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2000 Position Statements
Alamo Area Aerospace Academy
The Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce enthusiastically supports the establishment of the Alamo Area Aerospace Academy and pledges to support it.
Submitted By: Military Affairs and Technology
Approval Date: 12-14-2000
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Access to the Medical Center
The Chamber urges the City of San Antonio to implement the short-term plans for Medical Drive on an expedited basis. The Chamber also urges the Public Works Department of the City of San Antonio to begin immediately with the securing of right-of-way at the Medical Drive and Fredericksburg Road intersection. Finally, The Chamber urges the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) to include the construction phase for the Medical Drive and Fredericksburg Road intersection in the next funding cycle.
Submitted By: Government
Approval Date: 11-21-2000
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Area Business Council Board of Directors Attendance Requirement
The Chamber believes that volunteers who give additional amounts of their time to its functions deserve added recognition, but also believes attendance obligations need to be met in order to serve on several of The Chamber's governing bodies. Therefore, members that serve on any of the Area Business Council Boards of Directors shall be asked to serve under the same attendance requirements of The Chamber's Board of Directors as it appears in Article VII, Section 4, of the latest version of The Chamber's Bylaws.
Submitted By: Small Business / Area Business Councils
Approval Date: 11-21-2000
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Better Jobs Initiative
The Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce supports legislative efforts to pass the Better Jobs package as an accountable set of economic development initiatives, designed to improve the quality of life and raise the standard of living in San Antonio through the creation of a highly skilled workforce that is prepared to meet the challenges of the modern economy.
Submitted By: Government
Approval Date: 10-19-2000
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Reauthorization of Texas Department of Economic Development
The Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce supports the reauthorization of the Texas Department of Economic Development (TDED) as a stand-alone, focused agencies that serves as the primary clearinghouse for the state's efforts to market Texas, attract new capital investment and create jobs. TDED's role should be one that works in partnership with local communities to promote economic development, including targeted prospect lead generation.
Approval Date: 10-19-2000
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State Board Composition
The Chamber supports legislative review and consideration of constitutional amendments providing for increased membership of several state boards and commissions, including the Texas Department of Transportation and the Texas Water Development Board.
Submitted By: Government
Approval Date: 10-19-2000
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Fluoridation
The Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce endorses fluoridation of water for the City of San Antonio.
Submitted By: Government
Approval Date: 08-24-2000
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San Fernando Restoration Project
The Chamber Board of Directors endorses and supports the San Fernando Restoration Project.
Submitted By: Central Area Business Council
Approval Date: 05-24-2000
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San Antonio Independent School District Vision 2005 Destination: Exemplary Plan
The Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce supports the efforts of the San Antonio Independent School District's (SAISD) Vision 2005 Destination: Exemplary five-year district plan as an effectiv way to meet the district's mission of graduating all students as responsible citizens with the academic and social preparation to pursue higher education, join the military or enter the workforce.
Submitted By: Education
Approval Date: 04-26-2000
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Federal Fuel Tax Moratoriums
The Chamber opposes any gas tax moratoriums negatively affecting the availability of federal highway funds.
Submitted By: Government
Approval Date: 04-25-2000
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Spurs Fair Share Commitment
The East Area Council Board of Directors of The Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce urges the San Antonio Spurs to implement on a timely basis all provisions outlined in the Fair Share Commitment. The Chamber applauds the Spurs' commitment to the small, minority and women-owned business sector, and is prepared to develop an implementation plan in cooperation with the Spurs, Bexar County, and all other parties included within the agreement.
Submitted By: East Area Business Council
Approval Date: 04-25-2000
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Consortium of UTSA, UTHSC & Brooks AFB to Establish a School of Engineering That Would Serve as a Catalyst to Promote San Antonio as a Major Biotechnology City
The Chamber agrees with the need for and endorses efforts promoting San Antonio as a major biotechnology center. The Chamber specifically supports the establishment of highly ranked bioengineering graduate programs at the University of Texas campuses in San Antonio.
Approval Date: 03-30-2000
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Area Council Governance
The Chamber Board of Directors approves the following change the Article XI, Section 2, of The Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce Bylaws, relating to the appointment of Area Council Chairman.
Current: The Chairman of the Board shall appoint the Chairpersons of all councils, subject to the approval of the Board, and will also appoint all Committee Chairpersons. With the concurrence of the Chairman of the Board, Council Chairpersons will be delegated the authority to form Task Forces to assist in the work of their Council, to include a Steering Committee, if desired.
Proposed: The Chairman of the Board shall appoint the Chairpersons of all councils, (and all Committee Chairpersons), subject to the approval of the Board (with the exception of the Area Council Chairpersons). With the concurrence of the Chairman of the Board, Council Chairpersons will be delegated the authority to form Task Forces to assist in the work of their Council, to include a Steering Committee, if desired.
Each of the Area Council's Board of Directors will choose an Area Chairman and Chairman-elect for the following year. The Area Chairman-elect will function as Vice-Chair of the Area Council.
