Chamber Priorities and Initiatives

Top Priorities

The issues that will be the top priorities our Legislative Committee will work on during the 2009 Legislative Session.

Regulatory Reform

• Require all state agencies to rely on explicit rule-making authority consistent with legislative intent.
• Prevent agencies from imposing rules on private employers that are not also imposed on public employers.
• Support measures by the legislature to “sunset” and review substantive laws, agency rules and programs, and to extend regulatory reform requirements to all agencies.

Transportation

• Support new transportation projects that will improve traffic flow, enhance access to retail businesses and improve industrial job creation.
• Dedicate funds for ongoing maintenance and operations of all state highways in the Longview-Kelso area as the first priority of transportation.

Health Care

• Promote fiscally responsible and appropriate budget and policy measures for state-supported health plans; opposing costly mandated health benefit requirements and retaining managed care.
• Advocate policies that promote and protect the private-sector health care delivery system and provide appropriate incentives to deliver high-quality, effective care, products and services in an efficient and cost-effective manner.
• Advocate private, market-based solutions for access to, and adequate reimbursement for, health care goods and services.

Taxes

• Further reduce the negative impact of the Business and Occupation tax on the state’s economy and the onerous burden it places on business.
• Support a uniform and equitable system of property taxation that avoids shifting property tax burdens from one class of taxpayer to another.
• Preserve the concept of valuing property and 100% of true and fair values.