with legislators on both sides of the aisle picking theirconstituents and creating safe seats. The one statistic that makesthe case for Prop. 77 is that in the last election there were 153seats up for grabs in the last elections and zero changes in partyhands.
Arguments for:1. Proponents claim Prop. 77 will take elections out of the handsof special interests, making politicians accountable to the votersbecause safe seats will be eliminated.2. Prop. 77 requires voter approval for every redistricting planand not the politicians who are vying for those offices.3. Prop. 77 allows the voters to choose their officials, not theofficials choose their voters.4. Proponents argue that the need for redistricting is seen in thelast general election where 0 of the 153 contested seats changedparty affiliation.For more information: www.joinarnold.com
Arguments against:1. Opponents think Prop. 77 won't make politicians more ac-countable because elected officials pick the judges.2. Prop. 77 mandates that only three judges will have a say inthe process, far too few a number.3. Prop. 77 will cost taxpayers millions of dollars to pay for thisprocess.4. Prop. 77 will put reapportionment plans into place withoutthe vote of the people, so nothing really will change with thismeasure.For more information: www.noonproposition77.com
Business bottom line: Do you think a three-person panel ofretired judges, whose plan is put to voters every 10 years,should be in control of the redistricting process?
Prop. 78 - Prescription drugsProposition 78 will establish a discount card program open
to people making below 300 percent of the federal poverty levelon discount drugs at pharmacies. Prop. 78 would also requirethe Department of Health Services, DHS, to implement voluntaryagreements with drug discount programs operated by drug mak-ers and other groups so the discount cards would have access tothe best available prices and implement an outreach program topublicize the new program. The drug discount program could beended at any time by DHS if there are not enough discounts tomake the program work.
Fremont Chamber position: SUPPORT - The Chamber sup-ports Prop. 78 because it expands the availability of prescriptiondrugs to those who do not have it while not mandating drug com-
Propositions—from page 2
—Election Information,page 6
4 Fremont Business Review October 2005
Welcome, New Members
Anniversaries
Congratulations to all our members who have reached these milestones
30+ YearsArmor & Associates Insurance
AgencyThe Argus/ANG NewspapersFremont Unified District
Teachers AssociationAllan HirschLima Family Milpitas-Fremont
Mortuary in Cedar LawnMemorial Park
20+ YearsC R P IndustriesMowry Medical PharmacyNational Home Real EstateOhlone College
10+ YearsBeretta Property ManagementChew Dental GroupConnex Electronics Corp.Custom Kitchen Bath CenterExecutive Homes RealtySteven C. Fong, DDS, Inc.Fremont PostmasterHubbard Insurance AgencyIn The Black Accounting
ServicesKing, Snell, Mildwurm & FoxThe Learning TreeMoore Financial Services, Inc.Palmdale EstatesParkmont Rehabilitation Care
CenterPCT Systems, Inc.Rotary Club of Fremont Sunrise
Strizzi's Restaurants - OpeningJanuary 2006!
5+ YearsBank of America/Brookvale
In Store BranchBaywood ApartmentsBelvoir SpringsBenchmark StaffingCycle Center of FremontDerham & Reeves, EA'sEMC CollisionFoothill Securities, Inc.I.C.E. Safety SolutionsKisner Law FirmLaw Office of Shirley JacobsLaw Offices of John N. Kitta &
AssociatesLTC FinancialNew England Financial -
David LowmanThe Oakland Athletics
Baseball Co.Pacific Grove Supportive HousingTop Dawg Modular ServiceVero's Facilities And Maintenance
Services, LLCWeekenders Fashions
2+ YearsBig O TiresThe Biswas Group, Inc.DeVine Consulting, Inc.EXP Pharmaceutical ServicesFremont Elks LodgeGateway Bank Mortgage
Harrison, Luce & Co.Health Information Management
ConsultingHome Pride Technology, Inc.Keller Williams-Glenn TillmanLending Legion of America, Inc.Magic TouchNeal Duffy DesignPrudential California Realty -
Vi ScottRealty World--King Real
Estate GroupSciosSignature FloorsTalan ChiropracticTerminix CommercialTranspacific Capital Corp.
