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North San Antonio Chamber Members and Partners,
We are in full swing in the middle of the 87th Texas Legislative Session and the local May 1st Joint General, Special, and Charter Election is about to kick off with early voting starting on April 19th.
Not only are there important City Council seats up for grabs, but the Mayor’s race is also heating up with 14 mayoral candidates. Also, take note that there are two other important items on the ballot. If passed, Proposition A would allow the City to issue bonds for permanent public improvements or any other public purpose not prohibited by the Texas Constitution or other state laws, including affordable housing programs. Proposition B, would repeal the adoption of state law applicable to the City of San Antonio police officers that establishes collective bargaining. See the Bexar County Notice of Election, Generic Sample Ballot for a list of candidates and charter amendments. You can also find excellent detailed information about candidates, proposed charters and bonds, and other municipal and county elections published by the League of Women Voters-Bexar County.
87th Texas Legislative Session
While it was off to a slow start, this Session has sped up quickly, particularly with key issues that the North SA Chamber is tracking closely, many of which align with the North SA Chamber’s 2021 87th Texas Legislative Agenda that can also be found here. We are in a “wait and see” pattern on other bills where we are monitoring the progression of duplicative bills prior to taking action, but we are prepared to move swiftly when needed. A shortlist of bills we are monitoring can be found here. The most important bills this session deal with protecting your businesses by preempting municipalities from creating ordinances dealing with certain employment benefits and policies like mandatory paid sick leave and predictive scheduling.
What I'm reading today:
Stay Safe and Healthy.
Sincerely,
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For priority review, apply by April 21st.
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San Antonio Economic Indicators
San Antonio's unemployment rate and COVID-19 hospitalizations have declined. Home sales surged in January and due to the winter storm in February, local consumer spending declined.
Learn more about the San Antonio Business-Cycle here.
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San Antonio City Council Approves CPS Energy's Multifaceted Strategic Plan to Protect Customers
Directly related to February's winter storm, CPS Energy provided an updated strategic plan which features federal and state financial and policy assistance; regulatory intervention; and other avenues, including negotiations. To prevent excessive purchased power charges to the customers of CPS Energy, the strategic plan features legal action being pursued by CPS Energy against Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT).
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COVID-19 Impact Survey
BEXAR COUNTY NEEDS YOUR INPUT! The Small Business and Entrepreneurship Department (SBED) of Bexar County is administering the 2021 COVID-19 Impact Survey to assess the impact of COVID-19 on small businesses in the region. This survey is designed to capture information on how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected your business and the ways in which your business has adapted.
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Release of Governor's Small Business Portal
The release of the new Governor's Small Business Portal provides entrepreneurs and business owners with information, resources, and contacts to advance and grow Texas businesses. Portal information includes:
- Federal, State, and Local Resources
- Business Advice and Growth Assistance
- Funding Sources
- Additional Specific Resources
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Senate Approves Bill to Extend PPP Application Deadline
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans are extended from March 31, 2021, to May 31, 2021. Small businesses must apply for loans through qualified financial institutions. An additional 30 days has been provided for the SBA to process pending applications ensuring businesses are not affected by processing delays.
Small business owners are encouraged to apply sooner than later as the U.S. Small Business Administration expects PPP Funding to run out mid-to-late April.
Additional resources can be found here.
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FEMA Winter Storm Recovery Information
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The Government Affairs Council serves as an advocate for Member businesses and their employees before municipal, county, state, and federal officials on political policy issues impacting the economic growth, quality of life, and financial health of local industries. The Council informs and educates Members on proposed initiatives, policies, and legislation which may affect the way business in San Antonio is conducted. |
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Thank you to Councilwoman Rebecca J. Viagran and Councilman Manny Pelaez for visiting us this month, where they reflected on their time served and upcoming local initiatives.
Please join us for our next meeting on May 4th. Members interested in joining the Government Affairs Council may contact the NSAC team at Membership@northsachamber.com or register here.
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The Infrastructure Council serves as a resource and strategic advocate for San Antonio regional infrastructure planning and development to improve the quality of life for our members and stakeholders. |
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Please join us for our next meeting when we welcome Vic Boyer, CEO & President, SAMCo. Vic will provide the group the latest infrastructure updates from the 87th Legislative Session.
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The Workforce Development Council serves in an advisory role to assess, research, and design strategies that address workforce development challenges and opportunities. North San Antonio Chamber members are kept abreast on local workforce trends and demands, creating programs through collaborative partnerships to address workforce shortages.
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April 15| Workforce Council Meeting
The Workforce Council met to discuss the latest updates on local workforce programs. The group also discussed plans for a series of workforce industry-focused forums focused on helping to create awareness of and accessibility to workforce resources that will lead to matching job-seekers with employers. Our next meeting will feature guest speaker, David J. Zammiello with Project Quest.
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Tap on image to for more information. |
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April 14, 2021| Final Deadline to Apply for Leadership Lab
2021 Class begins April 21st
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We started out spring with a Ribbon Cutting to celebrate the grand opening of Five Oaks Ace Hardware. We were joined by Bexar County Commissioner Trish DeBerry, San Antonio Councilman Clayton Perry, San Antonio Food Bank CEO Eric Cooper, Children’s Hospital of SA Foundation CEO Terry Kyle, Ace Hardware's President/CEO John Venhuizen, and North San Antonio Chamber Ambassadors.
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Five Oaks Ace Hardware Team: John and Lisbeth Anne Dunlap
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Small Business Outlook Luncheon
Our next luncheon will occur in June.
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NSAC Ambassadors
Thank you to our NSAC Ambassadors for volunteering at the San Antonio Food Bank! Together we helped sort and distribute 14, 889 lbs of bread.
If you'd like to get involved as an Ambassador, learn more here.
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April 7 | Pedego San Antonio Grand Opening Ribbon Cutting
Join us in celebration of Pedego San Antonio's Grand Opening event on April 7th. Food, drinks, giveaways, and a raffle will be offered with opportunities to win full-day rentals and a Pedego e-bike The event proceeds will benefit the National MS Society. Register here.
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March 24 | Matthews’ Saueressig Engineering Plans San Antonio North American Headquarters
San Antonio's east side will be the North American Headquarters for Matthews Saueressig Engineering. The investment is projected to create 50 high-wage jobs and is a planned $9M investment. For more information on Matthews’ plans in San Antonio, see the press release.
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April 8 | eESI Employment Briefing: Updates & What's To Come in 2021 Webinar
Click on image below for more details and registration.
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Valero and BlackRock Global Energy & Power Infrastructure announce partnership with Navigator Energy Services
Valero and BlackRock Global Energy & Power Infrastructure have announced their partnership with Navigator Energy Services to develop an industrial scale carbon capture pipeline system. This pipeline system demonstrates Valero's commitment to lower carbon fuels by developing a pipeline in which CO2 that was previously released into the air, is redirected to a pipeline and transported to and stored safely underground. This partnership reflects Valero's commitment to reduce and offset refining emissions by 63% by 2025. View the full press release here.
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The U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command announced San Antonio has been chosen as the 2022 host for the Department of Defense Warrior Games. Those representing the Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Special Operations Command, both active duty and veterans, will participate in competitions of wheelchair basketball and rugby, cycling, swimming, powerlifting, and more. As Military City USA, San Antonio looks forward to hosting and welcoming the athletes.
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Chamber Access & Services |
Temporary & Restricted Office Hours by Phone and Email Only
8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
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North San Antonio Chamber of Commerce
12930 Country Pkwy. | San Antonio, TX 78216
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