If you’ve ever tried to expand your storefront, secure a permit, hire employees, or plan next year’s budget, you know this: businesses can handle many challenges, but the hardest one is uncertainty.

That’s what drives the Chamber’s advocacy work. Often times this work happens behind the scenes in meetings with city staff and elected officials. Whether we’re speaking with City Council at City Hall or weighing in on legislation in Sacramento, our goals are simple:

1. Clear Rules
2. Predictable Processes
3. Realistic Timelines 

We want to make it easier for local businesses to invest, hire, and grow.

City of Lodi: Turning Vision into Action
Lodi has no shortage of plans. The Downtown Specific Plan, City Council Strategic Plan, and Economic Development Strategic Plan all reflect strong community input. But a plan only matters if it can be carried out and that is why we’ve focused on the “nuts and bolts” of implementation. We are working with city leadership to identify clear first steps and realistic timelines. This helps the Chamber and our members support these efforts in meaningful ways. These plans will take years to complete and will involve many partners. It’s important to start strong, build momentum, and create the partnerships needed to see them through.

City Leadership: Building Capacity to Deliver
Plans are only as strong as the people responsible for carrying them out. That’s why the Chamber is advising City Councilmembers on the skills and experience needed in the next city manager and department directors.
From a business perspective, a strong city organization means predictable processes, clear communication, and realistic timelines. It also requires leaders who can work across departments toward shared goals. With new directors likely coming from different cities and work cultures, it’s critical to find leaders with strong operational experience. We need people who can turn strategy into action and deliver results through solid processes.

Workforce Readiness: Preparing Lodi’s Next Generation
Advocacy isn’t just about regulations. It’s also about creating the right conditions for growth, starting with development of hirable local talent.

The Chamber is supporting efforts within Lodi Unified School District to better prepare students for the workforce. We recently participated in LUSD’s strategic planning discussions and were encouraged by the focus on key priorities: strong career pathways, deeper partnerships with local businesses, and building skills like communication, teamwork, and problem-solving.

We continue to hear from employers that these programs are needed. There is often a gap between what employers expect and what young workers understand about the workplace. Helping students build the right habits and skills will give them more confidence and make the transition into the workforce smoother for everyone.

State Coalitions: Advocating for Practical Policies
At the state level, we are tracking and weighing in on legislation that affects businesses across California. This includes joining CalChamber-led coalitions opposing AB 1776 and AB 2253, and supporting continued, meaningful PAGA reform.

On PAGA, we believe in protecting workers and enforcing the law. At the same time, the system should encourage compliance and not create incentives for and reward abusive lawsuits. Clear rules and fair processes support both employees and employers and are the only way to bring meaningful reform to a well-intended law that has been abused.

AB 1776 raises concerns because it would expand California’s antitrust laws in ways that are unclear and unpredictable. This could make it difficult for businesses to know what is allowed and could turn common practices (think discounts, rewards programs, or choosing business partners) into legal risks. That kind of uncertainty discourages competition and innovation and can drive up costs.

AB 2253 presents a different challenge. California already has ambitious recycling goals under SB 54. This bill would make it very difficult for businesses to meet those requirements, potentially leading to penalties and higher costs that are ultimately passed on to consumers.

A Simple Ask: Get Involved
The most effective advocacy starts with real-world experience. If you’ve run into challenges with local or state permitting, finding or retaining skilled workers, and/or complying with complex or unclear regulations, we need your input to help us focus on the right issues and push for practical solutions.

Join a Government Relations Committee meeting or get involved in our Business Development efforts. When the business community shows up, the outcomes are better.