LaBonge Addresses Chamber, Spells Out His Priorities

L.A. Fourth District Council Representative Tom LaBonge addressed the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce with his annual report to the community last Thursday.  Nearly 200 people attended the luncheon at the Avalon.  LaBonge updated the Chamber on some of his priorities.  He stated that the Westside extension of the subway at least as far as UCLA had to be a top priority as well as hopefully an extension someday to connect Hollywood through Beverly Hills to the Wilshire line.  He also noted that the preservation of neighborhoods within his district, such as Larchmont Village, is important to him.  He said in his opinion, the largest proposed project within his district, at Universal Studios, was too large for the small parcel of land adjacent to the freeway.  He was referring to the Thomas Properties project that includes two towers.  He said he would try and downsize it.  He also reported that he is working to create an occupational skills center relationship with Los Angeles City College.

ALIST Mixer for Young Professionals Set for Tomorrow

Join us this Wednesday for The Chamber’s next A-LIST mixer will be held at the world-famous Original Farmers Market. The A-LIST is a networking group for young professionals (and those “young at heart”) which focuses on developing professional and social relationships through quarterly networking events. In 2009 The Original Farmers Market will celebrate its 75th anniversary as one of the city’s most beloved and entertaining institutions. The Original Farmers Market grew to be a perfect place: great shopping, an amazing array of restaurants and the city’s best grocery store, all in an authentic atmosphere which offers family fun, frequent star spotting, living history and a charming experience locals and tourists alike truly cherish. The A-LIST will be held on the Market’s Upper Dining Deck (accessed by any of the three staircases on the north end of the Market) from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. After the mixer, join A-LIST committee members and co-chairs Nicole Mihalka and Renee Kische at the ‘Karaoke Hoedown’! Presented by EB’s Beer & Wine (on the West patio).  Visit www.farmersmarketla.com or call (323) 939-9211. Admission to the A-LIST is $10 for members and $20 for non-members, which includes appetizers and two beverages. The Original Farmers Market is located at the corner of Third and Fairfax. Mixer attendees will receive free parking voucher at the event. (enter from either 3rd Street or Fairfax). Please RSVP to steven@hollywoodchamber.net or call (323) 469-8311.

Portion of Selma Avenue to Close for Construction

Construction continues on schedule at the enormous Hollywood & Vine project.  It was announced last week that a portion of Selma Avenue will be closing for several months, beginning this Friday, September 26th.   The block that is affected is between Vine and Argyle.  Currently only eastbound traffic is allowed.  However, due to the installation of a new gas line, followed by a new sewer line, it will be necessary to close the entire block.  With the upcoming start anticipated on the Whole Foods project in the block to the immediate south, it is expected that this block of Selma Avenue will remain shut down until completion of Hollywood & Vine project next fall.

Reserve for Free Screening of AntiPiracy Movie

Deadline for members in Hollywood to sign up and be guaranteed admission to Illicit: The Dark Trade is this Friday. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce is partnering with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on the Los Angeles premiere of Illicit: The Dark Trade. The movie was produced by the U.S. Chamber’s Global Intellectual Property Center (GIPC) in partnership with National Geographic. The film exposes the criminal networks behind the multibillion-dollar global trade of illicit goods and reveals how these criminal networks cost untold numbers of jobs, produce dangerous products and breed violence and corruption. The screening will be held on Wednesday, October 1^st at 4 p.m. at Sunset-Gower Studios in the Stanley Kramer Theatre. Admission is free. However, reservations are mandatory because of limited space. Call the Hollywood Chamber at (323)469-8311 or reserve online now at Chamber Events.

Hollywood Chamber Supports these Ballot Initiatives

Last week the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors officially endorsed the following November 2008 Ballot Initiatives:

SUPPORT Proposition 1A
“Safe, Reliable High-Speed Passenger Train Bond Act for the 21st Century”
Proposition 1A asks voters to approve $9.95 billion of general obligation bonds that will help to fund a high speed train between San Francisco and Los Angeles. The train system is estimated to be completed by 2030 and will allow passengers to travel between San Francisco and Los Angeles in about 2 hours and 40 minutes. Proposition 1 is estimated to Create 160,000 construction jobs and 450,000 permanent new jobs -that can't be outsourced. The Proposition will additionally take 92 million vehicle trips off of the road every year and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 12 billion pounds a year. It is expected that the Rail system will also reduce California’s dependence on foreign oil by up to 12.7 million barrels a year as well as increase commerce and tourism throughout the state.
The Hollywood Chamber encourages you to vote YES on PROPOSTION 1A.

