Government Affairs will continue active collaboration with the 21^st Century Solutions Group and other community partners to achieve long-term sustainable self-help funding for local and regional transportation projects and priorities.  It will work with the Transportation Agency for Monterey County to set priorities and a project list for a November 2008 ballot measure to accomplish that funding.  Government Affairs will also help in any way possible to secure state funding from Proposition 1B bonds for local and regional projects.

2.        Work for substantive water supply augmentation, reasonable water policies

Government Affairs and MCHA will: A) aid in every way possible any reasonable efforts to realize a regional water supply project that reliably will deliver enough water to the Peninsula to i) offset over-pumping of the Carmel River and the Seaside Basin and ii) provide for the general plan needs of Peninsula cities, the Monterey Peninsula Airport District and Peninsula unincorporated areas; B) cooperate and coordinate with any reasonable effort to either dissolve or substantively reform the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District; and C) work for responsible water use policies fair to businesses and residents.

3.       Active participation in general plan updates

In order to protect and promote the interests of the hospitality industry, general business interests, and community residents, Government Affairs will continue active and beneficial participation in updates to the Monterey County General Plan and related implementation measures when a revised General Plan is adopted, projected to be accomplished in mid-2008. Government Affairs will actively oppose business-unfriendly attempts to incorporate or adopt changes.

4.        Special event coordination and promotion, economic development

Government Affairs will continue MCHA involvement, participation in, and monitoring of the development of county special events policies to assure special event planning and coordination remains primarily voluntary and in the private sector.  Government Affairs will also coordinate industry promotion for, and support of, additional added-value events and industry-enhancement opportunities such as development of “wine corridors” and cruise ship tourism.  Government Affairs and MCHA will actively promote economic development programs and policies consistent with its adopted Economic Development Policy.

5.        Work for success of tourism marketing and promotion funding

MCHA and Government Affairs worked diligently with the Monterey County Convention and Visitors Bureau to establish a county-wide Tourism Improvement District to secure sustainable, increased funding for tourism marketing and promotion.  MCHA provided significant seed money funding for the successful TID effort.  Government Affairs and MCHA will continue collaboration with other community partners to assure the ongoing success and improvement of that effort and continue working for increased California funding for tourism marketing and promotion.

6.        Political Action

MCHA and Government Affairs will continue active collaboration with, and participation in, the Monterey County Business Political Action Committee.  The efforts of the MCBPAC to affect business-friendly beneficial changes in local elections have been successful, but more participation and increased financial support is necessary to achieve even more improvement in the Monterey County business climate.   MCBPAC identifies and promotes qualified candidates for election to local offices and raises the funds necessary for successful campaigns.  Increased MCHA member participation in, and financial support for, the MCBPAC will ensure the successes continue and increase.

Government Affairs will continue to meet on the first Thursday of each month at 8:30 am (except when rescheduled to avoid event or holiday conflicts).  Guest speakers will be invited periodically to better inform the committee on issues of concern.