1 YearAccountant's Inc.Akoni EnterprisesGolfsmithHobby Town USAInternational Home & LoansIris EmbroideryMobile Pit Stop of California Inc.Neptune SocietyGopal M. PatelRiedel Graham InvestigationsRS WebSchwan's Home ServicesTLC Mortgage ProsWintec IndustriesXanovium Digital Press
Beauty Salons & DaySpasEntourage Hair DesignColleen Ganaye, MarketingManager39112 State St.Fremont, CA 94538Phone: (510) [email protected] is a full-service salonspecializing in hair color. We havebeen in business for 29 years.Our team of color specialists hasbeen with us ranging from sevento 20 years, so you only get themost qualified stylist working onyour hair. We also have a full lineof beauty services.
Business ConsultingThe Entrepreneur'sSourceBill Hall, Owner6338 Paseo Santa MariaPleasanton, CA 94566Phone: (925) 218-1868Fax: (925) [email protected]/bhallThe Entrepreneur's Source is abusiness consulting firm provid-ing outstanding services in twoareas; business ownershipoptions and franchising, andmentoring, facilitating and trainingin vital business operations.
These services are provided atvirtually no cost to our clients.We have placed more people intotheir own businesses than anyother company.
Computer ConsultantsCM IT SolutionsBrad Gelesic, Owner39270 Paseo Padre ParkwayFremont, CA 94538Phone: (510) 612-3858Fax: (510) [email protected]/fremont
Contractor - GeneralRegis Homes of NorthernCaliforniaJeff Smith, DevelopmentManager901 Mariner's Island Blvd., Ste.70San Mateo, CA 94404Phone: (650) 377-5810Fax: (650) [email protected] Homes has been buildinghomes in the Bay Area for over20 years. Our expertise iscreating housing on in-fill siteslocated near services, amenities,transportation, and employmentcenters. Regis is currentlyworking on a 115-unit for-sale
condominium and town homeproject on the former Tri-CityPatio World site on GrimmerBoulevard.
Contractor - PaintingKokopelli PaintingAnjel Mogensen, Owner4787 Porter St.Fremont, CA 94538Phone: (510) 661-0906Fax: (510) [email protected] Painting is a licensedprofessional painting contractorwith over 15 years of experience.Specializing in residential,commercial, interior and exteriorpainting services, we combineexcellent customer service withhigh-quality craftsmanship at areasonable price. We offerestimates, conveniently sched-uled appointments, reliability, andcolor consultations.
Family RecreationPump It Up of Union CityWilliam Hubbell, Owner2995 Whipple RoadUnion City, CA 94587Phone: (510) 477-9051Fax: (603) [email protected] It Up of Union City is a
Real Estate - BrokerKeller Williams Bench-mark - Scott CapenScott Capen, Realtor39500 Stevenson Place, Ste. 108Fremont, CA 94539Phone: (510) 796-7900Fax: (510) [email protected] a realtor for Keller WilliamsBenchmark Properties, I amdedicated to providing top qualityservice. If you or someone youknow is interested in buying,selling, or leasing a residential orcommercial property, I would behonored to have you as my client.And, my clients always receivemy undivided attention.
Retail SalesWal-MartRob Bram, Store Manager44009 Osgood RoadFremont, CA 94539Phone: (510) 651-3301Fax: (510) 651-3308
Video ProductionServicesTed's Video ServicesTed Nguyen, Owner4230 Westminster CircleFremont, CA 94536Phone: (510) 796-2200Fax: (510) [email protected]'s Video Services specializedin a variety of video-relatedservices, including photokeepsake videos, transfers,editing, and much more. As amember of the nationwide TakeOne Network, Ted's VideoServices offers quality productsand is positioned to be a premiervideo service company inFremont and the surroundingareas.
children's private birthday partyfacility that provides a safe, clean,fun experience. Our facility hasprivate play arenas featuringhuge interactive inflatables and afestively decorated private partyroom for pizza and cake. We alsohost team parties, field trips,corporate team building events,and other group gatherings.
Feng ShuiEnhanced EnvironmentsMaria Prieto, Feng ShuiPractitioner39120 Argonant Way, Ste. 203Fremont, CA 94538Phone: (510) 468-4742Fax: (510) 742-1512maria@myenhancedenvironments.comwww.myenhancedenvironments.comEnhanced Environments helpsyou bring harmony, beauty, andbalance into your personal space.By integrating Feng Shui andGreen Design principles, wecreate an atmosphere of peaceand tranquility and significantlyimprove your overall quality of life.We offer comprehensive Person-alized Space Redesign consulta-tions to residential and commer-cial clients.
Graphic DesignersBIG Design Inc.Ed Johnson, Co-Owner43551 Mission Blvd., Ste. 105Fremont, CA 94539Phone: (510) 744-9545Fax: (510) [email protected] Design is a design andbranding firm that createscompelling marketing solutionsfor consumer products. Ourcapabilities include advertising,branding, packaging, print, tradeshow and web design. BIGDesign works with customers tobuild brand equity, improveperceived value and increaseprofits.
