Dear Roger,
The San Antonio Economic Development Foundation (SAEDF), with partner organizations, like the North San Antonio Chamber, and private-sector support, is working to develop a collaborative, regional economic development strategy, challenging us to "think differently and act urgently with respect to economic and workforce development."
The resulting economic development strategy looks beyond city and county boundaries to capture and build not only the workforce talent in San Antonio but also in the municipalities surrounding our city.
The goal is to position Greater San Antonio as a viable — and desirable — area for Business Attraction, Business Retention and Expansion, Global Development, and Entrepreneurial Development.
It all begins with your input and with your help spreading the word. That is why I am urging ALL member businesses to participate in a regional survey and to share the survey with colleagues, friends, and family.
But hurry, the survey closes Monday, July 1 at 5 p.m. CDT.
San Antonio's Paid Sick Leave (PSL) ordinance IS effective August 1
The North San Antonio Chamber has worked diligently to influence the City of San Antonio to recognize the inherent issues that make local PSL ordinances a bad approach to business—there is more work to be done.
While the North SA Chamber believes it is completely appropriate for a business organization's benefits package to include paid time off for employees to care for themselves or family, we do not support imposing mandatory paid sick leave. No municipality has the right to intervene in the employee-employer relationship or impose what benefits businesses offer employees.
An opinion from the Third Court of Appeals in Austin declared that a municipality in Texas cannot adopt a paid sick leave ordinance without violating the Texas Minimum Wage Act.
The City of Austin has appealed the Third Court's decision. Unless the Texas Supreme Court overturns the Third Court's ruling, the Austin ordinance is illegal; and, by extension, the San Antonio ordinance, which is identical, would also be in violation of state law. The Texas Supreme Court has yet to decide whether it will hear the case.
A letter sent from the Texas Attorney General to the City of San Antonio on July 9, 2018, supported the Third Court's opinion, stating "state law preempts" San Antonio from enacting a paid sick leave ordinance.
While we wait to see what happens with the Austin appeal, the PSL effective date of August 1, 2019, remains a reality in our city, and we now encourage San Antonio businesses to become familiar with the San Antonio PSL ordinance and its impacts.
We are continuing our efforts to defeat this ordinance; in the meantime, six PSL Information Sessions take place from June 20 through July 22, and we encourage member businesses to register and attend one of the sessions.
The North San Antonio Chamber has worked diligently to influence the City of San Antonio to recognize the inherent issues that make local PSL ordinances a bad approach to business—there is more work to be done.
While the North SA Chamber believes it is completely appropriate for a business organization's benefits package to include paid time off for employees to care for themselves or family, we do not support imposing mandatory paid sick leave. No municipality has the right to intervene in the employee-employer relationship or impose what benefits businesses offer employees.
An opinion from the Third Court of Appeals in Austin declared that a municipality in Texas cannot adopt a paid sick leave ordinance without violating the Texas Minimum Wage Act.
The City of Austin has appealed the Third Court's decision. Unless the Texas Supreme Court overturns the Third Court's ruling, the Austin ordinance is illegal; and, by extension, the San Antonio ordinance, which is identical, would also be in violation of state law. The Texas Supreme Court has yet to decide whether it will hear the case.
A letter sent from the Texas Attorney General to the City of San Antonio on July 9, 2018, supported the Third Court's opinion, stating "state law preempts" San Antonio from enacting a paid sick leave ordinance.
While we wait to see what happens with the Austin appeal, the PSL effective date of August 1, 2019, remains a reality in our city, and we now encourage San Antonio businesses to become familiar with the San Antonio PSL ordinance and its impacts.
We are continuing our efforts to defeat this ordinance; in the meantime, six PSL Information Sessions take place from June 20 through July 22, and we encourage member businesses to register and attend one of the sessions.
Mexico becomes the first of three North American trading partners to ratify USMCA
Why USMCA ratification is critical to Texas:
Why USMCA ratification is critical to Texas:
- Mexico is Texas' largest export market
- Trade with Mexico and Canada supports more than 950,000 Texas jobs
- More than $120B in 2018 exports purchased by Mexico and Canada
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