2024 Pro-Business Agenda

GUIDING STATEMENT
The Lancaster Chamber is committed to fostering a positive business climate for all Lancaster County’s businesses. We will advocate on behalf of our members at the local, state, and federal levels on the issues that have the greatest impact on the business community.

WE ADVOCATE FOR YOU BY:

• Working with elected officials, staff and stakeholders to advance pro-business policies;
• Sharing the impacts of policy or legislative proposals on businesses with elected officials;
• Testifying at public meetings and hearings;
• Monitoring, reviewing and taking positions on proposed legislation and regulations with member input and guidance from the Advocacy Committee and Board of Trustees;
• Representing the business voice on committees and task forces; and,
• Supporting business interests in the media.

WORKFORCE

• Meet Workforce Demands
  • Support efforts to increase effective workforce training and service programs, which are critical for employers to find people with the right skills for the jobs available and for job seekers to find the right job to match their skills and abilities in the face of sector specific job losses.
  • Promote policies and shared learning opportunities to support innovation, technology, and capital improvements to increase efficiency and productivity in the workplace.
• Strengthen the Future Workforce
  • Support legislative measures that appropriate more long-term, sustainable K-12 funding to ensure equitable access to high-quality education.
  • Strengthen partnerships between post-secondary institutions and the employer community to meet workforce training needs and retain students in our community.
  • Encourage solutions that increase resources for high-quality child-care to ensure families have reliable, safe, and affordable childcare.
• Expand Workforce Opportunities
  • Promote workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion and support equal access to workforce opportunities.
  • Remove barriers to employment for qualified workers, including immigrants or re-entrants, without adding mandates to employers in order to support the County’s workforce needs.
  • Support modernizing the immigration system. Apply reforms such as increasing visa limits in seasonal, temporary, and high skilled work visa categories to ease the workforce demands and challenges.

TRANSPORTATION, INFRASTRUCTURE & COMMUNITY PLANNING

• Connect Employers and Employees
  • Share the business community perspective on long-term transportation needs (roads, bridges, public transportation, etc.) to address maintenance and new needs.
  • Mobilize the community to advocate for the County’s top priority infrastructure needs and projects (including Route 222, Walnut Street Extension, and Congestion Improvements on Route 30 East and Route 23).
  • Collaborate with community partners on initiatives to sustain, create and promote favorable regulatory conditions for affordable housing and to ensure safe, quality housing options near job centers.
• Advocate for Community Needs
  • Mobilize the community to weigh in on county projects and municipal zoning issues that impact business development and workforce growth.
  • Share the business perspective on utilization of American Rescue Plan Act funds.
  • Advocate to increase high-speed broadband access for all residents, as connectivity is critical for businesses, remote workers, and education.

REGULATIONS & TAXES

• Improve Competitiveness by Creating a Business-Friendly Tax & Regulatory Environment
  • Support legislative measures that would improve our business climate and strengthen our ability to create, attract, retain, and expand jobs.
  • Ensure the continued reduction and advocate for the acceleration of the reduction of the Corporate Net Income Tax.
  • Advocate for a regulatory environment that is balanced and not burdensome for business.
  • Inform businesses on employment law changes and impacts to their business.
• Encourage Responsible Stewardship of State & Local Finances
  • Support structurally sound, on-time budgets that do not place undue tax burdens on the business community or reduce the effectiveness of essential state programs.
  • Support a two-year budget cycle and zero-based budgeting for the state budget.
  • Support measures to give cities and municipalities tools that will ensure fiscal sustainability without forcing costs on overburdened residents or sacrificing public services and safety.

Approved by the Advocacy Committee on 1.4.2024.
Approved by the Board of Trustees on 1.16.2024.

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