NC Chamber’s Focus on Jobs & Economy Delivers Legislative Victories!
Chamber & Pro-Jobs Allies Rallied to Protect Jobs & NC’s Future

At the start of the 2010 legislative session the NC Chamber told elected leaders and lawmakers that the focus of our advocacy efforts would be JOBS and the ECONOMY.  We told them that we would press opportunities to lower the cost of doing business for NC employers and eliminate uncertainty that stands in the way of economic recovery and growth.  We said that we would aggressively fight proposals that would raise the cost of doing business for NC employers or damage our pro-jobs business climate. We told them that we would support strategic investments in transportation, education and economic development to position NC to lead in job creation and quality of life.    

AND THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT WE DID…

Ø  Led a Coalition to Protect NC’s Legal Climate to Attract & Keep Jobs!

Ø  Delivered Tax Credits & Regulatory Reform Aimed at Job Creation!

Ø  Worked to Provide Fairness & Predictability in Tax Rules!

Ø  Advanced Investment for Infrastructure Challenges!

Ø  Promoted Emphasis on Education Programs!

Even though the state budget deficit dominated legislative activity this session, your state Chamber worked proactively and aggressively with NC businesses and elected representatives in identifying opportunities to help employers, keep and create jobs and get our economy growing again.

When an organized business community with a strong state Chamber engages with elected leaders and lawmakers to keep and create jobs and grow the economy, NC WINS!  Additional details about the NC Chamber’s advocacy work this year during the legislative session are provided below.

The NC Chamber’s member-driven advocacy agenda centered around three policy areas that are critical to a thriving economy: 1) Competitiveness; 2) Infrastructure; and 3) Education and Workforce Development. 


Competitiveness

 (Taxes):

Provided Fairness & Predictability in Tax Rules (State Budget)

Supported Tax Credits & Regulatory Reform Aimed at Job Creation (House Bill 1973)

Modernizing Tax Rules to Facilitate Investment in Jobs & Economic Development (Senate Bill 308)

Targeted Relief with UI Tax Credit (State Budget)

(Legal Climate): 

Protected NC’s Legal Climate, Preserved Balance & Fairness in Lawsuit Laws (House Bill 813)

(Regulatory Environment):

Advanced Legislation to Protect Economy & Environment (Senate Bill 778/HB 1099)

Infrastructure

Supported Strategic Transportation Funding Initiative (State Budget)

Education and Workforce Development

Promoted Emphasis on STEM Education (Senate Bill 1198)

Engage In Your State Chamber & Help Shape NC’s Future!

Being focused on Shaping North Carolina’s Future, requires an understanding that while legislative sessions may temporarily adjourn, our advocacy efforts to keep and create good jobs and grow our state’s economy never do. There has never been a time more important for our Chamber’s members to engage in shaping the future.

Look for future publications of THE BUSINESS Advocate that will highlight some of the opportunities that were missed by lawmakers this session that would have gone a long way toward keeping North Carolina employers competitive and attracting more jobs and investment to our state and those key policy areas your state Chamber will be working on in the upcoming legislative session. In the interim between legislative sessions, the North Carolina Chamber will continue its ongoing efforts to involve our members in developing a strong 2011 pro-jobs legislative agenda.