TEMECULA -- For the last five years, the Temecula Valley Chamber of Commerce has hosted a Legislative Summit to address concerns working professionals have with the current business and political climate.
This year, the chamber is trying something different: Not inviting any legislators.
"We want to get real answers about what is happening (in) the state, with fuel costs and what might be coming down the road," said Roger Ziemer, a chamber board member. "We don't want someone who will just dance around the questions that the collective business community has on its mind. We're hoping this year's summit will be refreshing."
The fifth annual Legislative Summit is scheduled to take place from 7:30 to 10 a.m. Thursday at the Pechanga Resort & Casino. Tickets, which are $40 per person, can be purchased online.
Another difference from years past is that the format of this year's summit will mimic the format of television shows such as the McLaughlin Group or CNN's Crossfire, where long-winded introductions and extensive autobiographies of panelists will be forsaken in exchange for roundtable talks.
"This way we can get all the guests involved on the same question," Ziemer said. "It may not be their area of expertise -- but they have opinions."
Longtime Sacramento Bee political columnist Dan Walters will mediate the panel discussion by experts in the fields of law enforcement, education, state policy, business, energy and water.
"These are people with expertise and who can talk freely and openly about the issues," said Ziemer, who chaired the seven-member committee to organize the event. "These are issues that touch everybody, no matter if they are business people or constituents."
Ziemer said that while he expects thoughtful dialogue that will help inform individuals, he does not promise that attendees will leave with a warm fuzzy feeling.
"The issues we are seeing with Fannie (Mae) and Freddie (Mac) happened because no on wanted to talk about it," he said. "But just as we might not what to talk about what is happening with California's water supply, we have to face it."
Walters has been a journalist for more than 40 years, and has spent all but a few of those years working for California newspapers.
Panelists are David Long, Rod Pacheco; Dan Carlson; Rayola Dougher; David Topp and Brian Thomas.
- Long, the former secretary of education, has more than 40 years of experience in the field of education. Before his appointment by the governor, Long was the Riverside County superintendent of schools.
- Pacheco is Riverside County's district attorney and a former state assemblyman.
- Carson, the state's deputy legislative analyst, is responsible for five of the state office's sections: health, social services, criminal justice, resources and transportation.
- Dougher is the senior economic analyst for the American Petroleum Institute. He is the author or co-author of numerous economic research studies covering a diverse range of topics including gasoline taxes, energy conservation and competition in retail markets.
- Thomas is the assistant general manager and chief financial officer for Metropolitan Water District and is responsible for developing and implementing Metropolitan's water rates and charges.
- Topp is regional director of state government affairs for Abbott Vascular.
For more information on the summit, please visit their www.temecula.org.
Contact staff writer Nicole Sack at (951) 676-4315, Ext. 2616, or nsack@californian.com.
