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California Grocers Association
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| California Grocers Association | |
 | |
| Basic facts | |
| Location: | Sacramento, California |
| Type: | 501(c)(6) |
| Top official: | Ronald Fong, President and CEO |
| Year founded: | 1898 |
| Website: | Official website |
The California Grocers Association (CGA), a 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization, was founded in 1898 to advocate for policy that helps the food retail industry.[1] As of 2019, it was based in Sacramento, California. According to their website, CGA seeks to advocate for both chain and independent grocery stores throughout California and Nevada.[2]
Mission
According to the California Grocers Association website, the organization's mission was described as follows:[2]
| “ |
The California Grocers Association serves, represents and educates its grocery industry members and advocates on their behalf at the state and local level.[4] |
” |
Background
The California Grocers Association was established in 1898 to represent food vendors in the state of California. As of 2016, the CGA represented 300 retail companies that operated 6,000 grocery stores across California and Nevada. The organization also represented 150 grocery wholesale supplier companies.[2] In May 2014, CGA merged with the California Independent Grocers Association. As a part of the merger, the CGA acquired Retail Marketing Services, a California-based for-profit company specializing in retail coupon redemption and group insurance administration.[3] CGA's political advocacy efforts have represented "chain and independent supermarkets, convenience stores, and mass merchandisers."[2]
Work
During the 2016 election, the CGA advocated on behalf of its members at the state and local level. The group was active in supporting, opposing, crafting, and advocating for legislative and ballot issues that impact the food retail industry. The group employed lobbyists and maintained a government relations department.[1]
Lobbying
The CGA was active in lobbying in California. The group spent nearly $190,000 in lobbying in 2014.[3] In 2013, the group spent $137,000 in lobbying. The group also hosted an annual "Lobby Day" or "Grocers Day" in Sacramento, the state capital. The event featured face-to-face meetings between grocery retailers and suppliers and California State Representatives. In 2016, some of the issues discussed included "employee scheduling, wine coupons, food bank donation tax credits, and the state’s beleaguered beverage container recycling program."[5] In 2015, the topics included targeted bills, such as AB 359, Grocery Worker Retention; AB 305, Workers’ Compensation Apportionments; and AB 357, Employee Scheduling.[6] The event also included a reception for legislators and attendees.
Political activity
Ballot measure activity
Soft drink tax
In November 2016, citizens of San Francisco, California, voted on a sugary beverage tax, which would levy a 1-cent-per-ounce tax on such drinks. A similar proposition, Sugary Drink Tax, Proposition E, was defeated in 2014. The 2016 measure was opposed by the soda industry, as well as the California Grocer's Association. In September 2016, the opponents to the measure challenged the city's wording of the measure, specifically "the tax is not paid by your local grocer." The Alameda County Superior Court commissioner decided that the wording was correct, noting that "state law prohibits a city from taxing just one product directly. But cities may tax the distributor of the item," which was the case in the proposed soda tax. The Grocers Association and other opponents argued that the tax would raise prices of soft drinks in an already expensive city.[7]
Plastic bag ban
The California Grocers Association supported a yes vote on California's Plastic Bag Ban Veto Referendum, which would uphold legislation enacted by the California Legislature banning plastic bags. The organization was a top donor of the ballot measure committee Yes on 67. The measure appeared on the ballot on November 8, 2016.[8]
Overview of ballot measure support and opposition
The following table details the California Grocers Association's ballot measure stances available on Ballotpedia:
| Ballot measure support and opposition for the California Grocers Association | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Ballot measure | Year | Position | Status |
| California Proposition 67, Plastic Bag Ban Veto Referendum (2016) | 2016 | Opposed a veto |  Approved
|
Finances
The following is a breakdown of California Grocers Association's revenues and expenses as submitted to the IRS for the 2011 to 2014 fiscal years:
| Annual revenue and expenses for California Grocers Association, 2011–2014 | ||
| Tax Year | Total Revenue | Total Expenses |
| 2014[3] | $3,429,134 | $3,705,842 |
| 2013[9] | $3,326,361 | $3,304,616 |
| 2012[10] | $3,233,925 | $3,324,180 |
| 2011[10] | $3,228,057 | $3,119,764 |
Leadership
Below is the list of the California Grocers Association leadership during the 2016 election cycle:[11]
- Ronald Fong, President and CEO
- Keri Askew Bailey, Senior Vice President, Government Relations and Public Policy
- Doug Scholz, Senior Vice President, Business Development and Marketing
- Dave Heylen, Vice President, Communications
- Shiloh London, Executive Director, CGA Educational Foundation
Affiliated groups
GROPAC
Part of the CGA's political activity involved its political action committee GROPAC, which sought to protect pro-business interests through the support of state and local candidates as well as opposing or supporting initiatives that impact the grocery industry in California.[1]
CGA IEC
The California Grocers Association Independent Expenditure Committee, a super PAC, was established in 2005. The committee, according to the CGA website, worked in tandem with GROPAC to increase the presence of the association in legislation.[1]
CGA Educational Foundation
CGA Educational Foundation, a 501(c)(3), "supports and provides educational opportunities for the food-distribution industry." The foundation provided a number of college scholarships to help students eventually enter into the retail grocery sector after graduation; it also provided tuition reimbursement for current employees. The foundation was established in 1991.[12][13]
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms 'California Grocers Association'. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 CGA, "Government Relations," accessed October 6, 2016
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 CGA, "About," accessed October 6, 2016
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Guidestar, "IRS Form 990, California Grocers Association (2014)," accessed October 6, 2016
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ CGA, "Grocers Day at the Capitol," accessed October 25, 2016
- ↑ CGA, "CGA HOSTS ANNUAL LOBBY DAY," accessed October 25, 2016
- ↑ San Francisco Chronicle, "Big Soda’s tax claim falls flat with grocers," October 9, 2016
- ↑ CA SOS, "Contributions Received, Yes On 67," accessed October 5, 2016
- ↑ Guidestar, "IRS Form 990, California Grocers Association (2013)," accessed October 6, 2016
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Guidestar, "IRS Form 990, California Grocers Association (2012)," accessed October 6, 2016
- ↑ CGA, "CGA Staff," accessed October 6, 2016
- ↑ CGA EF, "About," accessed October 25, 2016
- ↑ CGA EF, "CAREER DEVELOPMENT TUITION REIMBURSEMENT," accessed October 25, 2016
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