HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 05031988 - I.O.6 I. 0. G _
TO BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
FROM Cz I ra
INTERNAL •OPERATIONS COMMITTEE
DATE: Apr11 25 ,• 1988 ceft /
SUBJECT: Impact of Foreign Government Investment �/l�� �t�
in American Companies
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOWENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATIONS: '
1 . Direct the County Administrator to request Assemblyman
Campbell to ask Assemblywoman Lucy . Killea, Chair of the
Assembly Committee on International Trade and
Intergovernmental Relations, to hold interim hearings this
fall in . Contra Costa County on the issue of foreign
government investment in American companies, and the impact
of such- investment on the employment and economic levels in
the County.
2 . . Remove this item as a referral to our Committee.
BACKGROUND:
Some months ago, the Board expressed its concern with the impact
,foreign investment was having in American companies. It has been
alleged that such investment tends to lead to the expansion of
non-union jobs at sub-standard wages thereby impacting both the
union employees, in the County and the overall economic health of
the community.
At the request of the Board, our Committee wrote to our state and
federal legislative representatives requesting information from
them on any data which may exist on .this subject. We also asked
about the .interest of the legislators in conducting hearings on
..this subject. As is indicated in the attached report from the
County Administrator' s Office, . we received responses from
Assemblyman- Campbell, Senator .Petris, the principal consultant to
the Assembly Committee . on International Trade and
Intergovernmental Relations, and Congressman Miller.
Assemblyman Campbell indicates in his letter that he has directed
his staff to work with us' in whatever way the. Board wishes to
obtain information ' on , this subject from the appropriate
legislative committees Senator Petris . forwarded us a most
interesting document from the State Department of Commerce
entitled: Foreign Direct Investment in California. Senator
Petris agrees that the_ Legislature should hold hearings on this
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: X YES SIGNATURE:.
_ RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY. ADMINISTRATOR X RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD, COMMITTEE .
APPROVE OTHE
`� -c; *
SIGNATURE(Sj: Sunne W. McPeak Tom Torlakson
ACTION OF BOARD ON May 1988 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED X OTHER
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
1 HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
X UNANIMOUS (ABSENT ) AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN
AYES: NOES'. AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
CC:
County Adminl$tratOr. ATTESTED
Congressman George Mil ler PHIL BA ?=ELOR,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF
State Legislative Delegation SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
,
M382/7-83 - DEPUTY
Page 2
subject. We also received a letter from Kathleen Krause,
principal consultant to. Assemblywoman Kill.ea' s committee, setting
forth some of the concerns that have been expressed both in state
and federal legislation, and indicating her willingness to work
with the Board in conducting interim hearings.. Congressman
Miller' s letter references the difficulty ,of trying to track the
ownership of various companies because of their interlocking
directorates and references some of the federal legislation
pending on this subject.
It is clear that while this subject is . of vital concern to our
Committee and to the Board that it would be more appropriate to
request the State ,.Legislature to hold hearings rather than to
attempt to do so on our own. We are, therefore, recommending
that working through Assemblyman Campbell' s office we attempt to
have .Assemblywoman Killea' s committee conduct interim hearings in
this County once the Legislature has adjourned this fall.
TO:
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS 1. 0.
C "
FROM: Contra
INTERNAL OPERATIONS COMMITTEE
Costa
i�
DATE . April 25, 1988 COJ*
SUBJECT: Impact of Foreign Government Investment „'
in American Companies
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATIONS:
1 . Direct the County Administrator to request Assemblyman
Campbell to ask Assemblywoman Lucy Killea, Chair of the
Assembly Committee on International Trade and
Intergovernmental Relations, to hold interim hearings this
fall in Contra Costa County on the issue of foreign
government investment in .American companies, and the impact
of such investment on the employment and economic levels in
the County.
2 . Remove this item as a referral to our Committee.
BACKGROUND:
Some months ago, the Board expressed its concern with the impact
foreign investment was having in American companies. It has been
alleged that such investment tends to lead to the expansion of
non-union jobs at sub-standard wages thereby impacting both the
union employees in the County and the overall economic health of
the community.
At the request of the Board, our Committee wrote to our state and
federal legislative representatives requesting information from
them on any data which may exist on this subject. We also asked
about the interest of the legislators in conducting hearings on
this subject. As is indicated in the attached report from the
County Administrator' s Office, we received responses from
Assemblyman Campbell, Senator Petris, the principal consultant to
the Assembly Committee on International Trade and
Intergovernmental Relations, and Congressman Miller.
Assemblyman Campbell indicates in his letter that he ,has directed
his staff to work with us in whatever way the Board wishes to
obtain information on this "subject from the appropriate
legislative committees. Senator Petris forwarded us a most
interesting document from the State Department of Commerce
entitled: Foreign Direct Investment in California. Senator
Petris agrees that the Legislature should hold hearings on this
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: X YES SIGNATURE:
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR X RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
APPROVE OTHE ���G%�C��a�.�•
S I GNATURE I S 1: Sunne W. McPeak n Tom Torlakson
ACTION OF BOARD ON May 3, 1938 A?PROVED A.S. RECOMMENDED X OTHER
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
1 HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
X UNANIMOUS (ABSENT ) AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN
AYES: NOES: AND, ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
CC: County Administrator ATTESTED J /98.0
Congressman George Miller PHIL BA CHELOR, CLERK OF THE BOARD OF
State Legislative Delegation SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
BY
M382/1-83 ,DEPUTY—
r
Page 2
subject. We also received a letter from Kathleen Krause,
principal consultant to Assemblywoman Killea' s committee, setting
forth some of the concerns that have been expressed both in state
and federal legislation, and indicating her willingness to work
with the Board in conducting interim hearings. Congressman
Miller' s letter references the difficulty of trying to track the
ownership of various companies because of their interlocking
directorates and references some of the federal legislation
pending on this subject.
It is clear that while this subject is of vital concern to our
Committee and to the Board that it would be more appropriate to
request the State Legislature to hold hearings rather than to
attempt to da so on our own. We are, therefore, recommending
that working through Assemblyman Campbell ' s office we attempt to
have Assemblywoman Killea' s committee conduct interim hearings in
this County once the Legislature has adjourned this fall.