InsurancePrasad Insurance AgencyReggie Prasad, Owner4351 Mowry Ave.Fremont, CA 94538Phone: (510) [email protected]
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October 2005 Fremont Business Review 5
Doing Business Over LunchSome of the best business deals are made over lunch. If you would like to have your restaurant
featured here, please call (510) 795-2244, or you can send an email to [email protected]
39116 State St, Fremont(510) 791-1688
Lunch: 11 am -2 pmDinner: 5 pm-9:30 pmSundays: 4 pm-9 pm
5200 Mowry Ave, Fremont(510) 792-2000
Lunch(M-F): 11:30 am- 3 pmDinner: 5:00 pm - 10 pm
Saturdays, dinner only4:30 pm - 9:30 pm
39233 Fremont Bl.(In the Hub)
(510) 742-6221Open 7 Days a Week
11 am-10 pm
39401 Fremont BlvdFremont (510) 657-2436Sun -Thurs: 11 am -9 pmFri & Sat 11 am -10 pm
40645 Fremont Bl, #23, Fmt(510) 668-1850
Tu-Thur: 11:30 am-9 pmFri-Sat: 11:30 am-9:30 pm
Sun: 1 pm - 8 pm
Pearl’s Cafe4096 Bay St.
Fremont (510) 490-2190Lunch (Mon-Fr):11:30 am-5 pm
Dinner (Mon-Sat): after 5 pmNEW! Longer lunch hours
45915 Warm Springs Bl.Fremont (510) 656-9141
Lunch M-F:11:30 am-2:30 pmDinner: 5-10 pm (M-F & Sun)
5 pm-12 am (Sat)Sun. Brunch: 10 am-2 pm
39136 Paseo Padre PkwyFremont (510) 790-6550Open Daily 8 am - 11 pm
Connection ClubsMeeting Dates, Times, Places
The Chamber’s Connection Club is a “business to business” referralprogram, designed to give maximum support and opportunity to Chambermembers who understand the value of networking and doing business withpeople they know and trust. No duplications of business types allowed.Each club may only have one representative of any given profession orspecialty.
To visit a Connection Club, please call the Chair or Vice Chair toreserve your space.
Wednesday Noonmeets at 12 noonLa Piñata Restaurant -- NEW LOCATION39136 Paseo Padre Parkway, FremontChair: Gordon Golleto, 510-827-7727Vice Chair: Staci Talan 510-745-7445www.fremontreferrals.com
Thursday AMmeets at 7:30 a.m.The Depot Cafe37260 Fremont Blvd., FremontChair: Terri Landon, 510-796-8300Vice: Renee White, 510-440-1100www.thursdayAM.com
Referrals Plus1st & 3rd Thursday at 11:45 amNouvelle Bistro43543 Mission Blvd., FremontChair: Andrew Draeseke, 510-299-4968Vice Chair: Melinda Yee, 510-651-2448www.thursdayreferralsplus.com
Friday AM Connection Clubmeets at 7:15 a.m.The Depot Cafe, Fremont37260 Fremont Blvd., FremontChair: Mark Buechler, 510-520-1922Vice: Jose Gonzalez, 510-894-0764www.fridayconnections.com
Tuesday Noonmeets at 11:45 a.m.Fellini O’s3900 Newpark Mall Road, Ste. 101, NewarkChair: Stefanie Pavis, 510-252-4653Vice Chair: Tom Schmidt, 510-657-2501www.tuesdayconnectionclub.com
Connect 2 Succeed2nd & 4th Thursday at 11:45 amLa Piñata Restaurant39136 Paseo Padre Parkway, FremontChair: Dr. Joe Joly, 510-249-9037Co-Chair: TBDwww.connect2succeed.com
Fridays Women In Businessmeets at 7:30 a.m.Best Western Garden Court Inn5400 Mowry Ave., FremontChair: Sharon Scripilliti, 510-659-1212Vice: Harriett Whitney, 510-793-7405www.fremontwib.com
Pro Sourcemeets at 11:30a.m. on 3rd ThursdaySee website for locationChair: Kevin Dean, 510-687-9737Vice: Rich Hemmerling,408-234-4394www.theprofessionalsource.com
46703 Mission Blvd.Fremont
(510) 360-9900Sun-Thur: 11 am-9 pm
Fri-Sat: 11 am -9:30 pm
6 Fremont Business Review October 2005
MemberNews
New help for navigating theLibraryThe Alameda County Library hasrecently installed 4-wheel walkers(rolators) at its branches. Theselightweight, stable rolators can be veryhelpful for seniors, people with disabili-ties as well as people with temporaryinjuries. They are equipped with a largebasket for carrying library materials tothe checkout desk, plus they all comewith a seat and backrest when one mightneed to take a break. They are all fittedwith comfortable handles, hand brakesand are also height adjustable. Look forthe “For Your Convenience” flag attachedto these handy new aids. For moreinformation, contact your local branch orRichard Bray at 510-745-1499 [email protected].
