LOS ANGELES (CNS) - The Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce today announced a new advisory group of CEOs to seek more business-friendly statewide policies as California emerges out of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions and enters a post-pandemic crossroads.
The ``CEO Council'' has nearly 100 regional CEOs representing what the chamber described as the diversity of the Los Angeles area's industries. The council will focus on a new ``Balance California'' initiative to advance discussions and policies that the chamber says will ensure the L.A. region remains globally competitive, which in turn would benefit the state's residents through employment and social mobility.
The two areas of focus will be ensuring middle-income families in California have affordable housing and building a workforce prepared for the good-paying jobs of the future, according to the chamber.
``The need for a strong rebound and equitable recovery of California's economy is critical to the future of our region, an issue so important it brought together nearly one hundred CEOs to engage and contribute,'' said Raul A. Anaya, Board Chair of the L.A. Chamber and President of Bank of America in Greater Los Angeles.
``With the lack of affordable housing for middle-income families and challenges in hiring a prepared workforce, it is important to mobilize business leaders and do something different and create opportunities for all Californians.''
The CEO Council will serve as an advisory council for the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce.
In creating the Balance California initiative and the CEO Council, the chamber noted permanent closures of businesses during the pandemic, which interrupted hiring and supply chains. It also said that businesses in California have been moving to other states that have more welcoming business environments, lower taxes, streamlined regulatory and permitting processes and housing that is more affordable.
A 2021 study by the conservative public policy think tank the Hoover Institution at Stanford University found that the number of business headquarters leaving California more than doubled in 2021.
``Balance California is a long-term commitment to unify business leadership and collaborate with government and community stakeholders to begin to effectively address the challenges of the region,'' said Maria S. Salinas, president and CEO of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce. ``Business leaders are coming together with a unified voice to say we must take advantage of the opportunity to work together to ensure the region remains competitive and attractive to job growth so that families and communities can thrive. The time for change is now.''