SUPPORT Proposition 3
“Children’s Hospital Bond Act” Grant Program
This measure authorizes the state to sell $980 million in general obligation bonds for capital improvement projects at children’s hospitals, including Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.  Children’s hospitals focus their efforts on the health care needs of children by providing diagnostic, therapeutic, and rehabilitative services to injured, disabled, and sick infants and children. Many children receiving services in these hospitals are from low income families and have significant health care needs.  The money raised from the bond sales could be used for the construction, expansion, remodeling, renovation, furnishing, equipping, financing, or refinancing of children’s hospitals in the state.
The Hollywood Chamber encourages you to vote YES on PROPOSTION 3.

SUPPORT Proposition 11
“The Voters First Act”
Proposition 11, “The Voters First Act” would create an independent 14-Person Redistricting Commission (5 Democrats, 5 Republicans, 4 other) that would reconfigure California State Senate, California State Assembly and California Board of Equalization districts, using strict constitutional criteria.  The Act establishes an open and transparent process that attempts to ensure fairly drawn district boundaries and proposes to end the conflict of interest, back room deals and carving up of communities, cities and counties that have occurred under the current system.
The Hollywood Chamber encourages you to vote YES on PROPOSTION 11.

SUPPORT Measure J
LA COMMUNITY COLLEGES General Obligation Bond Proposal
Measure J asks voters to approve a $3.5 billion general obligation bond to support capital improvements, facilities construction and improvements, funding of specific workforce development programs and other projects and programs within the Los Angeles Community College District. This funding is essential to train students and professionals for high demand occupations such as nursing, health care, construction, and green technology jobs.
The Hollywood Chamber encourages you to vote YES on Measure J.

SUPPORT Measure R
MTA ½ Cent Sales Tax for Transportation Projects
Measure R authorizes the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Agency (MTA) to adopt a 0.5% sales tax in Los Angeles County to be used for mass transit, highway improvements; and traffic light synchronization projects throughout LA County. The bill is estimated to generate $40 billion over the next 30 years. MTA’s Proposed Expenditure Plan includes light rail transit projects, road interchange improvements, road enhancements, grade separations and even a possible expansion of the Metro Rail system by another 32 miles and construction of 160 more miles of carpool lanes, which could increase their rail system by 50%. This is the primary funding source for the “subway to the sea”, including the Alternative 11 loop from Hollywood. Without this measure, there is no funding identified for the subway.  Additionally, the projects listed in MTA’s Expenditure plan could reduce 14 tons of pollution and 725 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually by improving bus passenger time and increase transit capacity by 25%.
The Hollywood Chamber encourages you to vote YES on Measure R.

For more information on these important November Ballot Initiatives, please contact Hollywood Chamber Vice President of Public Policy, Nicole Shahenian at Nicole@Hollywoodchamber.net

Hollywood Chamber Doesn’t Clown Around: Assists in Bringing Cirque to Town

Chamber Vice President of Public Policy, Nicole Shahenian, testified last week in support of bringing the world renowned Cirque Du Soleil to Hollywood.  Shahenian testified during a Subdivision Hearing of the City Planning Commission which was considering a request by the CIM Group to expand an area in the back alley of the Kodak Theater to provide a training area for Cirque Du Soleil performers. The theater construction is scheduled to take place from March 2009 until February 2010 just prior to the Oscars, which are also held at the Kodak. Cirque Du Soleil is expected to make its official Hollywood debut with a fall 2010 opening.

Cirque du Soleil has entertained nearly 80 million spectators in over 200 cities on five continents. Currently, Cirque du Soleil has 17 shows simultaneously throughout the world. From a group of 20 street performers at its beginnings in 1984, Cirque du Soleil has grown to a company of over 1,000 performers known for providing high-quality artistic entertainment.  The company has received such prestigious awards as the Emmy, Drama Desk, Bambi, ACE, Gémeaux, Félix, and Rose d’Or de Montreux.