Mattson Technology advancedstrip and RTP systems installed atmajor Taiwanese manufacturersMattson Technology, Inc. has announcedthat two major Taiwanese manufacturers,a foundry and a DRAM chipmaker, haveagain selected its 300 mm strip and RTPtechnologies for advanced chip produc-tion. Multiple Aspen III Highlands striptools were installed in two of thefoundry's 300 mm fabs for low-k/copperprocessing, and the Helios RTP systemis being used for advanced transistorapplications to support the expansion ofthe DRAM chipmaker's 300 mm fab.Featuring Mattson's proprietary induc-tively coupled plasma (ICP) sourcetechnology, the Aspen III Highlands is anadvanced strip system used for remov-ing resist, residue and barrier layer forlow-k/copper applications.The Helios addresses the most demand-ing RTP applications, including nickelsilicide formation and ultra-shallowjunction spike anneals, enabled by anadvanced model-based temperaturecontrol for high productivity, excellentprocessing performance and superiorcost-of-ownership. For more informa-tion, contact Mattson Technology, Inc. at(510) 657-5900 or visitwww.mattson.com.
LOV Hosts “A Nite in Vegas”The League of Volunteers (LOV)presents its annual "A Nite in Vegas"Casino and Texas Hold'em Tournamenton October 28, 2005 at the NewarkPavilion, 6430 Thornton Ave., Newark.The evening will include an Italian feastdinner from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. withgames following until 11:00 p.m. Comeattend and enjoy Black Jack, Craps, SlotMachines, Roulette and a professionallyrun Texas Hold'em tournament wherethe first place winner will receive a trip toReno and a trophy. There will be greatcasino prizes, a silent auction and adrawing for $500 and other prizes.Tickets are $40, casino and dinner only,or $75 for casino, dinner and TexasHold'em. For more information call LOVat (510) 793-5683.
Monthly Visits to
the Chamber
Websitewww.fremontbusiness.com
pany involvement without penalty, like Prop. 79does. With an emerging biotech industry in Fre-mont, we want to support an initiative that is sup-portive of them.
Arguments for:1. Proponents say Prop. 78 is an improved ver-sion of an Ohio program (www.ohiobestrx.org)that is bringing 31 percent discounts, or $15.31on every covered prescription, and has all majordrug manufacturers participating.2. Prop. 78 has bipartisan support.3. Prop. 78 would bring relief right now to thosewho need it.4. Prop. 78, unlike Prop 79, does not requirefederal approval to be enacted.For more information: www.calrxnow.org
Arguments against:1. Opponents think that if drug companieswanted to offer discounts, they would do so with-out Prop. 78. For example, the Golden Bear StatePharmacy was created in California in 2001 andrelied on drug companies to voluntarily lowertheir prices, but they didn't. Why should they begiven another chance?2. Prop. 78 also has no enforcement capabilityand can be eliminated if there isn't enough par-ticipation in the program.For more information: www.votenoonprop78.org
Business bottom line: Prop. 78 and 79 are com-peting measures, meaning you must chose be-tween a program that covers fewer people andis voluntary for drug manufacturers (Prop.78), or a program that includes more people,needs federal approval before being imple-mented, requires drug companies to partici-pate, and allows drug companies to be suedfor demanding an “unconscionable price” ordemanding “prices or terms that lead to anyunjust and unreasonable profit” (Prop. 79).
Prop. 79 - Prescription drugsProposition 79 will establish a discount card
program open to people making below 400 per-cent of the federal poverty level and certainpeople with higher incomes with medical ex-penses at or above 5 percent on discount drugsat pharmacies. Prop. 79 would also require theDepartment of Health Services, DHS, to imple-ment an outreach program to publicize the newprogram. Prop. 79 mandates DHS to not con-tract with a drug maker if that maker doesn't sellits drugs at a reduced price to the new program,including drugs that the state obtains rebates onin exchange for preferred status by Medi-Cal.The names of drug makers and whether they en-tered into contracts will be made a matter of pub-lic information.
