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30 (216) Susana Barrios From:Theresa Bass Sent:Tuesday, June 13, 2023 12:49 PM To:Public Comment Subject:FW: \[EXTERNAL\] Agenda Item 30 (Hotel And Event Center Worker Protection, Retention, And Minimum Wage Ordinance) / Letters from Association Members Attachments:06.13.23 - AOCHLA - Letter to Anaheim City Council_FINAL (1) (1).pdf From: Samantha Marquez <samantha.marquez@aochla.com> Sent: Tuesday, June 13, 2023 10:21 AM To: Ashleigh Aitken <AAitken@anaheim.net>; Natalie Rubalcava <NRubalcava@anaheim.net>; Natalie Meeks <NMeeks@anaheim.net>; Jose Diaz <JoDiaz@anaheim.net>; Stephen Faessel <SFaessel@anaheim.net>; Carlos A. Leon <CLeon@anaheim.net>; Norma C. Kurtz <NKurtz@anaheim.net> Cc: Jim Vanderpool <JVanderpool@anaheim.net>; Theresa Bass <TBass@anaheim.net> Subject: \[EXTERNAL\] Agenda Item 30 (Hotel And Event Center Worker Protection, Retention, And Minimum Wage Ordinance) / Letters from Association Members Warning: This email originated from outside the City of Anaheim. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and are expecting the message. Dear Mayor Aitken and Members of the City Council: On behalf of the Anaheim/Orange County Hotel & Lodging Association, please find attached to this email a letter from AOCHLA and its members regarding Item 30 on tonight’s agenda. Thank you, Sam Samantha L. Marquez Executive Director Anaheim/Orange County Hotel & Lodging Association p: (626) 373-3146 . e: samantha.marquez@aochla.com 1 June 13,2023 The Hon.Ashleigh Aitken Office of the Mayor and City Council City of Anaheim 200 S.Anaheim Boulevard,7th Floor Anaheim,CA 92805 RE:Agenda Item 30 (Hotel And Event Center Worker Protection,Retention,And Minimum Wage Ordinance)/Letters from Association Members Dear Mayor Aitken and Members of the City Council: On behalf of the Anaheim/Orange County Hotel &Lodging Association,I urge you to order a special election to address the Hotel and Event Center Worker Protection,Retention,And Minimum Wage Ordinance. While we understand that city staff has been directed to undertake and report its findings on the wider consequences of the initiative on the city,the hospitality industry already knows that the wage,workplace rules,and implementation written into the initiative make it unworkable, impractical,and unrealistic to abide by even under the best of circumstances. If voters were to approve the measure in a November 2024 election,hotels would have to implement it at the peak of the December 2024 holiday season,when many of the nation’s few hospitality professionals qualified to oversee such a process would likely be unavailable, especially on such short notice.The implementation mandate forces large and small hoteliers to undertake massive administrative,personnel,and technical changes to policies and procedures at the most inopportune time. We are also deeply concerned about the financial implications that the initiative will impose on our city’s convention center,which according to the report the city commissioned Baker Tilly to complete,will see an initial loss of $8.6 million that will impact Anaheim’s general fund, creating a significant deficit year after year that will inevitably affect programs and services that Anaheim residents rely on.Major bookings for the Anaheim Convention Center happen years in advance,and 15 months of uncertainty will only increase our city’s chances of losing major conventions like the NAMM and the Natural Products Expo to cities like Las Vegas in the years to come. Not only does this initiative strain the city’s budget,but it will have disastrous consequences for organizations like the YMCA,schools,religious groups,and other organizations that host events and qualify as event centers under its poorly and vaguely written language.This is just one example of how the initiative’s unintended consequences could have a significantly detrimental impact across swaths of the city’s economy that have nothing to do with hospitality.Surely,such an overly broad and overreaching measure deserves quick resolution –the residents of Anaheim certainly do. For these reasons,the Anaheim/Orange County Hotel and Lodging Association respectfully requests that you order the initiative a special election in September 2024 and not leave the people and businesses of Anaheim in a cloud of uncertainty for the next 15 months.Please find enclosed additional letters from a selection of our association members. Sincerely, Samantha L.Marquez Executive Director Cc: The Hon.Natalie Rubalcava,Mayor Pro Tem The