AGENDA FOR PROSPERITY

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1 Believe in the power of business in a community? We do. For more than 145 years, we ve been committed to helping Lancaster businesses address issues facing our community. AGENDA FOR PROSPERITY 2018

2 250 Miles Lancaster County has more people living within a 250 mile radius than any other community in the country. $1.3 Billion As a group the amount immigrants contribute to the annual GDP of Lancaster County. (source: New American Immigration Report) 1:2:7 The true ratio of jobs in our economy is 1:2:7. For every occupation that requires a master s degree or more, two professional jobs require a university degree, and there are over half a dozen jobs requiring a 1-year certificate or 2-year degree; and each of these technicians are in very high-skilled areas that are in great demand. (source: Success-in-the-New-Economy.pdf) WE RE WORKING FOR YOU There is a direct correlation between the success of your businesses and the success of the business community when a business community is thriving, the broader community and quality of life are enhanced. With this in mind, the Chamber set its 2018 Agenda for Prosperity to help lay the groundwork for increased County- and state-wide collaboration and to move the needle on issues of importance to the business sector and broader community, as a whole. The intent of the Agenda is to raise awareness of issues and to create high-levels of engagement among business and community leaders to build a better Lancaster County. Our Agenda addresses priority issues that require action on the part of everyone. The more we can work collectively to share ideas, opportunities and solutions to issues, such as workforce, tax reform and infrastructure/planning, the more we can impact business success and our County s prosperity. We thank you for your support and ongoing engagement as we work to improve our local business climate, while helping to strengthen the broader community. For more info or to get involved, contact Heather Valudes, advocacy director, at or hvaludes@lancasterchamber.com. IN THIS BOOKLET YOU WILL FIND: Priority Issues...3 Community Partnerships...4 Economic Engine...5 Well Being of People...7 Physical Environment...8 Education...9 Community & Culture...11 Health & Safety...12 Legislative Delegation

3 PRIORITY ISSUES: WORKFORCE Support the development of a qualified workforce to ensure employers have the talent they need to stay competitive. TAXES Support state tax reform that would lower the corporate net income tax rate. REGULATION Consider and respond to legislation and regulations mandated on businesses, local government, non-profits and education. TRANSPORTATION Support public policy and taxation options that help to develop the state s transportation systems. 3.

4 ECONOMIC ENGINE VISION: A prosperous community driven by a healthy economy, thriving business and an enhanced quality of place. COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS: PROSPERITY INDICATORS In 2011, we partnered with the County of Lancaster, Lancaster County Community Foundation, LNP Media Group, Inc. and United Way of Lancaster County to ECONOMIC ENGINE WELL BEING OF PEOPLE measures and monitors the level of prosperity we are experiencing in Lancaster County and in what areas we working to advance issues that align with the Indicators, PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT EDUCATION which are represented by the icons on the right. State Tax Competitiveness Support efforts toward development of a tax structure that provides certainty, transparency and incentive for businesses to grow. Specific Support reducing the Corporate Net Income Tax to a competitive rate. Learn more about the Indicators at lanc.fandm.edu 5. State Budget Encourage responsible stewardship of state finances and a structurally sound, on-time state budget without placing undue tax burdens on the business community or reducing the effectiveness of essential state programs. COMMUNITY & CULTURE HEALTH & SAFETY Property Tax Reform Evaluate, and if appropriate, support efforts aimed at comprehensive property tax reform that are in the best interest of citizens and businesses. Specific Evaluate the impact for businesses if the proposal calls for an increase to sales tax or personal income tax. State Employee, School District and Municipal Pension Reform Support further reforms to the unsustainable state employee, school district and municipal pension systems to reduce cost-drivers for school districts and municipalities while making them comparable with the private sector. Monitor and Respond to Regulations Work with legislators and regulatory bodies to share business perspective as regulations are considered to ensure they are not overly and unnecessarily burdensome. Navigate Implemented Regulations Help navigate various regulations, primarily labor and wage regulations. In addition, as issues arise for specific industries or businesses, help facilitate or alleviate the effects of regulation on business. Specific Support a two-year budget cycle and zero-based budgeting. launch the Prosperity Indicators initiative. The initiative need to improve. On the following pages learn how we are Build Pennsylvania s Reputation as a State to do Business Support legislative measures that would positively impact our business climate and strengthen our ability to create, attract, retain and expand jobs. 6.

5 WELL BEING OF PEOPLE VISION: A community that offers individuals a sense of opportunity for now and in the future to meet their basic needs. These statistics are worth noting because generational attitudes toward housing are changing and will impact our market. And with that in mind, we must think more strategically and more opportunistically about housing. DID YOU KNOW? Half (50.5%) of the renter households in the county are cost-burdened paying more than 30% of their income for rent. Nearly 72% of all Lancaster County households have a combined housing and transportation cost burden of 45% of income or higher. (source: American Community Survey Data) POLICY: Coalition for Sustainable Communities Continue to partner with the Coalition for Sustainable Communities (CSC) and other stakeholders to advance a common agenda promoting municipal financial health. Specific Support reforms aimed at reducing municipal pension debt and amending Act 111 (the act governing public safety employee collective bargaining) with reasonable and commonsense reforms while retaining the right to binding arbitration on a more balanced playing field. Housing Availability and Affordability Support expanding the availability of housing options to the Lancaster County workforce and continue to work with the Coalition for Sustainable Housing to determine solutions to increase housing affordability. Specific Evaluate and, as appropriate, support projects that will increase available housing options in Lancaster County and encourage municipal zoning decisions that support Smart Growth. Planning for the Future Engage with the Lancaster County Planning Commission to ensure the business voice is included in the development of places2040, a comprehensive plan and vision for Lancaster County. Find out more at places2040.com PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT VISION: A community that recognizes and embraces the concept of sustainability of the physical environment by participating in the activities and planning. POLICY: Transportation Priorities Prioritize and mobilize the community to continue advocating for the County s top priority infrastructure needs and projects for the Long- Range Transportation Plan. Transportation Funding Support alternative sources of funding for transportation infrastructure to ensure continued investment in the statewide system. County-wide Clean Water Advocate on behalf of business as the Chesapeake Bay program advances and make businesses aware of the impacts at a local level. Specific Working with the Clean Water Partners, advance vision and objectives for a broad, prioritized framework to rapidly increase clean-up efforts for streams in Lancaster County