Prop 79 requires DHS to implement agree-ments with drug discount programs operated bydrug makers and other groups so the discountcards would have access to the best availableprices and implement an outreach program topublicize the new program.
The Prescription Drug Advisory Board, anine member panel to review the access that stateresidents have to prescription drugs and the priceof those drugs and reporting pricing issues tostate officials, would be created by Prop 79.
Prop 79 requires DHS to establish a drugdiscount program to certain businesses and la-bor organizations that purchase health coveragefor their employees and dependents and helpthese groups arrange for drug discounts.
Prop 79 contains provisions that make it il-legal for drug makers to demand an “unconscio-nable price” or demanding “prices or terms thatlead to any unjust and unreasonable profit.”
Fremont Chamber position: OPPOSE - TheChamber OPPOSES Prop. 79 because it man-dates drug company involvement with the threatof penalty if drug companies do not comply.There are also major concerns as to Prop. 79'sability to obtain federal clearance to enact theplan.
A major flaw in Prop. 79 is the provision thatwill expand the ability for people to bring suitagainst drug companies for charging high pricesand making high profits, something that is cur-rently not allowed in California law. This provi-sion could very easily open the door for frivo-lous lawsuits, costing businesses millions, whowould then be forced to pass costs along to con-sumers.
Arguments for:1. Prop. 79 is an enforceable approach to low-ering drug costs, making drugs affordable.2. Prop. 79 is also a more far reaching proposalthan Prop. 78, reaching eight to ten million Cali-fornians, twice the number of Prop. 78.3. Prop. 79 would generate additional savingsby pooling California's buying power.4. Prop. 79 saves employer money by poolingthem together and getting cheaper prices.For additional information:www.voteyesonprop79.com
Arguments against:1. Prop. 79 is poorly written and will face yearsof legal challenges.2. Since Prop. 79 ties people making 400 per-cent of the poverty level into the Medi-Cal pro-gram, leveraging those people into the system,the program will not get approved by the federalgovernment. The federal government has deniedsimilar proposals when people making 200 per-cent of the federal poverty level were tied in.3. Prop. 79's provision that will allow for law-suits for drug companies charging "unconscio-nable prices" will hurt businesses and result incostly litigation.4. Because Prop. 79 requires drug companyparticipation, it jeopardizes $480 million in drugcompany rebates in California if drug companieschoose not to be a part of this program, hurtingpeople as well.For more information: www.calrxnow.org
Business bottom line: Prop. 78 and 79 are com-peting measures, meaning you must chose be-tween a program that covers fewer people andis voluntary for drug manufacturers (Prop.78), or a program that includes more people,needs federal approval before being imple-mented, requires drug companies to partici-pate, and allows drug companies to be suedfor demanding an “unconscionable price” ordemanding “prices or terms that lead to anyunjust and unreasonable profit” (Prop. 79).
Election Information—from page 3
Prop. 80 - Electricity service providerregulation
Proposition 80 will put electric service pro-viders under the "jurisdiction, control and regu-lation" of the Public Utilities Commission (PUC),generally bar a user of an investor owned utility,most notably PG&E, from switching to an elec-tric service provider, require the PUC to imple-ment a long-term procurement process that willforce electricity providers to detail how they willsecure energy over the long term, require elec-tricity companies use renewable sources for 20percent of their electricity by 2010, among othermeasures.
Chamber position - OPPOSE - The FremontChamber opposes Prop. 80 for three reasons.First, Prop. 80 limits competition in the market-place, restricting the ability of consumers tochoose. Second, the Public Utilities Commis-sion has enacted policies that have shored up thecurrent system since the electricity crisis. Vot-ers should allow the experts' policies a chance towork before changes are made. Third, Prop. 80politicizes the electricity market once again, de-terring private investment in the system. Therehave already been court orders sought to takeProp. 80 off the ballot and more are sure to come.When that happens, investors will be wary ofinvesting in an unstable industry.
Arguments for:1. Prop. 80 provides critical reforms to elimi-nate the possibility of another crisis by loweringrates which will happen when independent gen-erators and utilities compete on new power plants.2. Prop. 80 increases market stability by defin-ing the customer base of a utility.3. Prop. 80 increases regulation so that all elec-tricity providers have the same rules.4. Prop. 80 will also help the environment byspeeding up the renewable energy portfolio stan-dard and protect small ratepayers by not allow-ing them to be forced into time-of-use rates with-out their consent.For more information:www.yesonproposition80.com
Arguments against:1. Opponents claim that Prop. 80 will lock inenvironmental standards for renewable energygoals set in 2002, when environmental groupsand Governor Schwarzenegger has argued forhigher standards.2. Prop. 80 is poorly written and that re-writingenergy policy should not be done through the ini-tiative process.3. Prop. 80 will eliminate competition, costingschools and government agencies money becausethey cannot shop around for better rates.
