San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors takes positions on

Immigration, San Diego Charter Review, City Budget and state legislation.

San Diego, CA – The Board of Directors of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce established a formal statement of principles on the impacts of immigration on business in San Diego, took a position on charter review and the FY 2008 budget in the City of San Diego, and addressed state legislative bills during their April monthly meeting.

After a nearly year long dialogue concerning the impacts of immigration on the local business environment, the Board unanimously approved a statement of principals that reflected the depth of the organization’s study and a pragmatic approach to an issue that is often discussed in terms of culture, politics and emotion-charged debate.  The process included a high-level seminar in the June 2006, followed by in-depth task force interviews with business, industry, government and labor leaders.  The resulting working paper was discussed by five of the Chamber’s public policy committees and its Mexico Business Center for several months, and the board adopted the summarized statement of principals at the April meeting.

The statement of priciples reads:

The San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce supports the enhancement of the region’s economy through a well-trained and plentiful work force, safe and secured borders, and a user-friendly and effective system of ensuring the legal status of its employees.

• A “smart border” technology should be developed to create a safe, secure and efficient border that allows the federal government to
• More effectively apprehend those who wish to harm the United States, and
• Allow the more efficient movement of goods and people throughout the region
• A streamlined immigration procedure for highly skilled, highly educated and exceptionally talented workers should be encouraged.
• Employers need a standardized system that verifies the legal status of prospective and current employees.  That system should be developed and provided by the federal government.  Employers who, in good faith, employ this screening system should be free from potential prosecution.
• Responsibility for the enforcement of immigration laws should not fall on employers, but on the federal government and its appropriate agencies
• While it is reasonable to require employers to ensure that current and new employees are legally in the United States, the burden to provide legitimate documentation for the verification of legal status should be on the employee.
• Non-immigrant visas for guest workers of all skill levels should be made available to ensure that the labor demands of the San Diego region’s employers are met and maintained with the workers of their choice.
• If current employees are found to be undocumented, a program to achieve an earned legal status should be developed as long as they remain tax-paying, current employees through continued employment, training, and positive contributions to society.
• The federal government needs a tamper-proof national identification program for all residents and employees.

The Chamber Board also addressed two key issues concerning the City of San Diego; the fiscal year 2008 budget and a report from the Chamber’s task force on city charter review.  The Chamber’s Government Interface Committee had studied Mayor Jerry Sanders’ recommendations for the FY2008 city budget, and recommended that the Board endorse Mayor Sander’s approach to a balanced budget, based on there being no reduction of service levels, no new taxes and meaningful progress to reduce existing debt levels. The motion passed unanimously.  Mayor Jerry Sanders presented his budget philosophy to the Board prior to their closed discussion on the issue.

A Chamber task force had been looking at the review of the city’s charter since November 2006.  Their recommendation was also passed without opposition:

• Deletion of the 2010 sunset of the current Charter provisions relating to the office of the Mayor.
• To address issues of representation and veto overrides, expand the size to nine separate city council districts.
• Change the veto override provision to 2/3
• Separate the Auditor and Comptroller functions and make the Auditor General an independent office not under the control of the Mayor
• Creation of an independent Audit Committee

Also featured at the April monthly meeting were presentations by acting Tijuana Mayor Kurt Honold, and the Secretary of Economic Development for Baja California, Sergio F. Tagliapietra.