The President's Column

by Steve Weitekamp

January 2015

Happy New Year! On January 2, CMSA emailed out our electronic membership certificates to all members.  An electronic document provides members with a tool that is more useful than a paper certificate that hangs on a wall. For your information, you can still print out a copy and hang it on the wall if you choose. We encourage members to post this electronic file on their websites and social media sites and attach to any communications where you want a party to know that your organization is a member of an association that is working to improve the moving and storage industry for the benefit of consumers and industry alike.

We have received notice from the CPUC that the MAX 4 Tariff annual rate adjustment review is scheduled for Commission approval on January 15, 2015. Barring any unforeseen issues, maximum rates will be increased by 2.2 percent, the result of CMSA’s actions that modified the productivity factor used in establishing increases from .667 to .95 or .85 of the applicable Consumer Price Indexes.

2015 should be a year of change for the CPUC with the retirements of Commission President Michael Peevey and Executive Director Paul Clanon both of whom have been under scrutiny and political pressure since the PG & E San Bruno pipeline explosion that killed eight people in 2010. CMSA recently met with Peevey’s successor Commission Michael Picker (who Governor Jerry Brown named Commission President on December 23, 2014) and shared our concerns and suggestions on how to improve implementation of the agency’s mission of protecting the California moving public. The takeaway of our message was to enhance enforcement against illegal movers who do damage to the moving public, permitted carriers and the California taxpayers.

Your Association staff is hard at work on the planning and logistics of CMSA’s 97th Annual Convention, “Charting a Course to Excellence” April 28 to May 3, 2015, at Paradise Point Resort and Spa in San Diego. Visit our website Convention calendar for details and registration information. While you’re there, download our Guidebook app that allows you to stay up to date with events, schedules and attendees that are a part of our Convention from the convenience of your mobile device. Register today and be a part of this valuable event: http://www.thecmsa.org/html/convention/2015-97th-paradise-point/default.htm.

January 2015 - CMSA Communicator