(January 21, 2009) The California Chamber of Commerce and the California Trade Coalition this week announced the launch of a new website to highlight the importance of policies that will keep California’s ports competitive.

The website, www.calchamber.com/caltrade, provides information and background from the California Trade Coalition, comprised of trade- and freight-related industries operating throughout California.

Included on the site is correspondence to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger underscoring the urgency of action to preserve the state’s competitiveness as a gateway for international trade.

“Our current decline in trade volumes is not a function of the downturn in the economy alone; rather, it is the unfortunate result of myriad anti-trade policies, attitudes and politics,” the California Trade Coalition wrote. “If we are not able to protect California’s leading role as a trade gateway, the impacts to our state and local economies will be sustained and extensive.”

Make Ports Competitive

The California Trade Coalition calls on the Governor and California policymakers to work with them to make California’s ports and trade infrastructure more competitive by:

Balancing California’s regulatory environment so it is reasonable, fair and workable in light of port competitive issues.

Allowing the private sector to pursue investment in trade infrastructure immediately, encouraging partnerships that accelerate real development of infrastructure and ending the policy of elevating the goal of leveraging resources out of the trade community over the development of trade itself.

Stopping the damaging debate over state-imposed container fees by proactively working to prevent any such impositions, taxes or “fees” on trade.

Information

The website provides information to support these points and outlines how declining cargo volumes, reduced port activity and job reductions signal the declining competitiveness of California’s ports.

In addition, the site details how other states and countries are positioning themselves to take advantage of California’s diminished economic competitiveness during the current economic crisis.

The site also offers information about how increased container taxes, new regulatory mandates and broader economic uncertainty further undermine the immediate and long-term prospects of California ports.