Business bottom line: Should competition inthe electricity service industry in Californiabe changed to eliminate consumer choice inorder to provide a more stable customer baseand place various additional requirements onelectricity companies, some of which are al-ready required, not mandated, by the PUC?
11,917Total number of visits during the month of
August 2005
10,928.75Average # of visits per month (2005)
[data provided by Deep Metrix LiveStats]
DEEP METRiX
October 2005 Fremont Business Review 7
EliseBalgleyAttorney at Law
3900 NewPark Mall RoadThird Floor, Newark
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For all of your individual andbusiness needs, including:
Personal InjuryWills/TrustsEmployment MattersReal EstateContractsBusiness IssuesAnd much more...
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$4,500 for the American Red Crosshurricane relief fund. The event wasbooked with more than 70 customerswho visited the salon and received afree haircut for a donation of $50 ormore. Twenty Visual Image hair styl-ists and 15 support staff donated theirtime and talent for the fund raiser.Coldstone Creamery added to theevent by serving free sundaes in ex-change for a $5 donation. All dona-tions were given to the American RedCross. For more information, call 510-792-5922.
Coldstone Creamery Owner En-lists as Volunteer
Mark Johnston, owner ofColdstone Creamery, was so moved bythe horrific images of the Hurricane
Katrina disaster that he immediatelypicked up the phone and enlisted as adisaster area volunteer for the Ameri-can Red Cross. With his new training,Johnston is prepared to jump on aplane in a moment's notice to aid inthe relief effort. For more informationon becoming a disaster area volunteer,contact the Red Cross atwww.redcross.org or (415) 427-8000.
NUMMINUMMI team members donated
nearly $45,000 to the hurricane reliefeffort. In response to its employee'sgenerosity, parent company Toyotamatched the funds adding another$45,000. NUMMI upped the ante andadded $10,000 more to the effort for atotal donation of $100,000!
Hurricane Relief—from page 1
pull off the late comeback that Prop.57, the multi-billion dollar bond of2003, received.
If successful, meaning at least threeof the four if not all four of his initia-tives pass, the Governor will have de-feated the most powerful “special in-terests” in the state, giving him a clearshot at re-election and the power to “re-form” the state to his group's liking.
If he is not successful, meaningone or none of the initiatives pass, theinvincible governator, who was onceviewed as all but untouchable, will see
his approval ratings drop further, mak-ing his re-election bid all the more dif-ficult and cementing the power of theunions he was not able to defeat.
If the Governor gains a split on theinitiatives, be prepared for both sidesto claim victory on the issues they wonand spin the issues they lost as ex-amples that “special interests” can getin the way of real progress, with no-body really winning and theGovernor's re-election in doubt.
This battle is one that is not goingto be decided in a smoke-filled
Between the Lines—from page 1
back room between the big-wigs ofeach organization because both sideshave tried and failed to reach a com-promise on these issues. Instead, thebattle will be decided by the people ofthis state on Tuesday, November 8,2005. Voters, meaning the ones thatactually do make it to the polls, prob-ably 25 to 30 percent of registered vot-ers, will most likely be swayed oneway or the other by the images on theirTV screens and the catch phrases ontheir radios, not by the merits, content
and validity of the propositionsand the arguments for andagainst them. As oversimpli-fied and flawed as my vantagepoint may be, all I can do, as aprivate citizen and as a profes-sional representing 1,000chamber members, is my duediligence in deciding what I feelis truly best for this state andbusiness community, irrespec-tive of what the TV tells me. Ihope you do the same.
Pasta? RestaurantPasta? Restaurant will take part in
the Dine for America, a nationalfundraising effort to support theAmerican Red Cross and help thoseaffected by the Gulf Coast hurricanes.Enjoy lunch or dinner at one of the fourPasta? restaurant locations on October5, 2005, and they will donate 10 per-cent of their total sales for that day. Agreat meal for a great cause! For moreinformation visitwww.dineforamerica.org orwww.pastaq.com or call (415)-331-2500.