For more information please contact the Chamber’s Vice President of Public Policy, Nicole Shahenian at Nicole@hollywoodchamber.net

Hollywood Central Park Addressed at APA Convention

More than 1,000 planners from around the nation are at the Renaissance Hotel this week for the convention of the American Planning Association.  Several of the breakout sessions focused on the revitalization of Hollywood.  Chamber President & CEO Leron Gubler participated on a panel that discussed three proposed freeway cap parks in Los Angeles.  He detailed the work of the Chamber, public officials and community members over the past three years to move forward the proposed Hollywood Freeway Central Park.  Besides Hollywood, there are proposed parks in Downtown and adjacent to USC.  The Hollywood cap park is the furthest along in the planning process.  The draft feasibility study is expected to be released within the next month.

Find out How to Save on Healthcare at this Luncheon

The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce Health Care Committee invites you to attend a luncheon seminar on “Controlling Health Costs - The Business Value of a Healthy Workforce.”  The Hollywood Chamber has joined a coalition of business organizations including the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, Valley Industry and Commerce Association (VICA), United Chambers of Commerce of the San Fernando Valley, Greater Los Angeles African American Chamber of Commerce (GLAAACC), Orange County Business Council (OCBC), and the Southern California Minority Business Council to bring about this important and timely discussion. This event is FREE to attend.

Controlling Health Costs - The Business Value of a Healthy Workforce
**Luncheon Sponsored by the California Partnership for Access to Treatment (CPAT)**
Tuesday, October 14, 2008 from 12 noon to 2:00 p.m.
Hilton Hotel
Hiro Room
555 Universal Hollywood Drive, Universal City, CA 91608
To RSVP or for more information, please contact
Brandon Stephenson at (323) 466-3445 or brandon@cerrell.com

The principal stumbling block to effectively managing health is that the health care issue has always been placed solely in the context of health care costs and their containment. This presentation steps outside this framework to demonstrate how and why employee health management investments are good business investments. Employers, both public and private, can change the zero-sum game into a win-win for employees and their businesses. Attendees at this luncheon will learn about:

• The impact of chronic health conditions beyond health care costs

• Opportunities to align the interests of CFOs with workforce health initiatives

• Making the business case for health to senior executives

FilmL.A. Takes e-Commerce to New Heights with OPS

On September 29, Film L.A. will introduce a new state-of-the-art Online Permit System (OPS), which will revolutionize how permits to film on-location are applied for, coordinated and delivered in Los Angeles.  Permit seekers will be able to apply online and enjoy the many efficiencies OPS affords, as they:

• create and save templates for future applications;

• receive instant confirmation that permit applications were received;

• track permit progress and status of agency approvals in real-time; and,

• download paid-for and finalized permits at their convenience.  

The customer-focused component of OPS was designed with input from prospective film industry end-users in an effort to help make their jobs easier.  In addition to the option to use OPS, FilmL.A. customers can continue to submit applications in person, by email and by fax as before. "We've taken e-commerce to new heights," said Film L.A. Vice President of Communications and former Hollywood Chamber staffer Todd Lindgren.  "OPS allows users to design and build permits for filming, which are among the most complex and customized products available for order over the internet."

The Hollywood community is invited to attend the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Helen Bernstein High School on Sunset at the Freeway.
The event will take place on Monday, October 6 at 10 a.m.
VIP Reception at 9 a.m.

Support
Hollywood’s
Hail-A-Taxi
Pilot Program

A six-month test program is underway in central Hollywood and Downtown to see if there is enough demand by passengers to make a permanent policy allowing people to hail taxis. The Chamber, a strong proponent of the new policy, encourages its members to help make the test a success by taking advantage of the opportunity to hail taxis.

Talk to Marty:
Addiction Counseling Services (213)500-8865 • Take $50 dollars off first visit!

KBKG reduces taxes with Enterprise Zone Tax Credits

Members Take 15-20% Off with I&A Dry Cleaners: Call 323-953-9988

Click here for Chamber Member News, Events and Discount Offers

Free business counseling at the Hollywood Chamber
Offered by the Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE)
Richard Krelstein, a retired business turn-around specialist
Consulting services will be available most Fridays 9:30 - 11:30am 
To schedule an appointment, call Vivian at (323)469-8311.