Pandemic requires unified leadership
Photo by Tai's Captures on Unsplash
Stay home and save lives. That was the message from local and state officials in March. The directive was clear and leadership was united. Four months later, COVID-19 cases and confusion are surging.
Some counties are on a watch list, others not. Some state announcements are mandates, others guidelines. Some residents are encouraged to get tested, others turned away. Some businesses are awarded waivers, others left shuttered.
In a region where you are never more than a short drive away from at least six county lines, this fractured approach endangers public health and the long term prospects of an equitable economic recovery.
The East Bay Leadership Council is calling on Governor Newsom and county officials to make sense of the chaos and deliver unified standards for reopening safely.
If we are indeed all in this together, now is the time to prove it.
How you can lead by example
A new countywide task force in Contra Costa, co-led by EBLC’s sister organization, the Contra Costa Economic Partnership, will bring business leaders and key stakeholders together to identify an action plan focused on eliminating systemic barriers to economic opportunity made worse by the pandemic.
The task force will align efforts, track and guide actions to support job creation in the public and private sector, identify and promote policies to retain local employers, and expand connections to training and employment for those disproportionately impacted by recent layoffs.
Joining the Contra Costa Economic Partnership in co-leading this effort is Contra Costa County’s Workforce Development Board and the Employment & Human Services Department.
EBLC takes an early stand on two November ballot initiatives
Photo by Kari Sullivan on Unsplash
No on Prop 15 // Tax on Business Property
Raising property taxes on businesses in the midst of a historic recession is a bad idea. If businesses are able to absorb the increased rent cost, it will be passed along to consumers.
The EBLC will be joining a broad coalition and taking proactive action in opposition in the months ahead.
Yes on Prop 16 // Affirmative Action Amendment
Voting YES on Prop 16 will ensure that all dimensions of a person can be considered for government contracts and university admission.
It is an important step towards confronting systemic racism in our society and supporting lasting opportunities for people of diverse backgrounds. It is also important to understand that Prop 16 is not proposing a quota system (which is unconstitutional).
Expect to see more from the EBLC's Opportunity Task Force as we advance this important discussion and support Prop 16 in November.
Water Task Force set for July 21
Join the EBLC’s Water Task Force as we welcome Nancy Vogel from the California Natural Resources Agency to discuss the Governor’s Water Portfolio Program and the state of water policy in California.
Must read // Eviction and rent increase moratoriums extended in Contra Costa
In the East Bay Times: “The emergency is not over with the COVID-19 pandemic. The economic impact our residents face has not subsided,” Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Candace Andersen said in a statement.
“We sincerely hope passage of this new ordinance to extend the eviction protection and rent freeze will continue to protect renters and small businesses, even as landlords and renters work together to have tenants pay what they can over a longer period of time.”