Pump It Up “The Inflatable PartyZone”
Pump It Up "The Inflatable PartyZone" in Union City will be hosting a
Katrina fundraiser on October13, 2005 from noon to 8:00 p.m.On that day, you can receiveone hour of pay on the huge in-door inflatable with a $7 mini-mum donation and a spin of thePump It Up prize wheel with a$5 minimum donation. In ad-dition, 100 percent ofemployee's salaries for that daywill be donated to the fund, plus$25 will be donated for everyparty booked that day. Join thefun and party for a good cause.For more information call (510)477-9051 or visitpumpitupparty.com.
Is your home and companyprepared for an emergency
or natural disaster?
Careful planning and preparationcan save lives and your livelihood.Here are some resources to get youstarted on an emergency plan foryour home and office.
ibhs.org/business_protectionfremont.gov/PublicSafetyredcross.orgfema.govprepare.orgdisasterhelp.govnokr.orgfremontcert.org
fore it will be sent back to the Assem-bly for concurrence and final vote.
AB 485 will authorize the Stateand Consumer Services Agency toconduct a feasibility study on the cre-ation of the Master Business LicenseCenter in California (MBLC). MBLCshave been enacted in other states, mostnotably Washington, where recordsindicate that between 80 percent and85 percent of businesses use theMBLC, resulting in increased compli-
ance and revenues for the state as wellas time and cost savings for businesses.
The idea behind this bill is thatCalifornia is consistently identified asa business unfriendly state. Besideshaving a high cost of doing business,California requires businesses to havenumerous permits and licenses. AsAssemblymember Arambula hasnoted, it is not uncommon for a busi-ness to contact over a dozen state agen-cies just so they can make sure they
have obtained all of the necessary li-censes and permits. There are also nu-merous instances when businesses arenot in compliance because they areunaware of all of the requirements.With AB 485's passage, businesses willbe one step closer to business friendlyclimate.
The Chamber also thanks MattDickstein, attorney at law and DaveBonaccorsi of Bernard, Balgley, andBonaccorsi for writing letters of sup-
Legislative Update—from page 2
port for the bill which were in-strumental in the success of thisbill to date.For more information:For more information on thesethree bills or special electionissues, visit Fremont Chamberof Commerce, or contact BillySandbrink, director of govern-ment affairs, at (510) 795-2244x107 or by email at [email protected].
8 Fremont Business Review October 2005
Fremont Chamber ofCommerce Television
FCCTV:
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888/275.5300 fax: 510/793.1461 www.wholesaleautosrus.com
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STOP!
Entertaining always sounds likean easy job. But once you startplanning, it can grow into an over-whelming task for any size event.Whether a business or personalevent, proper planning is key, andit's always the small details that canmake or break its success. KKKaneshiro, director of member ser-vices and host of the FremontChamber of Commerce televisionshow (FCCTV) interviews SaraGausi from Allure Events. Sarashares valuable tips and suggestionson planning both personal and busi-ness events that range from the no-fuss variety to the most elaborateshindig. Included in Sara's tips arechoosing the proper location, theappropriate time of day, and the
tone of the event. She also focuseson mastering control of the veryimportant details, and most impor-tantly, learning to relax and enjoythe fruits of your labor while beinga gracious host.
EntertainingIt's all in the Details
Often, business owners have a dif-ficult time connecting government ac-tions to the very success of their busi-nesses. But, in actuality, many politi-cal decisions made on a local, regional,state and even federal level have anacute impact on businesses, both smalland large. Laws that affect zoning,taxes, employees and government poli-cies all play a large part in an environ-ment that is conducive to business pro-ductivity and success.
The Chamber is keenly aware ofthe necessity of a business friendly en-vironment and allocates considerableresources to government advocacy.With a full-time Director of Govern-ment Affairs, Billy Sandbrink, the Fre-mont Chamber of Commerce tracksissues which affect the Fremont busi-ness community and maintains a con-tinuing dialogue with legislators andkey staff at all levels of government-federal, state, county and city.
Through careful evaluation of ourcommunity's assets and resources, theChamber has established a list of po-litical and legislative priorities that dic-tate a program of work. Among theissues the Chamber has tackled is therevision of the City's sign ordinance.In response to concerns raised by busi-ness owners, the Chamber has re-viewed and will be recommendingchanges to Fremont's sign ordinance.The ultimate goal of this project is tocreate a more usable and flexible signordinance that will better serve thebusiness community.
