GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS GOALS, OBJECTIVES AND TASKS FOR 2010
ADOPTED BY GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS NOVEMBER 5, 2009
RATIFIED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS NOVEMBER 10, 2009

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The Government Affairs Committee promotes and protects the interests of the hospitality industry and the general business community through strong relations with local governments, local officials and key staff; it accomplishes its goals through active collaboration and constructive engagement with other organizations with similar goals.  Government Affairs and MCHA will increase communication throughout the year with its members about Government Affairs activities and accomplishments, including Monterey County Business Political Action Committee activities and accomplishments.  MCHA and Government Affairs perform critical tasks promoting, protecting and enhancing the hospitality industry’s business climate and the industry’s public image and the general business climate in Monterey County.  Major goals for the year include:

1) Work for substantive water supply augmentation and 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 Watermaster-mandated pumping reductions in the Seaside Basin and ii) provide for the general plan needs of Peninsula cities, the Monterey Peninsula Airport District and Peninsula unincorporated areas; and B) work for responsible water use policies fair to businesses and residents.

2) Development of critical transportation infrastructure

Government Affairs will continue active collaboration with community partners, the Transportation Agency for Monterey County, Monterey-Salinas Transit and the Monterey Peninsula Airport District to achieve necessary local and regional transportation projects and priorities.  MCHA’s highest priority is to achieve the widening of Highway 156, the primary drive access to the Peninsula.

3) Political Action

MCHA and Government Affairs will continue active collaboration with, and participation in, the Monterey County Business Political Action Committee and continue to work for stronger and better relations with government officials.  The efforts of the MCBPAC to affect beneficial business-friendly 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.

4) Active participation in general plan update and General Plan implementation

 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.  Government Affairs will actively oppose attempts to incorporate or adopt business-unfriendly changes to the General Plan or its implementation measures.

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 continue the success of the countywide Tourism Improvement District and work to maintain secure sustainable, increased funding for tourism marketing and promotion. 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) Special event coordination and promotion, economic development

 Government Affairs will continue MCHA involvement, participation in, and monitoring of the 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.

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).  Periodically guest speakers will be invited to better inform the committee on issues of concern.

Prepared by Bob McKenzie