POLICY WATCH – December 2024
In This Issue
Message from CEO
NBLC 2024 Key Policy Highlights
Upcoming Events
Child Care Means Business in Marin, co-hosted by First5Marin and NBLC, January 31, 2025
As we close out 2024 and begin to ring in the new year, I wanted to take a moment to look back on the past 12 months. NBLC started the year with the intention of being a valued partner in shaping sound public policy for our region, growing membership engagement and demonstrating leadership. Throughout the year, we remained committed to these goals by fostering collaborative relationships, advancing key policy initiatives, and creating meaningful opportunities for member involvement.
We worked diligently to address pressing local and regional challenges, advocating for policies that promote economic vitality, environmental sustainability, and good jobs in the North Bay. Through strategic partnerships, community engagement, and thoughtful leadership, we amplified our collective voice and strengthened our impact. Our initiatives included hosting educational forums, facilitating policy discussions, and supporting legislative efforts aligned with our mission. By staying true to our values and fostering open dialogue, we built momentum toward a more prosperous and resilient future for our region. Our advocacy efforts were crucial on advancing key policy priorities. This is a a time to look inward, celebrate the growth they’ve prompted and acknowledge our challenges. Even though there are many uncertainies that lie ahead, we have a lot to celebrate.
Looking ahead to 2025, we stay strongly dedicated to working with partners to address the urgent needs of our communities. Below are some key policy highlights from 2024. We invite you to explore more about NBLC. Visit our new website here for more information.
Thank you for your invaluable partnership, collaboration, and steadfast support. On behalf of the North Bay Leadership Council, I wish you and your family a happy holiday and a safe and prosperous new year.
Best regards,
Joanne
NBLC Key Highlights Public Policy Issues 2024
In Housing, NBLC:
Supported Right Size Impact Fee and helped get it passed in the City of Santa Rosa.
Co-hosted Housing Financing summit and Housing Solutions summit with Generation Housing.
Continued building support and understanding for more workforce and affordable housing by working collaboratively with coalitions in Marin and Sonoma counties; vice-chaired the Housing Crisis Action Marin, collaborated with Housing for All Marin coalition and advocated for project approvals in Marin and Sonoma Counties.
Successfully advocated for new housing project approvals in the North Bay, including Northgate Town Square.
Supported numerous housing bills for new housing funding and removing barriers to construction at the state level.
Monitored the Assembly special committee on permitting reform for housing and transportation
In Education/Workforce Development, NBLC:
Advocated for the passage of Measure I in Sonoma.
Published Op-Ed on Cal Grant reform needed to expand the number of students graduating from our community colleges and state universities.
Supported AB1930 – Signed by Governor: would allow childcare teachers who hold an associate teacher permit to stay beyond the current 10-year limitation.
Raised urgency of childcare crisis and successfully got the Governor to not make cuts to childcare specially, 72 childcare slots that were scheduled to open in Sonoma County in the first quarter of the next fiscal year.
Collaborated on how to close the achievement gap and digital divide for students of color by participating in workshops on understanding barriers to newcomers in the North Bay.
Actively participated in the California Jobs First (formerly the Community Economic Resilience Fund) Bay Area Marin + Sonoma regional sub table working group.
In Economic Competitiveness, NBLC:
CEO is working on a variety of fronts to improve workforce readiness including helping more students get post-secondary education and training, reskilling/upskilling existing workers, building a web of educators, employers, government, and labor to anticipate job displacement and preparation for skills needed for job creation. Workforce displacement and the need for training/education are one of our biggest challenges.
Serves on the California Stewardship Network, 21st Century Alliance, and CA FWD and advocated for economic resilience at state and regional level and worked in collaboration with other employer-oriented groups to support the business community and economy at the state and regional level.
Partners with the heads of the business organizations in Marin County and Sonoma County to exchange ideas about creating jobs and improving the local economy and meet with County Administrators and other elected officials.
Co-produced four Business Edge Briefings in partnership with Dominican University’s Institute of Leadership Studies.