Submitted By: Small Business / Area Business Councils
Approval Date: 02-24-2000
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Independent School Districts on Military Installations
The Chamber encourages Congress to authorize and appropriate grants through the Department of Defense to meet the facility needs of independent school districts whose boundaries are coterminous with military installations.
Submitted By: Military Affairs
Approval Date: 01-27-2000
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National Criminal Background Checks for Volunteer / Mentor Organizations
The Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce supports the need for name-based national criminal background checks through local and state law enforcement agencies in Texas for volunteer mentoring programs. The current process for obtaining national background checks through federal agencies is costly and inefficient.
Submitted By: Education
Approval Date: 01-27-2000
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Sales Tax Referendum: Better Jobs & Economic Development
The Chamber supports the concept of the initiatives known as Better Jobs and Economic Development for our community. Endorsement and active support of these proposals are conditioned upon satisfactorily addressing the concerns listed below in sufficient time to review and evaluate prior to calling the election on February 10, 2000.
A. Governance
The Chamber believes governance should be independent and non-political, with a limited board of recognized, trusted individuals, who are publicly identified well in advance of the election. We recommend that a seven-member board be created, charged with the administrative and oversight functions of the Better Jobs and economic development initiatives. Discretionary funding decision by the board is possible, but may be overturned by a super-majority council vote.
B. Ballot Language
We beleive State Statute Section 334 of the Local Government Code provides the best vehicle to support these initiatives.
C. Better Jobs
1. Any criteria for awarding discretionary funds to projects should be developed in such a way that they will reflect and encourage the provision of quality job training projects. Project QUEST and The Education Partnership have demonstrated high-quality results in the training of eligible citizens for job placement. The criteria of both projects may serve as a model in establishing the criteria of those projects eligible for the receipt of sales tax revenue.
2. The Chamber believes the three primary Better Jobs components and their subsequent categories should be completedly detailed.
(a) School Preparedness
(i)Early childhood Education: coordinate with the efforts of Alamo Workforce Development (AWD) in developing and expanding the early childhood development system;
(ii) Parent Education;
(b) Educational Achievement
(i) After-school enrichment;
(ii) Parent involvement;
(iii) School completion;
(c) Highly Skilled Workforce
(i) Higher Education;
(ii) Job Training: the development and implementation of a customized, short-term job training project, providing stair-stepped wage subsidies during a training period for targeted industry companies meeting wage and location thresholds;
(iii) Literacy;
3. Every effort should be made to augment, with duplicating, existing workforce development programs, with exceptions given to those areas determined to have the greatest need and worthy of multiple short-term resource application;
4. An effort should be made throughout to focus on those services not currently delivered by other local providers (i.e., apprenticeship and school-to-careers programs).
D. Economic Development
1. The Chamber supports projects for the promotion of development or redevelopment and expansion, including costs of administration and operation, of area military bases closed or realigned pursuant to applicable federal law, including Kelly Air Force Base. The development of Kelly AFB as an industrial business center is an essential economic generating component for job creation and transformation and diversification of San Antonio's economy. Among the proposed projects under the category of the Economic Development
Incentive Fund, Kelly AFB must be given priority status and a minimum appropriation of $50 million to be administered by the Greater Kelly Development Authority's Board of Directors.
2. The Chamber has a long history of support for improvements to the San Antonio River:
* In 1994, it supported riverwalk improvements along both banks of the river in the downtown area.
* In 1995, The Chamber petitioned the Texas Transportation Committee for funds for the Mission Trails project with specific improvements to the river as it coincided with Mission Trails.
* In 1997, The Chamber supported an FY 1998 city budget line item for Mission Trails to include improvements to the San Antonio River south of downtown and continuing toward the historic missions.
* In 1998, The Chamber assisted with the Mission Trails groundbreaking at Mission Espada. Clearly, The Chamber has a long-term interest in the river and supports San Antonio River improvements as a tourist development area along an inland waterway.
3. The Chamber supports the Municipal Parks and Recreation Project to secure open space in the development of linear parks. The Chamber encourages the City Council to consider acquiring sensitive Edwards Aquifer property. Cities across the country are realizing that public parks and recreation areas add to the quality of life and are a necessary factor in creating jobs and in attracting new industry.
4. Support fr the proposed Commercial Economic Development Projects is contingent upon eligible projects defined as only those including an economic development-driven program.
E. Legal Authority
It is imperative for public confidence that the proposed utilization of sales tax funds is legal. Therefore, we believe that a formal, written opinion from the City Attorney's office should be issued validating the funded initiative and programs prior to any City Council discussion and action on the ballot language.
Submitted By: Government
Approval Date: 01-27-2000
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Sales Tax Referendum: VIA's Advanced Transportation District
The Chamber supports VIA Metropolitan Transit Authority's proposal for a quarter-cent sales tax increase to create an Advanced Transportation District. The Chamber supports the creation of the district to seek substantial federal funding in order to assist VIA's efforts to meet San Antonio's future mobility needs. This support is conditioned upon: (1) the transportation system designs are such that VIA is not a carrier of last resort; (2) plans reflecting the mobility needs of the community; (3) taking into consideration
future population growth projections and environmental impact studies.
Submitted By: Government
Approval Date: 01-27-2000
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