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Tri-County Sentry
Friday
FEBRUARY 28, 2014
State News Rep. Bass Supports DA Lacey's Program Brownley Applauds Administration’s to Help Victims of Sex Trafficking Export/Import Initiative
Los Angeles, CA – Representative Karen Bass (D-Calif.) released the following statement after Los Angeles District Attorney Jackie Lacey’s announcement of a new program that will provide minors in Los Angeles County who were victims of sex trafficking with real resources to get them off the streets and into care. "I want to personally thank District Attorney Lacey for her important proposal. For far too long minors who were victims of sex trafficking were also victimized by the criminal
justice system who treated them as criminals and not victims. These young peo-
ple need help, not punishment, and the 'First Step' Program will provide them with real resources and guidance to enable them move to a better life. “Putting an end to sex trafficking should and is a non-partisan issue. Congress is poised to pass substantial legislation that will strengthen the child welfare response to child trafficking by providing child welfare employees with appropriate tools to identify, document, educate, and counsel child victims of trafficking and those at-risk as well as BASS, See page 12A
Assemblymember Rocky Chávez was associated with 10 or more different names. One number was used 162
times within a single quarter, resulting in $600,000 paid out in three months. AB 1631 will help cut down on identity theft and fraud by requiring EDD to investigate when it sees multiple names associated with a single social security number. “Californians have been severely impacted by the recession, and so has the State’s Unemployment Insurance account, which is currently running a $10 billion deficit,” Chávez said. “Our state should ensure that funds paid for by taxpayers and employers are spent wisely and not subject to fraud and abuse.”
Representative Karen Bass
Assemblymember Chávez Introduces Bill to Reduce Fraud
SACRAMENTO – Assemblymember Rocky Chávez (R-Oceanside) introduced Assembly Bill 1631. The measure will require the Employment Development Department (EDD) to investigate cases in which a single social security number is associated with multiple names. In cases where the number is being used by multiple names, EDD will send the information to the Department of Justice for further investigation. In October 2013, the State Auditor’s Office discovered more than 1,400 instances where a single Social Security number
Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-Westlake Village) applauded President Obama’s signing of an Executive Order that will improve the export/import processes for America’s small businesses by requiring completion of the International Trade Data System (ITDS) by December 2016. Once completed, the ITDS will reduce approval and processing times for U.S. small businesses seeking to import and export goods from days to minutes. Currently, California business must submit paper forms to a multitude of government agencies and wait days for processing
Congresswoman Julia Brownley and approval before moving goods across the border or through our ports. Once ITDS is fully implemented, it will reduce the
time and expense for businesses and will help facilitate the moving of 50 million containers and $3.8 trillion worth of goods that cross American borders each year. “I applaud this pro-small business export/import initiative, which will allow small businesses in Ventura County to more easily export American-made products to foreign markets,” said Congresswoman Brownley. “Not only will the ITDS help small businesses cut through burdensome bureaucratic red tape, it will help create jobs here at home that will continue to fuel our local economic recovery.” BROWNLEY, See page 12A
New Program Takes Big Step in the Fight Against Veteran Homelessness
A new residential treatment facility aimed at preventing homelessness among veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan opened in San Diego recently. While the city has a veteran population of 240,000, the Aspire Center is the only facility to exclusively serve veterans coming home from 21stcentury wars, the Los Angeles Times reports. Vincent Kane, director of the Veterans Affairs' National Center on Homeless-
Terrance Coleman, R, a homeless U.S. military veteran, is greeted before bedtime at a shelter for homeless men. ness Among Veterans, said opening the center was an important step in caring for newer veterans, who share common experiences and
are of similar ages. "When you have a tighter cohort, you can focus in on their specific needs," Kane told the Los Angeles Times. "The older veterans are at a different station of life." The VA plans to open four more residential treatment facilities -- in Philadelphia, Denver, Atlanta, and West Palm Beach, Fla. -- over the next two years, but the San Diego facility VETERAN, See page 12A
Runner Holds Small Business Telephone Townhall
SACRAMENTO – Board of Equalization Member George Runner hosted a telephone townhall for small business owners on Wednesday, February 19 at 2:00 p.m. The free event, co-hosted by the National Federation of Independent Business, provided specific information to small business owners on how best to avoid common tax errors. “Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, but everyday owners face challenges with California’s complicated tax laws,” said Runner. “As their elected taxpayer advocate, I want to make sure small business owners can be successful and avoid the pitfalls of California’s tax traps.” The telephone townhall informed small business owners about how to protect themselves from common tax traps such as missing records, successor liability, underreporting of tax, and invalid resale certificates. Information about these issues helps small business owners avoid making potentially costly mistakes. Runner held a similar telephone townhall earlier this month. An audio recording is available at www.boe.ca.gov/smallbiz.