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Governmental Affairs - Policies and Procedures
- Guiding Principles for Governmental Affairs -
1. Preserving the competitive enterprise system of business by creating a better understanding and appreciation of the importance of the business community and a concern for its problems; creating a more intelligent business and public opinion regarding city, county, state, and national legislative and political affairs; preventing controversies which are detrimental to business and the community; and creating a greater appreciation of the value of competitive business.
2. Promoting business and community growth and development by: promoting economic programs designed to strengthen and expand the income potential of all classifications of business within the trade area; discovering and correcting abuse which prevents the promotion of business expansion and community growth.
Additional
Chamber Guidelines:
A. The use of taxes should be fair and equitable in providing services
and programs that benefit the economic growth and the health and welfare of
citizens.
B. Reasonable regulations are necessary to a growing economy.
C. Governmental policy need to promote economic opportunity.
D. Government expenditures should not grow at rates greater than populations and inflation.
E. Government must look for more efficient ways to provide services to maintain quality government within cost restraints.
F. Making efforts to educate and inform public officials and media about the impact potential decisions could have on the area economy.
Governmental Affairs Committee Criteria and Procedure
1. Issue: The Governmental Affairs Committee shall consider issues directed to it by Chamber Board of Directors, the Executive Director of the Chamber, the co-chairs of the Governmental Affairs Committee, and the leaders of any task force.
2. Criteria: In considering issues involving government, the Governmental Affairs Committee will determine whether the Chamber should be involved in a governmental affairs issue by applying the following criteria:
2.1 - Does the issue have an impact on the business community?
2.2. - Is the issue high priority?
2.3 - Is the issue a matter of personal choice and therefore not appropriate for the Chamber to try to influence.
3. Procedure: Once the Governmental Affairs Committee has determined that the issue meets these three criteria, it will apply the following procedure:
3.1 - It will advise the Chamber Board that the issue is being researched.
3.2 - The Governmental Affairs Committee or a task force thereof will research the issue.
3.3 - After the research has been completed, it will be submitted to the Governmental Affairs Committee and the Committee will make a recommendation as to what action the Chamber of Commerce should take relating to the issue.
3.4 - The recommendation of the Governmental Affairs Committee will be submitted to the Board of Directors along with a brief analysis of the issue.
3.5 - The Board of Directors will approve or reject the recommendation and may either:
3.5.1 - Take a position supporting, opposing, or taking no action on the recommendation of the Governmental Affairs Committee; or
3.5.2 - Refer the issue back to the Governmental Affairs Committee for further study; or
3.5.3 - Amend the recommendation of the Governmental Affairs Committee.
3.6 - When a recommendation is made by the Governmental Affairs Committee and time is of the essence, the Executive Director of the Chamber of Commerce shall cause the issue to be submitted to the Board of Directors by a "fax poll." The fax poll shall provide the members of the Board of Directors with six options: support, oppose, take no action, refer to the Governmental Affairs Committee for further research, submit to the Board at regular meeting, submit to the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors.
4. - Attendance: When the recommendation of the Governmental Affairs Committee is submitted to the Board of Directors, the Governmental Affairs Committee shall provide the Board of Directors with the following information:
4.1 - The names of the people who provided information to the task force or Governmental Affairs Committee during the research process.
4.2 - The names of the members of the task force.
4.3 - The names of the members of the Governmental Affairs Committee who voted on the recommendation.
5. - Vote: When the recommendation of the Governmental Affairs Committee is submitted to the Board of Directors, the committee shall provide the Board of Directors with the vote count relating to the recommendation showing:
5.1 - The number who voted in favor of the recommendation
5.2 - The number who voted against the recommendation
5.3 - The number who abstained from voting on the recommendation
Contact the Salem Chamber:
For additional information on the Chamber's business advocacy efforts, please contact Jason Brandt at 503-581-1466, ext. 304.