Message from the President & CEO

This morning, we tuned into the Governor's press conference in hopes to hear news about salons, barbershops, and other "non-essential" businesses, but there was no update. We understand the heatwave and the numerous fires in the state have taken priority, but there was not even a mention about another press conference when information about re-opening salons would be made available. Last week, I received a voicemail from the county Office of Public Health responding to my own inquiries, and here is what I was told: salons and barbershops cannot be open due to the close proximity of clients and stylists for an extended period of time. Our question to the Office of Public Health - and the State of California - have any data to suggest these conditions to be more dangerous than grocery shopping or sitting at a casino? The answer we received was "no." 

It doesn't make sense to us that stylists- who are abiding by CDC Sanitary Guidelines, as well as those of the state requiring masks, gloves, extra sanitation, socially distanced hair cutting stations, temperature checks, etc.- are not able to open given the lack of data the county and state of California have. At this point, it seems like an arbitrary ruling that is sadly destroying people's businesses, and subsequently their livelihoods. If masks and gloves are able to stop or slow the spread of COVID-19 while we are at a restaurant, a waiting room, inside a grocery store, then why don't they work in salons? We will continue these conversations with city and county elected officials as we encourage them to ask these same questions to their contacts at the State. 

In other news, the Chamber is working on numerous other projects in the coming months: 

• Scheduling and preparing a virtual tour of Lodi for sight-selectors, business owners, and commercial brokers from the Bay Area to get up close and personal with what Lodi has to offer. This is part of the GrowInLodi.com effort to market our community as a valuable place to do business. If you are able to pass the information along to any contacts you have in the Bay Area, please feel free. You can also send them this letter we've crafted (just fill in the blanks!). 
• We are also joining a revitalization effort to retenent the General Mills location. Current owner, Bond Manufacturing, has sold their business and now is even more motivated to sell the 60 acre property.
• In mid-September, we will be pulling together members of the community to sit on the Lodi Chamber Candidate Endorsement Panel. These individuals will interview incumbents and candidates for County Supervisor, Delta College School Board, Lodi Unified School Board, Assembly, U.S. Congressional Representative, and Lodi City Council Districts 4 & 5. 
• Just a reminder, tell everyone you know to vote NO on Proposition 15. This bill would eliminate key business sectors from Prop 13, further chipping away at our property taxes businesses have enjoyed since 1978. Estimates for warehouses, private clubs, hotels, etc. would be 6X higher than what they are paying now. This would make it near impossible for some businesses to stay open or hire more employees during this pandemic, further stifling job creation across the state.

The Chamber staff during this pandemic is not on defense, but as you can read our current activities indicate that we are all playing offense trying to GROW Lodi. Want to get involved in any of the projects we are currently working on? Click here to access our team.