A panel of technology-industry visionaries discuss the city's tech sector at the Chamber's 2012 CityBeat Breakfast. [From left: Pando Daily Founder, CEO and Editor-in-Chief Sarah Lacy; Salesforce.com Chief Operating Officer George Hu; Twitter Vice President Katie Jacobs Stanton; angel investor and Founder/Chairman of sf.citi Ron Conway.]

S.F. Rallies for Jobs, Growth – Nearly 1,000 business, government and labor leaders rallied for jobs and economic growth Tuesday at the Chamber’s annual CityBeat Breakfast presented by JPMorgan Chase & Co. Themed “Prosperity Together,” this year’s event focused on collaborative efforts to bolster employment and economic vitality including the city’s new partnership with the technology sector, sfciti, and redevelopment projects such as the America’s Cup and the California Pacific Medical Center. “We don’t have a jobs problem, we have a growth problem,” said JPMorgan Chase Senior Economist James Glassman. “Doing things to get businesses going is the best way to have a job recovery.” During his remarks, Mayor Ed Lee reaffirmed his focus on jobs and pledged to “get the CPMC job done.” The Chamber thanks CityBeat 2012 sponsors: JPMorgan Chase & Co, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, AT&T, California Pacific Medical Center, Dignity Health, Kaiser Permanente, Marcum and other supporters. View Photos. Read more.

CityBeat Poll Reveals Optimism and Insights – San Franciscans are optimistic about the future and support economic growth, according to the Chamber’s 2012 CityBeat Poll unveiled Tuesday at the CityBeat Breakfast. Fifty-eight percent of city voters believe the city is going in the right direction, double the amount since 2010. Voters rank jobs and the economy as the second major issue facing the city – following only homelessness and panhandling – and support tax reforms to improve job creation. “When it comes to new and increased taxes and fees, there is currently little to no appetite among voters,” said Chamber President & CEO Steve Falk of voter opposition to six of the seven revenue measures polled. Following last year’s Mayoral election, 58 percent of voters say they would prefer a runoff election if no candidate receives a majority vote – up from 52 percent in 2011. Read more. View the poll.

New Venue Plan for the Americas Cup – Mayor Ed Lee and the America’s Cup Event Authority (ACEA) announced a new venue plan for the 34th America’s Cup in San Francisco Monday that will consolidate all racing teams at Pier 80 and build a race village at Pier 27-29. Under the new agreement, the ACEA will invest $10 - $18 million in race infrastructure along the city’s Southern waterfront, rather than the $111 million originally proposed for Piers 30-32. “While the consolidated agreement is not expected to significantly diminish the number of spectators attending the events, it misses important opportunities for job creation and investment in two dilapidated piers, with no current alternatives for repair,” said Chamber President & CEO Steve Falk. “Despite the changed agreement, the America’s Cup is still a spectacular event delivering enormous economic benefits to our city.” The Board of Supervisors will vote on the new agreement on March 27. Read more.

CurrenC SF Direct Deposit Program – The Chamber joined San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee, Treasurer Jose Cisneros and United Way of the Bay Area Wednesday to announce CurrenC SF, a new direct deposit program to reduce the usage of paper paychecks in San Francisco. A partnership between the Chamber, the Office of Financial Empowerment and the United Way of the Bay Area, the new initiative will help businesses move to paperless payroll, provide workers with a pay card that can be used like a debit card, and match unbanked workers with low-cost checking accounts at local financial institutions. “Employers spend an estimated $8 to $10 each on the 4 million paychecks that are lost or stolen every year across the U.S.,” said Chamber President & CEO Steve Falk. “Direct deposit simply helps improve the bottom line.” Several Chamber member employers are championing the program including: Blue Shield of California, Bi-Rite Market, Goodwill Industries, Recology, Rickshaw Bagworks and Walgreens. Read more. For more information or to learn how your business can participate, visit www.currencsf.org. 

This Week in Public Policy – The Board of Supervisors voted 9-2 to create a pilot program providing free counsel in civil cases. Board President David Chiu introduced legislation to require improved signage for public spaces that accompany new downtown buildings. Supervisor Scott Wiener introduced legislation to ease local restrictions on food truck operations near schools and sponsored legislation to clarify the rules for student housing in San Francisco. The Planning Commission elected Rodney Fong as its new president and newly-appointed Cindy Wu as vice president. The Port Commission is considering an agreement to renovate six buildings in the Pier 70 area for manufacturing, design and technology office space. Muni operators filed another lawsuit to overturn Chamber-supported Prop G, passed by voters in 2010. The U.S. House of Representatives approved a water bill that would upend the state’s system of water rights and extract water from Northern California cities to send to farmers in the valley.

Members Making News – The American Red Cross Bay Area Chapter and Pacific Gas and Electric Company have teamed up to help prepare communities for a natural disaster.  Levi Strauss & Co offers a peek at its Fall/Winter 2012 collection at the Levi’s show during New York Fashion Week.  Salesforce.com announced that it will expand in downtown San Francisco, rather than in Mission Bay, to accommodate faster-than-expected growth from 3,000 to an estimated 5,000 employees in the next few years.  Click here to submit your company’s news.

Customers are 44 percent more likely to think positively of your business and 63 percent more likely to buy goods and services from your business if they know you are a member of your local chamber of commerce. The Chamber invites you to take advantage of this positive brand recognition by using our “Proud Member” logo on your website and marketing materials. To access your logo and learn more about how you can make the most of your membership, contact Sharon Morrison at smorrison@sfchamber.com or 415.352.8842.  

The Chamber is now taking names for Business Alliance – a structured leads-exchange program designed for networking, professional and personal development. Members develop skills and tools to grow their businesses, dramatically expand their network of contacts, and exchange leads, which turn into increased revenue. Last year’s program generated hundreds of leads and closed over $500,000 in business. Read more.  Contact Sharon Morrison at smorrison@sfchamber.com or 415.352.8842. 

The Chamber has partnered with California’s preeminent Human Resources expert, Employers Group, to help members understand the complexities of state employment laws, mitigate risk, manage the compliance burden, define priorities and minimize costs. Chamber members can enjoy a 60 day membership trial for $19.99, including unlimited access to: a live consulting helpline, a live reference center and BNA’s HR Essentials with Employers Group. After the trial, Chamber members receive an exclusive 25% discount on annual Employers Group dues and a training credit on dues amount dollar-for-dollar. Read more. Register Online.