Agenda
As a member of The Lancaster Chamber of Commerce & Industry, you’ve joined with thousands of local companies and more than 116,000 employees to create a vibrant community and foster a more positive business climate. Under the leadership of our Advocacy Council and on-staff registered lobbyist, The Chamber’s Advocacy Program helps to keep investors informed of legislative issues that may impact your company. The Chamber maintains an active dialogue with elected officials at the local, state and national levels and engages in lobbying efforts that support pro-business legislation and community vitality. Our advocacy efforts ensure the collective voice of business is heard. Through The Chamber, your voice helps shape public policy, establish a pro-business environment and build prosperity for 21st Century America.
Advocacy Agenda
Here are a few of the issues The Chamber supports:
Transportation
Whether your business is large or small, and regardless of your industry, transportation and the supporting infrastructure has a profound impact on your company and its employees. From transporting your goods and services, to convenient customer access, to the commute of your employees, transportation issues affect your company's operations on a daily basis. Your Chamber is working to advance needed roadway improvements while supporting mass transit and intermodel transportation initiatives to reduce congestion and ensure convenient transport.
Energy
With electric deregulation and the growing need for fuel, energy costs are becoming a primary concern of business owners. The Chamber recognizes the need for environmental and energy policies that are cost-effective, technologically feasible and flexible. The Chamber's Energy Task Force will work to educate members on business opportunities and incentives, provide leadership on how businesses can become more environmentally responsible and monitor the impact of the removal of caps on the cost of electricity.
Health Insurance Reform
Businesses rank health insurance costs as one of the top issues they face and The Chamber recognizes the need for comprehensive reform. With businesses having trouble absorbing health insurance costs and employees having difficulty paying high premiums, The Chamber is committed to working with policy makers to find solutions to these and other challenges. Together with our affiliate, the Lancaster County Business Group on Health, The Chamber developed a white paper with recommendations for health insurance reform and communicated them to our elected officials. Our hope is that by working together we can reduce the growth of health insurance costs and at the same time increase the efficiency of the healthcare delivery system in Pennsylvania.
Taxes and Fiscal Policy
A fair and competitive business tax structure is essential to attracting and retaining Pennsylvania businesses. That's why The Chamber supports efforts to create a more competitive tax climate. In 2008, we were successful in holding the line on taxes and successful in keeping the scheduled phase-out of the Capital Stock & Franchise Tax. We also worked with our state delegation to consolidate the earned-income tax collection system, which will save business thousands of dollars in administrative costs. The Chamber will continue to assist policy makers to achieve meaningful reform by working together to find long-term creative solutions.
To learn more about The Chamber’s Advocacy Program and agenda, contact David Greineder, advocacy director.