By Karen Robes Meeks
Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia recently honored Carmen Perez, the first Latino woman to be part of the Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners, by presenting her with a key to the city.
Perez is known for her advocacy and deep community and political ties. She had a 12-year tenure on the commission, serving from 1991 to 2003. During that period, Gov. Gray Davis appointed her to the California World Trade Commission and she was also on the Board of Directors of the Pacific Coast Association of Port Authorities.
She was Los Angeles County Supervisor Kenneth Hahn’s Assistant Chief Deputy and vice chair for the Democratic National Party.
Perez is a founding member of the American Diabetes Association’s Long Beach Chapter, the Long Beach Mujeres Coalition and the founder and first president of the Long Beach Chicano Political Caucus, according to her Port of Long Beach bio.
Showing posts with label California. Show all posts
Showing posts with label California. Show all posts
Friday, May 4, 2018
Friday, November 12, 2010
California Exports Up for 11th Straight Month
Despite California's high unemployment, rising foreclosures and a massive projected state budget deficit for next year, the Golden State's exporters in September reported the eleventh straight month of year-over-year trade growth, according to a Beacon Economics analysis of international trade data released Wednesday by the U.S. Commerce Department.
Exporters shipped $12.32 billion in goods to foreign markets during September, a sizable 19 percent increase over the $10.352 billion sent abroad in September 2009.
“To be sure, September 2009 did not set a very high bar for comparison purposes, but the year-to-year increase was still remarkably robust,” said Jock O’Connell, Beacon Economics’ International Trade Adviser.
California exporters also outpaced the nation as a whole in merchandise export growth in September, 19.0 percent to 17.9 percent.
In inflation-adjusted terms, said the Beacon analysis, California’s export trade in September almost exactly matched the value of its merchandise exports in September 2008, when international trade began to plummet as the global economic meltdown took hold.
In addition, California exporters reported manufactured goods sent abroad climbed 19 percent in September compared to the year-ago period, while exports of agriculture and non-manufactured goods climbed 10.7 percent compared to September 2009. Re-exports – goods sent out of the state that were previously imported – jumped 24.3 percent in September compared to the same period last year.
California accounted for 11.4 percent of the nation's total merchandise exports for September.
“All indications are that the sustained growth in September’s exports was led by airborne shipments of high-value items such as electronics components, medical and scientific instruments, and pharmaceuticals,” said Beacon's O’Connell. "Most Californians don't appreciate that, in terms of dollar value, about half of this state's export trade moves by air."
Exports moving through the state's airports in September climbed 26.5 percent from September 2009, while by comparison, the value of exports moving through the state's ports in September rose a more modest 13.7 percent.
Despite almost a solid year of export growth, O'Connell warned that the outlook for the winter is mixed.
“While the Federal Reserve Bank’s efforts at quantitative easing should push the dollar’s value down to the benefit of California exporters, the current level of acrimony among the G-20 nations is shocking,” he said. “As the G-20 leaders huddle in Korea this week, there appears little room for a consensus to emerge over how the global economy’s chief players will address some extremely vexing economic and trade policy issues.”
Exporters shipped $12.32 billion in goods to foreign markets during September, a sizable 19 percent increase over the $10.352 billion sent abroad in September 2009.
“To be sure, September 2009 did not set a very high bar for comparison purposes, but the year-to-year increase was still remarkably robust,” said Jock O’Connell, Beacon Economics’ International Trade Adviser.
California exporters also outpaced the nation as a whole in merchandise export growth in September, 19.0 percent to 17.9 percent.
In inflation-adjusted terms, said the Beacon analysis, California’s export trade in September almost exactly matched the value of its merchandise exports in September 2008, when international trade began to plummet as the global economic meltdown took hold.
In addition, California exporters reported manufactured goods sent abroad climbed 19 percent in September compared to the year-ago period, while exports of agriculture and non-manufactured goods climbed 10.7 percent compared to September 2009. Re-exports – goods sent out of the state that were previously imported – jumped 24.3 percent in September compared to the same period last year.
California accounted for 11.4 percent of the nation's total merchandise exports for September.
“All indications are that the sustained growth in September’s exports was led by airborne shipments of high-value items such as electronics components, medical and scientific instruments, and pharmaceuticals,” said Beacon's O’Connell. "Most Californians don't appreciate that, in terms of dollar value, about half of this state's export trade moves by air."
Exports moving through the state's airports in September climbed 26.5 percent from September 2009, while by comparison, the value of exports moving through the state's ports in September rose a more modest 13.7 percent.
Despite almost a solid year of export growth, O'Connell warned that the outlook for the winter is mixed.
“While the Federal Reserve Bank’s efforts at quantitative easing should push the dollar’s value down to the benefit of California exporters, the current level of acrimony among the G-20 nations is shocking,” he said. “As the G-20 leaders huddle in Korea this week, there appears little room for a consensus to emerge over how the global economy’s chief players will address some extremely vexing economic and trade policy issues.”
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Feds Move for 3-Mile California Coastal Ban on Vessel Sewage Dumping
Federal environmental regulators on Wednesday announced a new rule, that if approved, will prohibit cargo and cruise vessels from dumping sewage within three miles of California's coastline.
Under the proposed United States Environmental Protection Agency rule, vessels of greater than 300 tons would be prohibited from releasing treated or untreated sewage within three miles of the state's coast and within state inland waterways.
Currently, under California state law, vessels can discharge treated sewage as needed if the holding capacity of the vessel's on-board sewage holding system has been reached.
Part of the need for the new rules stems from the lack of a cohesive state regulatory scheme covering near-shore dumping.
Under the federal Clean Water Act, states may request the EPA to establish vessel sewage no-discharge zones if necessary to protect and restore water quality. In 2006, following passage of three state statutes designed to reduce the effects of vessel discharges to its waters, the State of California asked the EPA to establish the sewage discharge ban.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency estimates that the new rule, which could take effect as early as Jan. 1, 2011, could prevent up to 20 million gallons of sewage per year from being released along the California coast. According to the EPA, the new rule would create the largest "No Discharge Zone" in the U.S. Enforcement of the new rule will fall to the U.S. Coast Guard.
The proposed rule will now face a 60-day public review period.
Under the proposed United States Environmental Protection Agency rule, vessels of greater than 300 tons would be prohibited from releasing treated or untreated sewage within three miles of the state's coast and within state inland waterways.
Currently, under California state law, vessels can discharge treated sewage as needed if the holding capacity of the vessel's on-board sewage holding system has been reached.
Part of the need for the new rules stems from the lack of a cohesive state regulatory scheme covering near-shore dumping.
Under the federal Clean Water Act, states may request the EPA to establish vessel sewage no-discharge zones if necessary to protect and restore water quality. In 2006, following passage of three state statutes designed to reduce the effects of vessel discharges to its waters, the State of California asked the EPA to establish the sewage discharge ban.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency estimates that the new rule, which could take effect as early as Jan. 1, 2011, could prevent up to 20 million gallons of sewage per year from being released along the California coast. According to the EPA, the new rule would create the largest "No Discharge Zone" in the U.S. Enforcement of the new rule will fall to the U.S. Coast Guard.
The proposed rule will now face a 60-day public review period.
