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Our state Chamber has developed a new format for our advocacy-focused e-newsletter to enhance our ongoing dialogue with our members. It is our hope that providing timely, relevant information on multiple topics of importance will better enable you to engage in our advocacy work to ensure that North Carolina is a leading place in the world to do business with good jobs and a thriving economy for all North Carolinians. Together, we are shaping North Carolina’s future!
Click here to receive our e-newsletters and Action Alerts when legislation is on the move in the North Carolina General Assembly or Congress that will strengthen North Carolina’s economy and create jobs or threaten jobs and the economy.
Chamber Responds to Governor’s Budget Proposal
Governor Bev Perdue presented her budget proposal to the NC General Assembly this week. In these tough economic times, our Chamber appreciates the Governor’s focus on economic recovery and education, two of the Chamber’s top priorities, and the fact that there were no broad-based business tax increases included in her budget plan. Click here to read more about our Chamber's response to the Governor's budget. Click here to read an overview of the Governor's proposed budget provisions.
Environmental Rulemaking Reform Needed
North Carolina’s system of environmental rulemaking has become increasingly complex and unreasonable. This hampers compliance and unnecessarily creates time-consuming and expensive burdens for North Carolina employers. Improving the efficiency and effectiveness of environmental rulemaking is a priority of the North Carolina Chamber that will result in rules that are more clear, consistent, compatible and reasonable. Our work will be focused on process, not function. We will work to change the “how” of government, not the “what.” It’s not a question so much about environmental regulations, but instead about how best to achieve the most appropriate solutions for an exceptional quality of life and globally competitive business climate that produces plenty of good jobs in the future. Click here to learn more.
Water Supply Policies Must Support Economic Development
North Carolina’s recent battles with drought conditions across most of the state have propelled water supply and demand up the list of critical policy topics for the future. Following the release of a water allocation study overseen by the General Assembly’s Environmental Review Commission (ERC), recent talks in the legislature have centered on how best to develop water supply policies to sustain growth and all of the opportunities for North Carolinians that come with it. Recommendations from the study call for government oversight of water supplies, a water use permitting system and additional regulatory review for water reservoir development. The North Carolina Chamber believes that any new water supply policies must support economic development and job creation. Cick here to learn more.
Transportation at the Forefront in NC and DC
North Carolina is facing significant transportation infrastructure challenges, along with our nation as a whole. North Carolina’s population is projected to increase by four million new residents by 2030. This means not only more drivers, but also the need for additional goods and services provided by businesses that will rely on our transportation system. Additionally, the American Society of Civil Engineers rates North Carolina poorly for bridge condition and funding. While many agree about the magnitude of North Carolina’s transportation challenges, not everyone agrees on how best to address them and where to start. The North Carolina Chamber recognizes the importance of transportation infrastructure to our competitiveness in attracting good jobs and overall quality of life. Our goal is a balanced comprehensive, set of solutions, both short- and long-term, to address not only how best to generate funding to meet increasing transportation needs, but also how to reform the system to ensure that that our tax dollars are spent in the most efficient, effective manner possible.
In the General Assembly
Click here to read about bills that have been introduced in the North Carolina General Assembly that authorize counties (upon approval through a referendum) to levy a half-cent sales tax increase and/or vehicle registration fee for public transportation projects. The bills come as a result of recommendations from the state legislature’s 21st Century Transportation Committee.
The North Carolina Chamber, along with many local Chamber partners and other business partners, support this legislation. It is an important step toward improving transportation infrastructure to attract, grow and retain good jobs and maintain and improve an exceptional quality of life here. Efficient public transit systems across the state are an important contributor to North Carolina’s economic vitality.
Click here to review recommendations from the legislature’s 21st Century Transportation Committee, comprised of lawmakers and business leaders, including members of our state Chamber.
The Stimulus Package In Congress
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was signed into law on Feb. 17 by President Obama. The Act will provide North Carolina with $838 million in federal funding for infrastructure ($735 for highway and bridge improvements and $103 for transit). Click here to review an analysis of key tax provisions contained in the Act by RSM McGladrey Click here to review the highlights of tax incentives and significant changes for business in the package by Grant Thorton.
Unions’ Card Check Bills Introduced in Congress!
Chamber Members Respond to Call to Action
The deceptively named Employee Free Choice Act of 2009, more appropriately described as unions’ “card check” legislation was introduced in both the US House and Senate on March 19th.
Our state Chamber called its members to action last week, asking them to contact their representatives in Congress to deliver a clear, consistent message from North Carolina employers opposing this legislation.
Our recent call to action is just one example of our Chamber's months-long ongoing campaign to prevent unions from passing their top legislative priority, which would cost our state and country hundreds of thousands of jobs. Thanks to involvement from employers across the state, our efforts are yielding results.
Eleven of the 15 members of North Carolina's congressional delegation did NOT sign on as co-sponsors of the card check legislation. Only four DID sign on as co-sponsors: David Price (D-4th District), Mel Watt (D-12th District), Brad Miller (D-13th District), and Larry Kissell (D-8th District).
The battle to defeat card check legislation has just begun, however. If you have not already done so, we urge you to contact your members of Congress asking them to take whatever action is necessary to defeat this anti-jobs proposal.
Click here for more information on “card check” and how to become involved in the campaign to defeat these anti-jobs proposals.
Labor Groups at Work in the NC General Assembly
In addition to gaining attention in Congress, unions continue to launch significant efforts to increase their power and presence in North Carolina. Our state Chamber, in our efforts to maintain and improve North Carolina’s competitive position state-to-state, has been keeping a keen eye on bills introduced in the General Assembly that could have negative effects on our state’s already struggling economy.
Unions’ Fight for Collective Bargaining Rights Ongoing
- A bill that would remove North Carolina’s longstanding prohibition on collective bargaining by public employees has been introduced again in the 2009 North Carolina General Assembly session. Our Chamber and other organizations were able to stop this precedent-setting bill from being voted on during the 2008 General Assembly session. The re-introduction of bills this session shows how important expanding collective bargaining is to the labor movement and how far unions are willing to go to grow their influence in North Carolina. Click here to learn more about the legislation and its status.
Costly Mandate on Employers Proposed
- A bill has been introduced, backed by unions and several other organizations, that would mandate all employers provide paid sick leave to all of their employees. Our state Chamber and its members recognize the importance of competitive benefits in attracting and keeping the best employees, but employers should be able to decide what those benefits are. A mandate like this will drive up the cost of doing business, and with unprecedented job losses in North Carolina, it is not a good time to promote policies that are harmful to small businesses and threaten jobs. Click here to learn more about the legislation and its status.
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