Chamber sets 2008 Legislative Agenda

    The Huntington Regional Chamber of Commerce recently surveyed its membership, which represents over 1,700 professionals from businesses throughout the tri-state, to determine which current legislative issues they think may affect or impact their company or industry during the upcoming year. The survey focused on a variety of issues including: Public Policy, Environment, Education, Health Care, Economic Development, Legal Issues, and Taxes.
     Based on the survey results, the Chamber has developed and its Board of Directors unanimously adopted the positions presented in this legislative agenda. The Chamber will be monitoring the legislative actions on these positions during the 2008 legislative session.

Public Policy
Business must retain the ability to meet and talk to employees in an unrestricted manner. Collective bargaining agreements and other labor restrictions do not belong in the public sector.
     The Chamber believes that when government tries to intervene in traditional business operations, it adds cost, lowers productivity, and puts those businesses at a competitive disadvantage. Current proposals to establish legislative oversight of the privatized workers’ compensation system, establishing limits on an employer’s ability to communicate with their employees as proposed in the “Worker Freedom Bill,” restricting scheduling of employees or overtime, and mandating paid sick days are all programs that will hurt business. The Huntington Regional Chamber of Commerce strongly opposes these anti-business initiatives. 
     The Chamber also opposes any expansion of “meet and consult” or collective bargaining for public employees.

Legal
Reforms that have been gained must be protected. More legal reform in the area of damage caps and medical monitoring is needed.
     The initial steps taken by our legislature which have been so important in bringing West Virginia into step with our neighboring states, namely insurance and medical liability reforms, are under an unrelenting attack. These reforms must be maintained to counter the perception that West Virginia is anti-business. In 2008, we also must enact reasonable and fair caps on punitive damages and define and strengthen the requirements for filing medical monitoring claims.

Economic Development
Local Economic Development organizations need more tools to attract business.
     The Huntington Chamber believes that West Virginia should provide more incentives for local Economic Development organizations to attract and retain companies that provide good jobs. Providing funding for infrastructure improvements to industrial parks and Intermodal facilities can be critical to attracting and retaining business.  The Chamber supports measures to spur economic development and expand the job market in West Virginia.

Environmental
West Virginia must not adopt environmental regulations that are more stringent than Federal standards.
     The Huntington Regional Chamber of Commerce believes that Federal Laws and regulations provide an aggressive program and framework to protect and improve the environment of WV. Further, the Chamber believes that State regulations or laws more stringent than Federal regulations and laws will provide negligible benefits with high costs and reduced competitiveness for WV businesses as an unintended consequence.
Energy
Energy producers need incentives to develop energy within the state.    
     West Virginia is well positioned to benefit from growing worldwide demand for energy and declining availability of domestically produced energy sources. West Virginians could be provided with many jobs paying higher wages, and tax revenues from increased employment would benefit State tax receipts. In response to the energy situation, WV should provide incentives to encourage production of energy with the State. Such incentives should equal or exceed any incentives that other states provide to encourage energy production.

Education
Marshall University and West Virginia University should be given more tools and freedom to develop research.
     The Huntington Chamber believes that Marshall University and West Virginia University should be the only universities included in a matching R&D endowment fund program in which private gifts are matched with state funds, thus making our two research institutions more competitive with other states. Additionally, increased self-governance and greater entrepreneurship is needed at both Marshall and WVU to become stronger economic engines for their regions.

Health Care
Businesses need help in providing health insurance to employees.
     One of the biggest problems that small businesses face is being able to provide affordable health care to their employees. The Huntington Regional Chamber of Commerce supports the state of West Virginia establishing a health insurance pool to make health insurance more affordable for small businesses, and providing tax credits or deductions that will help and encourage large businesses to provide good health care coverage to their employees.

Taxes
West Virginia is not competitive when it comes to business taxes.
     A recent survey of Huntington Chamber members revealed that over half think the West Virginia business tax system is unfair. Over 75% indicated that Kentucky’s business tax system is better for business, and over 80% think that Ohio’s business tax system is more fair. Clearly business people in our area think they are at a great disadvantage compared to area businesses in Ohio and Kentucky from a tax standpoint.
     Over 40% of those surveyed responded that the B&O Tax inhibited the growth of their business, and while 56% agree that the elimination of the Business Franchise Tax would be beneficial to their business, only 34% think it is important.
     It is clear that West Virginia must consider radical improvements in business taxes if we are to be competitive.