CEO attended the CA Forward, Economic Summit in October. Key themes include the State’s focus on economic mobility and fostering equity. Investments will be made first in the communities that need it the most. The Governor stated that the State’s vision will be Bottoms Up approach, realized locally with a regional view understanding that each region relies on each other for infrastructure needs including water, highways, information etc. Another major theme of the summit was the triple bottom line framework. That is, the economy will not succeed unless it is environmentally sustainable and equitable in its distribution of benefits. Equity efforts won't succeed without a functional economy that allows communities and individuals to fully participate; nor will it succeed without a focus on ensuring that economy is both sustainable and resilient in the face of growing climate and environmental challenges. There was an additional focus on community benefit agreements that addressed obstacles to quality of life. Lack of quality/affordable child care, high cost of housing, inadequate transportation and flexibility with work hours as examples.
In Transportation, NBLC:
Supported Sen Dodd ‘s Bill 904 that gave new hope by creating a voter-initiative process to extend critical sales-tax revenue for SMART.
Opposed SB 1031 authorizing the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) to place a regional transportation measure on a future ballot unless amended.
Richmond San Rafael Bridge- CEO actively participates in the Common-Sense Transportation Coalition led by the Bay Area Council. Because of my strong ties with Marin, we secured several NBLC leading employers in Marin to sign onto a coalition letter urging the Marin Board of Supervisors to draft a letter of support in moving the bike lane on the RSR Bridge to a pull over lane Monday- Thursday to ease commute times and burden of many Marin employees commuting from the East Bay. The outcome was favorable, and they unanimously approved the staff’s recommendation and will to draft a letter of support and send to the Bay Conservation & Development Commission (BCDC). They are the governing body that can approve a permit to allow this change, and they will take up the vote in December. MTC and BATA have already approved the pilot change.
State Route 37 - NBLC continues to support near term corridor improvements to make this critical regional transportation corridor higher, safer, greener, and multi-modal until we can make it a causeway and be treated like the other bridges in the Bay Area which are tolled. The State Route 37 Policy Committee continues to meet and is moving forward with prioritizing section improvements using flooding, environmental, efficiency, and safety relevancies to rank projects. Additional criteria include a strong focus on equity, and coordination with SMART. Also, participated in the Highway 37 Joint Committee meetings to look at options for Highway 37 improvements and funding to deal with congestion and sea level rise. Continues to advocate for tolling on Hwy. 37 to fund the improvements needed.
SMART- CEO joined SMART’s Technical Advisory Committee (TAC). SMART is in the initial stages of studying where input is needed to understand what SMART is doing well in the region and should continue doing and what benefits are needed to help SMART grow.
In Government and Public Pension/Regulatory Reform, NBLC:
Held 2 Good Government Get Togethers.
Held a Legislative Advocacy focused Board Meeting in June.
Informed legislators and staff of key policy positions and explored ways to work together where there is common ground in our Good Government Get Togethers, meetings with elected officials and Board meetings.
In Sustainability/Environment, NBLC:
NBLC supported SB366 and signed a coalition letter to develop aspirational targets that will complement and amplify Governor Newsom’s Water Supply Strategy. NBLC Support of SB 366 will among other things support economic vitality for all businesses, from restaurants to technology companies, and employers that depend on a reliable water supply.
NBLC signed onto a coalition letter to encourage the SF Bay Conservation & Development Commission to amend the draft Regional Shoreline Adaptation Plan (RSAP). This plan will greatly influence how Bay Area jurisdictions adapt their shorelines to prepare for rising sea levels. The business community is concerned that the current plan does not align adaptation with the region’s urgent housing, transportation, and economic development goals. Key concerns were highlighted: Overemphasis on Retreat and Relocation, Lack of Flexibility for Local Jurisdictions and Hostility to New Development.
Advocated for environmental stewardship – including greenhouse gas reduction efforts, alternative energy systems, reduced energy and water consumption, encouraged car and van pooling, and much more.
In Healthy Communities, NBLC:
Serves on the Healthy Marin Partnership.
Worked to increase funding for children in Sonoma County by passing Measure I.
Supported hospitals in efforts to get what they need as the disruption from the pandemic continues and funding is not keeping up with costs.
Upcoming Events: Save the Date
Child Care Means Business in Marin- Affordable, High-Quality Care is a Key Part of Important Benefits for Working Families, January 31st, Embassy Suites, San Rafael
Please save the date for upcoming events. Child Care Means Business in Marin, January 31st, Embassy Suites hotel in San Rafael. This forum is in partnership with First5Marin and NBLC. Watch for registration details soon.