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Chamber reveals legislative report cards PDF Print E-mail
Monday, 21 December 2009 14:40
Fresno Chamber of Commerce

Fresno City Councilmember Mike Dages, state Senator Dean Florez and Congressman Dennis Cardoza received the lowest marks from the Greater Fresno Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual report card.

Each year the chamber tracks votes on legislation and other items of importance to the business community on the local, state and national level. To view all the report cards, visit http://www.fresnochamberadvocacy.com/

On the city level, it highlight 12 items considered by the council this year, including the effort to establishing a property-based improvement district for downtown business owners, zoning changes for restaurants and bars and efforts to improve the process for considering projects to receive city financing.

Councilmembers received the following scores on their voting records compared to the chamber’s stance:

Mike Dages, 75%

Henry T. Perea, 77%

Larry Westerlund/Paul Caprioglio, 92%

• Lee Brand, Andreas Borgeas, Blong Xiong and Cynthia Sterling, 100%

On the state level, nine pieces of legislation were highlighted by the chamber. They include a so-called “card check” measure for farm laborers to more easily join a union, a measure to limit employer credit checks on potential hires and a bill to increase the bond amount auto dealers pay to continue operating.

Here are the votes received by state legislators:

Senator Dean Florez (D-Shafter), 16%

Assemblymember Juan Arambula (I-Fresno), 22%

Assemblymember Danny Gilmore (R-Hanford), 88%

Senator Dave Cogdill (R-Modesto) and Assemblymember Mike Villines (R-Clovis), 100%

There were only three national votes highlighted by the chamber — the health care reform bill HR 3962, the energy bill HR 2454 and the consumer financial protection bill HR 3126. Here are the chamber’s scores for the local representatives.

Congressman Dennis Cardoza, (D-Merced) 0%

• Congressman Jim Costa (D-Fresno), 33%

Congressmen George Radanovich (R-Mariposa) and Devin Nunes (R-Tulare), 100%.