Hon.Jose Diaz,Council Member The Hon.Carlos Leon,Council Member The Hon.Norma Campos Kurtz,Council Member The Hon.Stephen Faessel,Council Member The Hon.Natalie Meeks,Council Member Mr.Jim Vanderpool,City Manager Ms.Theresa Bass,City Clerk Enc:13 1460 S. Harbor Blvd, Anaheim CA 92802 Mayor Ashleigh E. AItken Mayor Pro Tem Natalie Rubalcava Councilmember Jose Diaz Councilmember Carlos A. Leon Councilmember Norma Campos Kurtz Councilmember Stephen Faessel Councilmember Natalie Meeks Anaheim City Hall 200 S. Anaheim Blvd. Anaheim, CA 92805 RE: Hotel and Event Center Minimum Wage, Worker Retention, and Hotel Worker Safety and Workload Initiative Mayor Aitken, Mayor Pro Tem Rubalcava, and Councilmembers: On behalf of the Fairfield by Marriott Anaheim Resort I am writing to ask that the pending Hotel and Event Center Minimum Wage, Worker Retention, and Hotel Worker Safety and Workload Initiative (the “Initiative”) be placed on the ballot for the voters of Anaheim to decide at a special election later this year. While we understand that city staff has been directed to undertake and report its findings on the wider consequences of the Initiative on the city, the hospitality industry already knows that the wage, workplace rules, and implementation written into the Initiative make it unworkable, impractical, and unrealistic to abide by even under the best of circumstances. If voters were to approve the measure in a November 2024 vote, implementation would be mandated in the peak of the December 2024 holiday season, when a number of hotel professionals needed to oversee this process would likely be unavailable. The implementation mandate forces hoteliers, large and small, to undertake massive administrative, personnel, and technical changes to policies and procedures at the most inopportune time. A special election in the late summer or fall of 2023 allows hoteliers more ability to put any new mandated rules into effect, were the Initiative to be approved. Further, if the Initiative is successful at the ballot box in November 2024, the City of Anaheim may find it necessary to hire additional staff, or even to create an additional new department, in order to monitor and enforce the ordinance. Again, this timing would necessarily coincide with the 2024 holidays. While we stand in steadfast support of and agree with the worker safety and “panic button” provisions of the Initiative, we oppose the wage mandate and workplace rules which would devastate smaller Anaheim hotels and force larger ones to increase their costs to consumers – and slash TOT revenue to the city in the process. Voters in Anaheim deserve the chance to vote upon the proposal sooner rather than later. Thank you for your consideration. We hope you will support a special election. Best regards, Karen Lorton-Vella General Manager CC: Jim Vanderpool, City Manager Mayor Ashleigh E. AItken Mayor Pro Tem Natalie Rubalcava Councilmember Jose Diaz Councilmember Carlos A. Leon Councilmember Norma Campos Kurtz Councilmember Stephen Faessel Councilmember Natalie Meeks Anaheim City Hall 200 S. Anaheim Blvd. Anaheim, CA 92805 RE: Hotel and Event Center Minimum Wage, Worker Retention, and Hotel Worker Safety and Workload Initiative Mayor Aitken, Mayor Pro Tem Rubalcava, and Councilmembers: On behalf of the Cortona Inn & Suites I am writing to ask that the pending Hotel and Event Center Minimum Wage, Worker Retention, and Hotel Worker Safety and Workload Initiative (the “Initiative”) be placed on the ballot for the voters of Anaheim to decide at a special election later this year. While we understand that city staff has been directed to undertake and report its findings on the wider consequences of the Initiative on the city, the hospitality industry already knows that the wage, workplace rules, and implementation written into the Initiative make it unworkable, impractical, and unrealistic to abide by even under the best of circumstances. If voters were to approve the measure in a November 2024 vote, implementation would be mandated in the peak of the December 2024 holiday season, when a number of hotel professionals needed to oversee this process would likely be unavailable. The implementation mandate forces hoteliers, large and small, to undertake massive administrative, personnel, and technical changes to policies and procedures at the most inopportune time. A special election in the late summer or fall of 2023 allows hoteliers more ability to put any new mandated rules into effect, were the Initiative to be approved. Further, if the Initiative is successful at the ballot box in November 2024, the City of Anaheim may find it necessary to hire additional staff, or even to create an additional new department, in order to monitor and enforce the ordinance. Again, this timing would necessarily coincide with the 2024 holidays. 