Monterey City Council to Discuss a Registry of the City’s Rental Properties
 
On Wednesday, February 23, the Monterey City Council is holding a special meeting to discuss a proposal to compile a registration list of all rental properties in the city with information about the owners. Your Chamber has not taken a formal position on this idea, and the meeting on Wednesday is not a vote to implement the list. However, there are valid concerns about this proposal, including the possibility that it creates a database for unscrupulous trial lawyers to send letters threatening baseless lawsuits unless a “settlement" is paid. In addition, some backers of this proposal are open about using the rental registry as an incremental step toward their ultimate objective of government restrictions on what a residential property owner can charge in a voluntary contract with a tenant ("rent control”).
 
Yes, rents are very high in the City of Monterey and the Monterey Peninsula. But adding rent control to the ongoing obstacles of water use restrictions and fierce community opposition to new residential units will intensify economic stagnation. In practice, it will likely push the existing and future workforce to live even farther away from their jobs. That is not the Chamber’s vision for the region.
Seaside City Council to Give Unions Monopoly Control of City Construction Contracts
 
Your Chamber has been pleased to see the City of Seaside surge forward in the past few years with new opportunities for economic growth, job creation, and construction of housing that’s affordable to ordinary residents. But on Thursday, February 17, the Seaside City Council considered stepping away from that path by purging some of the local construction companies that compete for and work on their city contracts. Councilmembers were poised to require the city's construction contractors to sign a “project labor agreement” that its staff had secretly negotiated overt the past four months with union lawyers. The Seaside City Council ended up voting 5-0 to have a closed session meeting with lawyers to determine if they violated the Ralph M. Brown Act and the National Labor Relations Act with their secret negotiations.
 
Seaside residents who watched the meeting were probably confused when their city council received and praised a staff report about performance on the city’s construction contracts but then a few minutes later pretended that the contracts were terrible and therefore needed a government-mandated, government-negotiated union agreement. Obviously this issue is about politics and not logic. (We have some theories about what’s really going on behind the scenes.) Your Chamber’s membership includes construction companies with workers who are union members and construction companies with workers who are not union members. We only hear good things about their performance on local construction projects.
2022 Annual Membership Luncheon & New COVID Protocol Information

Thank you for all who purchased tickets to the 2022 Annual Membership Luncheon. We can't wait to celebrate our Member milestones with you. Additionally, we're excited to welcome Secretary Leon Panetta as our 2022 Keynote Speaker discussing "Leadership Challenges in 2022".

In alignment with the State and County, Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce will lift universal mask requirements for this event. The change aligns with California Department of Public Health’s (CDPH) decision to let expire the statewide indoor mask requirement.

A combination of preventative strategies, which included mask use, vaccination, boosters and testing, along with the community’s cooperation helped get Monterey County through this last surge as a stronger community.

Some people may understandably feel anxious about these changes to masking in the county. People can continue to choose to wear face coverings around others whether it is mandated or not and should respect people’s choices around their health.

We ask you to be kind and respectful as people evaluate their risks and make choices to protect themselves and those around them.
Thank You to Our Presenting Sponsor
TOMORROW: Annual Membership Luncheon with Keynote Secretary Panetta
Wednesday, February 23 | 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM
The Inn at Spanish Bay, Pebble Beach
SOLD OUT

We're excited to celebrate the Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce member milestones with you. We'll welcome Secretary Leon Panetta as our 2022 Keynote Speaker. Thank you to our Presenting Sponsor Mechanics Bank.
Thursday, March 3 | 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Ocean Avenue, between Mission and San Carlos, Carmel-By-The-Sea

Please join us in celebrating Cafe Carmel with a joint ribbon cutting ceremony for their 3rd anniversary! There will be small bites to be enjoyed.
MPCC LEADERSHIP CIRCLE
Please forward this e-blast to your colleagues, customers, clients, friends, family and fellow community members!