May 2011 CEO Exchange

Since 1895, Metro Chamber volunteers have worked to improve the economy and enhance the quality of life in the greater Sacramento region. The annual Cap-to-Cap program is one of many Metro Chamber activities that brings the region’s business, labor and government leaders together to build consensus for important regional priorities.

Cap-to-Cap is an ongoing program of the Metro Chamber that engages business and civic interests in Sacramento with the federal government year-round. Its annual journey to Washington, D.C. makes it the largest local chamber of commerce program of its kind in the nation.

Three hundred delegates participated May 7-11 this year. Volunteers on 13 teams brought the region’s top issues to our nation’s leaders through over 91 issue papers and nearly 250 appointments with elected leaders, the Obama administration and other agency officials.

Attending from the Sacramento Association of REALTORS® were President Doug Covill, President Elect Patrick Lieuw, Secretary/Treasurer Chris Little, Government Affairs Director Caylyn Brown, Government Affairs Consultant Eric Rasmusson and myself. This year, Cap-to-Cap was sandwiched between the C.A.R. legislative meetings in Sacramento and the NAR Hill visits in Washington – quite a time commitment for SAR volunteers representing you at all three events.

Cap-to-Cap is carbon neutral –thanks to the Sacramento Municipal Utility District, which provided carbon offsets for the travel portion of the Cap-to-Cap program.

A major issue taken to Washington was to ensure that the region has access to the financial and human capital it needs to excel as the state’s clean and green technology leader.

Besides job growth, improvements in primary and secondary education were promoted to continue feeding the excellent community colleges and the universities in the region.

Flood protection and water resources are recurring issues of delegates who have made significant progress in the past few years to secure funding that will provide 200-year flood protection for our region.

Improvements in air quality and transportation were other major areas emphasized during the extensive series of meetings that engaged delegates with elected and agency officials.