2029 South Harbor Boulevard | Anaheim CA 92802 Phone: (714) 971-5000 | Fax: (714) 971-5001|ReservaGons: 800-416-7982 www.cortonainn.com While we stand in steadfast support of and agree with the worker safety and “panic button” provisions of the Initiative, we oppose the wage mandate and workplace rules which would devastate smaller Anaheim hotels and force larger ones to increase their costs to consumers – and slash TOT revenue to the city in the process. Voters in Anaheim deserve the chance to vote upon the proposal sooner rather than later. Thank you for your consideration. We hope you will support a special election. Best regards, Erika Gomez General Manager CC: Jim Vanderpool, City Manager 2029 South Harbor Boulevard | Anaheim CA 92802 Phone: (714) 971-5000 | Fax: (714) 971-5001|ReservaGons: 800-416-7982 www.cortonainn.com 631 WEST KATELLA AVE . ∙ FIFTH FLOOR ∙ ANAHEIM, CA 92802 714-399-0150 TEL 714-399-0151 FAX www.hansji.com May 24, 2023 Mayor Ashleigh E. AItken Mayor Pro Tem Natalie Rubalcava Councilmember Jose Diaz Councilmember Carlos A. Leon Councilmember Norma Campos Kurtz Councilmember Stephen Faessel Councilmember Natalie Meeks Anaheim City Hall 200 S. Anaheim Blvd. Anaheim, CA 92805 RE: Hotel and Event Center Minimum Wage, Worker Retention, and Hotel Worker Safety and Workload Initiative Mayor Aitken, Mayor Pro Tem Rubalcava, and Councilmembers: On behalf of Anaheim Desert Palms Hotel & Suites, Anaheim Desert Inn and Anaheim Del Sol Inn, I am writing to ask that the pending Hotel and Event Center Minimum Wage, Worker Retention, and Hotel Worker Safety and Workload Initiative (the “Initiati ve”) be placed on the ballot for the voters of Anaheim to decide at a special election later this year. While we understand that city staff has been directed to undertake and report its findings on the wider consequences of the Initiative on the city, the hospitality industry already knows that the wage, workplace rules, and implementation written into the Initiative make it unworkable, impractical, and unrealistic to abide by even under the best of circumstances. If voters were to approve the measure in a November 2024 vote, implementation would be mandated in the peak of the December 2024 holiday season, when a number of hotel professionals needed to oversee this process would likely be unavailable. The implementation mandate forces hoteliers, large and small, to undertake massive administrative, personnel, and technical changes to policies and procedures at the most inopportune time. A special election in the late summer or fall of 2023 allows hoteliers more ability to put any new mandated rules into effect, were the Initiative to be approved. Further, if the Initiative is successful at the ballot box in November 2024, the City of Anaheim may find it necessary to hire additional staff, or even to create an additional new department, in order to monitor and enforce the ordinance. Again, this timing would necessarily coincide with the 2024 holidays. 631 WEST KATELLA AVE . ∙ FIFTH FLOOR ∙ AN AHEIM, CA 92802 714-399-0150 TEL 714-399-0151 FAX www.hansji.com While we stand in steadfast support of and agree with the worker safety and “panic button” provisions of the Initiative, we oppose the wage mandate and workplace rules which would devastate smaller Anaheim hotels and force larger ones to increase their costs to consumers – and slash TOT revenue to the city in the process. Voters in Anaheim deserve the chance to vote upon the proposal sooner rather t han later. Thank you for your consideration. We hope you will support a special election. Sincerely, Fred Brown Vice President of Operations and Technology General Manager, Desert Palms Hotel & Suites CC: Jim Vanderpool, City Manager Mayor Ashleigh E. Aitken May 25, 2023 Mayor Pro Tem Natalie Rubalcava Councilmember Jose Diaz Councilmember Carlos A. Leon Councilmember Norma Campos Kurtz Councilmember Stephen Faessel Councilmember Natalie Meeks Anaheim City Hall 200 S. Anaheim Blvd. Anaheim, CA 92805 RE: Hotel and Event Center Minimum Wage, Worker Retention, and Hotel Worker Safety and Workload Initiative Mayor Aitken, Mayor Pro Tem Rubalcava, and Councilmembers: On behalf of the Best Western Plus Anaheim Inn I am writing to ask that the pending Hotel and Event Center Minimum Wage, Worker