Silicon Valley Leadership Group

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.svlg.org

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

  1. ↑ 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.
  2. ↑ "The Silicon Valley Leadership Group - About Us".
  3. ↑ "About Us: Carl Guardino". svlg.org. Retrieved 10 Nov 2014.
  4. 1 2 Silicon Valley Leadership Group Bio for Carl Guardino
  5. ↑ VTA page talking about defeat of June 2006 Measure A
  6. ↑ Blog entry about No on June 2006 Measure A being sued
  7. ↑ Reporting about attempt to silence June 2006 Santa Clara County Measure A opponents
  8. ↑ 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%
  9. ↑ Patrick Moore; Transportation Chair; Sierra Club; Loma Prieta Chapter. "Letters to the Editor" (PDF). p. 19.
  10. ↑ "Silicon Valley Leadership Group wants support for sales tax exemptions for larger businesses". San Jose Mercury News. April 19, 2006.
  11. ↑ SB 1291, Elaine Alquist
  12. ↑ AB 2218, Alberto Torrico
  13. ↑ Jennifer Martinez (1 Aug 2013). "Tech and agriculture industries team up to lobby for immigration reform". The Hill. Retrieved 10 Nov 2014.
  14. ↑ Jeremy Quittner (26 Nov 2013). "Immigration Reform Pressures Mount". Inc.com. Retrieved 10 Nov 2014.
  15. ↑ Greg Baumann (2 Apr 2014). "If you want to see immigration reform in 2014, contact John Boehner". Silicon Valley Business Journal. Retrieved 10 Nov 2014.
  16. ↑ Lauren Hepler (5 Apr 2014). "Tech amasses lobbying clout on immigration". Silicon Valley Business Journal. Retrieved 11 Nov 2014.
  17. ↑ "Silicon Valley Leaders Propose San Jose as a Satellite Location for U.S. Patent Office". svlg.org. Retrieved 2018-07-01.
  18. ↑ "Regional Patent Office for Silicon Valley; Big Win for the Leadership Group and Its Partners". svlg.org. Retrieved 2018-07-01.
  19. ↑ "Accomplishments". svlg.org. Retrieved 2018-07-01.
  20. ↑ "Feds approve $647 million grant for Caltrain electrification project". The Mercury News. 2017-05-22. Retrieved 2018-07-01.
  21. ↑ "Historic Groundbreaking for Caltrain Electrification". svlg.org. Retrieved 2018-07-01.
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