The United Chambers of Commerce of the Greater San Fernando Valley’s Small Business Awards Breakfast featured a “state of the county” address by L.A. Supervisors Mike Antonovich and Zev Yaroslavsky. Antonovich and Yaroslavsky painted a dire picture of the county’s future if the cutbacks being contemplated by Governor Schwarzenegger and the state legislature come to fruition, during a recent United Chambers of Commerce event. Many of the county’s social service programs crucial to the poor, sick and elderly, depend on state funds, and those programs would take a huge hit with the proposed cutbacks, they said. Especially worrisome is the potential elimination of the state’s welfare-to- work program CalWorks, which Yaroslavsky said would result in the loss of more than 6,000 county jobs, and would adversely impact thousands more who depend on the services. “The impact [of eliminating this program] is very significant and entirely adverse,” Yaroslavsky said. As the largest employer in the County with more than 100,000 workers, L.A. County has a direct impact in the region’s business climate, and the cuts to programs would especially have an impact on the region’s unemployment, they said. As a government institution the County of Los Angeles is the only body of government that is doing considerably well in California in the midst of the financial crisis, in large part because the County has made it a point to not invest in new programs it would not be able to sustain in the long term, they said. “It’s about living within our means,” Antonovich said. The Supervisors spoke at the Small Business Awards Breakfast at the Beverly Garland’s Holiday Inn, hosted by the United Chambers of Commerce of the Greater San Fernando Valley on June 4. The event recognized the contributions of small businesses and the Chambers that support them. The 2009 Small Business Award Winners were: Agoura/Oak Park/ Conejo Valley Chamber Volvo of Calabasas, Steve Lapin Arleta Chamber Jerry’s Automotive, Yervand Urfalyan and Jerry Dunn Calabasas Chamber Atmosphere Events and Catering, Dana Rolland Canoga Park/ West Hills Chamber Affordable Signs, Jay and David Chen Chatsworth/ Porter Ranch Chamber Naya Fresh Body Spa, Maria Patterson and Eric Pampalone Encino Chamber Pinnacle Bancorp, Melissa Loeffler Granada Hills Chamber, All Valley Trophy, Nickie Wheeler and Dean Spencer Greater San Fernando Valley Chamber Thomas Graphics, Mike Thomas San Fernando Chamber MP Auto Body Shop, Morgan Palos SFV Filipino American Chamber D’New Aristocrat Bakery and Restaurant, Susan Maranan Studio City Chamber Rusty’s Discount Pet Center, Terry Wainscott Universal City/ North Hollywood Chamber Sky Flowers, Olga Garabekyan Valley Economic Development Center Pacific Coast Analytical Services, Claudio Cardelli Winnetka Chamber State Farm Insurance, Jason Schomas Woodland Hills/ Tarzana Chamber State of the Art Images, Jim and Marci Brammer