Retention, and Hotel Worker Safety and Workload Initiative (the “Initiative”) be placed on the ballot for the voters of Anaheim to decide at a special election later this year. While we understand that city staff has been directed to undertake and report its findings on the wider consequences of the Initiative on the city, the hospitality industry already knows that the wage, workplace rules, and implementation written into the Initiative make it unworkable, impractical, and unrealistic to abide by even under the best of circumstances. If voters were to approve the measure in a November 2024 vote, im plementation would be mandated in the peak of the December 2024 holiday season, when a number of hotel professionals needed to oversee this process would likely be unavailable. The implementation mandate forces hoteliers, large and small, to undertake massive administrative, personnel, and technical changes to policies and procedures at the most inopportune time. A special election in the late summer or fall of 2023 allows hoteliers more ability to put any new mandated rules into effect, were the Initiative to be approved. Further, if the Initiative is successful at the ballot box in November 2024, the City of Anaheim may find it necessary to hire additional staff, or even to create an additional new department, in order to monitor and enforce the ordinance. Again, this timing would necessarily coincide with the 2024 holidays. While we stand in steadfast support of and agree with the worker safety and “panic button” provisions of the Initiative, we oppose the wage mandate and workplace rules which would devastate smaller Anaheim hotels and force larger ones to increase their costs to consumers – and slash TOT revenue to the city in the process. Voters in Anaheim deserve the chance to vote upon the proposal sooner rather than later. Thank you for your consideration. We hope you will support a special election. Best regards, Sue Edwards General Manager CC: Jim Vanderpool, City Manager Mayor Ashleigh E. AItken Mayor Pro Tem Natalie Rubalcava Councilmember Jose Diaz Councilmember Carlos A. Leon Councilmember Norma Campos Kurtz Councilmember Stephen Faessel Councilmember Natalie Meeks Anaheim City Hall 200 S. Anaheim Blvd. Anaheim, CA 92805 RE: Hotel and Event Center Minimum Wage, Worker Retention, and Hotel Worker Safety and Workload Initiative Mayor Aitken, Mayor Pro Tem Rubalcava, and Councilmembers: On behalf of the WorldMark Anaheim I am writing to ask that the pending Hotel and Event Center Minimum Wage, Worker Retention, and Hotel Worker Safety and Workload Initiative (the “Initiative”) be placed on the ballot for the voters of Anaheim to decide at a special election later this year. While we understand that city staff has been directed to undertake and report its findings on the wider consequences of the Initiative on the city, the hospitality industry already knows that the wage, workplace rules, and implementation written into the Initiative make it unworkable, impractical, and unrealistic to abide by even under the best of circumstances. If voters were to approve the measure in a November 2024 vote, implementation would be mandated in the peak of the December 2024 holiday season, when a number of hotel professionals needed to oversee this process would likely be unavailable. The implementation mandate forces hoteliers, large and small, to undertake massive administrative, personnel, and technical changes to policies and procedures at the most inopportune time. A special election in the late summer or fall of 2023 allows hoteliers more ability to put any new mandated rules into effect, were the Initiative to be approved. Further, if the Initiative is successful at the ballot box in November 2024, the City of Anaheim may find it necessary to hire additional staff, or even to create an additional new department, in order to monitor and enforce the ordinance. Again, this timing would necessarily coincide with the 2024 holidays. While we stand in steadfast support of and agree with the worker safety and “panic button” provisions of the Initiative, we oppose the wage mandate and workplace rules which would devastate smaller Anaheim hotels and force larger ones to increase their costs to consumers – and slash TOT revenue to the city in the process. Voters in Anaheim deserve the chance to vote upon the proposal sooner rather than later. Thank you for your consideration. We hope you will support a special election. Best regards, Eve Movius Eve Movius General Manager CC: Jim Vanderpool, City Manager