Silicon Valley Leadership Group
Founded | 1978 |
---|---|
Founder | David Packard |
Type | Advocacy group |
Focus | Technology business advocacy |
Location |
|
Area served | Silicon Valley |
Key people | Carl Guardino, President & CEO |
Website | www |
The Silicon Valley Leadership Group (SVLG) is a non-profit advocacy group in Silicon Valley, California, in the United States. Its members are businesses that operate in the valley and its purpose is to influence public policy relating to the valley.[1]
The organization was founded in 1978 by David Packard, co-founder of Hewlett-Packard, and represents more than 390 Silicon Valley's firms.[2]
History
The group was founded as the Silicon Valley Manufacturing Group (SVMG) by David Packard in 1978. In March 2005, it changed its name to Silicon Valley Leadership Group (SVLG). Carl Guardino was appointed CEO in January 1997.[3]
Issues
Santa Clara sales tax measures
The SVLG has been heavily involved with a number of sales tax increase measures in Santa Clara County; specifically 1996,[4] 2000,[4] and the failed June 2006 measure.[5] In June 2006, SVLG and the South Bay Labor Council outspent their opponents $1.2 million to $50,000 in an effort to raise the county sales tax further.[6][7] In spite of this huge discrepancy SVLG lost.[8][9]
At the same time SVLG was campaigning for increasing the local sales tax, they were en route to Sacramento on a lobbying junket to push for[10] two bills - SB 1291[11] and AB 2218[12] - that would have exempt companies from state sales taxes for purchasing equipment used in manufacturing and research.
Immigration reform
SVLG advocates immigration reform in the United States,[13] claiming there is a growing lack of skilled labor in Silicon Valley that could be closed by immigration.[14] Specifically, the SVLG advocates increasing the number of H-1B visas and easing access to green cards.[15][16]
U.S. Patents and Trademarks Office
SVLG has supported San Jose in its bid for a regional patent office.[17] In 2012, the Leadership Group claimed the confirmation of San Jose as a host of one of the four regional offices a "big win."[18]
Electrification of Caltrain
The Silicon Valley Leadership Group has worked in coordination with local leaders to fund the electrification of Caltrain.[19] In May 2017, the Federal Transit Administration approved a $647 million grant to the electrification project.[20] The Leadership Group's CEO, Carl Guardino, described the confirmation of the federal grant as "The major holidays wrapped into one with a beautiful Caltrain bow around it.” Two months later, in July, a group of people (including SVLG's CEO, Caltrain's CEO, as well as various elected officials and business leaders) celebrated the official groundbreaking of the Caltrain electrification project.[21]
References
- ^ Justine Burt (July 18, 2011). "Highlights of Silicon Valley Leadership Group's June 2011 Energy Summit". Triple Pundit. Archived from the original on January 18, 2013.
{{cite web}}
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ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ "The Silicon Valley Leadership Group - About Us".
- ^ "About Us: Carl Guardino". svlg.org. Retrieved November 10, 2014.
- ^ a b [1] Silicon Valley Leadership Group Bio for Carl Guardino
- ^ [2] VTA page talking about defeat of June 2006 Measure A
- ^ [3] Blog entry about No on June 2006 Measure A being sued
- ^ [4] Reporting about attempt to silence June 2006 Santa Clara County Measure A opponents
- ^ [5] June 2006 Election Results:
1115/1115 100.00% Vote Count Percent NO 153,592 57.13% YES 115,239 42.87% Total 268,831 100.00%
- ^ Patrick Moore; Transportation Chair; Sierra Club; Loma Prieta Chapter. "Letters to the Editor" (PDF). p. 19.
- ^ "Silicon Valley Leadership Group wants support for sales tax exemptions for larger businesses". San Jose Mercury News. April 19, 2006.[dead link]
- ^ SB 1291, Elaine Alquist
- ^ AB 2218, Alberto Torrico
- ^ Jennifer Martinez (August 1, 2013). "Tech and agriculture industries team up to lobby for immigration reform". The Hill. Retrieved November 10, 2014.
- ^ Jeremy Quittner (November 26, 2013). "Immigration Reform Pressures Mount". Inc.com. Retrieved November 10, 2014.
- ^ Greg Baumann (April 2, 2014). "If you want to see immigration reform in 2014, contact John Boehner". Silicon Valley Business Journal. Retrieved November 10, 2014.
- ^ Lauren Hepler (April 5, 2014). "Tech amasses lobbying clout on immigration". Silicon Valley Business Journal. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
- ^ "Silicon Valley Leaders Propose San Jose as a Satellite Location for U.S. Patent Office". svlg.org. Retrieved July 1, 2018.
- ^ "Regional Patent Office for Silicon Valley; Big Win for the Leadership Group and Its Partners". svlg.org. Retrieved July 1, 2018.
- ^ "Accomplishments". svlg.org. Retrieved July 1, 2018.
- ^ "Feds approve $647 million grant for Caltrain electrification project". The Mercury News. May 22, 2017. Retrieved July 1, 2018.
- ^ "Historic Groundbreaking for Caltrain Electrification". svlg.org. Retrieved July 1, 2018.
External links
- Ourpower.org
- Electric Vehicles International (EVI)
- OEMTEK
- How Silicon Valley could become the Detroit of electric cars.
- A car that could save the planet—fast- Silicon Valley's big brains think they can beat Detroit and Tokyo.