In order to arrive at proposed signordinance recommendations, theChamber has conducted extensivecommunity outreach; including form-ing committees consisting of commu-
nity members for direct feedback andconsulting stakeholders on the recom-mendations that Chamber has come upwith to date. It is the Chamber's hopeto deliver a formal presentation to theCity Council in the next few months anddeliver on a project that will increasethe business-friendliness of the city.
The revision of the City's GeneralPlan has recently surfaced as a prior-ity for the Government Affairs (GA)Committee. A city's General Plan islikened to the constitution of a city thatdrives the future development andprogress of that city. Fremont is in thebeginning stages of revising its Gen-eral Plan and the Fremont Chambersees great value to its members in be-ing involved in this process. Severalbusiness organizations throughout thecity have been consulted to informthem of the issue and the Chamber isworking with key players within thecity to ensure that the businesscommunity's voice is heard.
Developing legislation is alwaysamong the hot issues for the GA Com-mittee. With the 2005 legislative ses-sion drawing to a close, there are twobills upon which the Chamber has lob-bied and are on the Governor's deskawaiting action. The first bill, AB 48,will increase the minimum wage inCalifornia and permanently tie it to in-flation. The Chamber has been anoutspoken critic of this bill because ofthe cost to businesses, not just in the$1 per hour increase over the first twoyears of the bill, but because AB 48will increase the minimum wage ev-ery year because of inflation. Tyingthe minimum wage to inflation will es-sentially build in another cost driverfor businesses making it more difficult
for businesses to retain the employeesit does have. The Chamber has urgedthe Governor to veto this minimumwage increase, as he did last year. Thesecond bill, AB 1623, seeks to raisemoney for transportation projects, re-ducing traffic congestion and increas-ing the flow of goods for businesses.The Chamber has supported this billbecause increasing the flow of goodsis an important, an often overlookedfactor in the health of the businesscommunity, and has lobbied exten-sively on its behalf and is optimisticthat it will be signed into law.
In order to accomplish its goals, theChamber has developed a number ofstrategic alliances and often works incollaboration with agencies such as theMetropolitan Transportation Commis-sion, the Alameda County Transporta-tion Authority, and the Association ofBay Area Governments. We also part-ner with other business organizations,such as Joint VentureSilicon Valley, theEconomic Develop-ment Alliance forBusiness, the SiliconValley LeadershipGroup, the Californiaand United StatesChamber of Com-merce, and ourregion's neighboringchambers, in an ongo-ing effort to protectyour interests.
The Chamber hastwo distinct and es-tablished arms withwhich to accomplishgovernment advocacygoals:
Governmental Affairs CommitteeThe GA Committee is the advo-
cacy arm of the Chamber. The GACommittee operates effectively bytracking legislative and regulatory ac-tivities at the local, state and federallevels. The GA Committee analyzesa broad spectrum of issues, that affectthe business climate, and then makesrecommendations for specific actionsto the Chamber Board of Directors.
Business for Good GovernmentBusiness for Good Government
(BGG) is an affiliated political actioncommittee of the Fremont Chamber ofCommerce, authorized by the State ofCalifornia and the Fair Political Prac-tices Commission (FPPC) to raisesfunds; endorse candidates, initiativesand ballot measures. The BGG Com-mittee plays an active role in the sup-
MemberBenefit
Government Advocacy for MembersThe Voice of the Business Community
port of business interests in all state,regional, and local arenas. Formed in1995 to help elect candidates sensitiveto business issues, BGG enables thebusiness community to have a voicein the political process. BGG has aboard of trustees independent of theChamber's Board of Directors. Al-though the Chamber Board communi-cates its positions on the issues to BGGfor their consideration, BGG's en-dorsements of candidates and ballotmeasures are made independently.
For more information on theChamber's government advocacy ac-tivities, contact Billy Sandbrink, Direc-tor of Government Affairs at (510)795-2244 or email [email protected].
Fremont-Ch 29 Mon 8:30 p.m.Ch 26 Mon 7:30 p.m.
Newark-Ch 27 Fri 5 p.m.
Alameda-Ch 28 Sat 3:30 p.m.
Sun 8:30 p.m.
Union City-Ch 15 Thu 10 p.m.
Sat 3:30 p.m.Sun 8:30 p.m.
Hayward, San Leandro, San Lorenzo andCastro Valley-Ch 28 Thu 10 p.m.
Sat 3:30 p.m.Sun 8:30 p.m.
FCCTVTimes & Channels
FCCTV is shown inover 646,000 house-holds! Would you liketo be a guest? Call KKKaneshiro at 510-795-
2244, ext. 103
Sara Gausi (left), AE consultant