6 POLICY: Reform Education for the Future Advance reforms that would allow education systems to consider the economic realities of today, promoting budgetary decisions that are in the best interest of the students and providing consistency, stability and predictability in funding to educational institutions. Workforce Development Support enhancement of programs and projects that strengthen the link between publicly-funded workforce development initiatives and economic development. EDUCATION VISION: An education system that provides avenues for individuals to find a good job with family-sustaining wages, prepares students to be engaged in the community and provides a skilled workforce aligned with the employment needs of the business community. Collaborate with Education Develop a prepared, productive and skilled workforce by maximizing the opportunities for business and education to collaborate on curriculum development and achieving student outcome goals. Provide teachers and school leaders with opportunities to better connect with the business community and provide connections to real-work place experiences. Specific Provide business perspective on career planning within our local school districts and share information on resources available to students and educators from the business community. Promote Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Initiatives Support the promotion of STEM in K-12 and post-secondary education that prepares students to become innovators and problem-solvers. There are two things that stood out to me during the externship program. The first part was listening to all of the High Companies coworkers speak about their jobs and the job opportunities within their industry. The other component that impacted me was the hands-on experience. Through these conversations, presentations, and experiences I am now able to speak to my students about high priority occupations. I can now talk to my students about high demand jobs in the trades, and I wasn t able to do that successfully before. Specific In coordination with the STEM Alliance, Jill Hackman, Business Teacher facilitate the advancement of a plan for rational Garden Spot High School on the career exploration in STEM careers Externship held at the High Companies over three days Find out more at

7 HEALTH & SAFETY VISION: A healthcare system that provides individuals with options to access healthcare and that encourages individuals to make health decisions to be able to live life to the fullest. POLICY: Affordable Care Act Support revisions to the Affordable Care Act that will improve the system and repeal provisions such as the excise tax, medical device tax and the health insurance tax. Health Care Spending Support improved flexibility for taxpreferred accounts for health care spending like FSAs, HSAs and HRAs. COMMUNITY & CULTURE VISION: A prosperous community that offers residents opportunities to expand their horizons through experiences that enrich their lives and actively engage them in the community. Joining Forces Engage with the Joining Forces coalition to educate employers on the opioid and heroin crisis and provide resources, best practices and workplace policies. Find out more at lancasterjoiningforces.org Moving forward, a larger scale downshift in the number of individuals using opioids must be a societal change implemented within the household and businesses. Lancaster County, and the country at whole, cannot arrest its way out of this epidemic. DID YOU KNOW? Lancaster EMS spent more than a POLICY: quarter million dollars for Narcan, a drug that can reverse the effects of Elected Office Information Provide the community with an opportunity to hear from candidates in contested races on their views related to business issues. In addition, encourage local business and community leaders to consider candidacy for public office. Workplace Diversity and Inclusion Support and leverage a diverse workforce and inclusive business practices as a competitive advantage for attracting and retaining talent for Lancaster County businesses. Specific Advance a strategic plan for immigrant integration. Find out more at lancasterchamber.com then New American Economy Immigration Report 11. an opioid overdose, in 2017 that is unresolved. In 2016 in Lancaster County, the Drug Task Force seized 1,200 grams or 40,000 doses of heroin. (sources: Lancaster EMS and Lancaster County D.A. Craig Stedman) 12.

8 LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION US SENATE: Senator Robert Casey (D) 393 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, DC / Senator Pat Toomey (R) 502 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC / US HOUSE: Representative Patrick Meehan R District 7) 513 Cannon House Office Building Washington, DC / US HOUSE (continued): Representative Lloyd Smucker (R District 16) 516 Cannon House Office Building Washington, DC / STATE SENATE: Senator Ryan Aument (R District 36) 301 East Main Street Lititz, PA / Senator Scott Martin (R District 13) W. Chestnut Street, Suite 308 Lancaster, PA / STATE HOUSE: Representative Jim Cox (R - District 129) 2909 Windmill Road, Suite 7 Sinking Spring, PA / Representative Bryan Cutler (R District 100) 33G Friendly Drive Quarryville, PA / Representative Mindy Fee (R District 37) 47 Market Square Manheim, PA / Representative Mark Gillen (R District 128) 29 Village Center Drive, Suite A-7 Reading, PA / Representative Keith Greiner (R District 43) 852 Village Road, PO Box 268 Lampeter, PA / Representative David Hickernell (R District 98) 236 Locust Street Columbia, PA / Representative John Lawrence (R District 13) 1 Commerce Boulevard, Second Floor Suite 200 West Grove, PA / Representative Steve Mentzer (R District 97) 1555 Highlands Drive, Suite 110 Lititz, PA / Chairman Representative Brett Miller (R District 41) Manor West Commons, Suite Columbia Avenue Lancaster, PA / Representative Michael Sturla (D District 96) 150 East King Street, Suite B Lancaster, PA / Representative Dave Zimmerman (R District 99) 125 Peters Road New Holland, PA / LANCASTER COUNTY COMMISSIONERS Commissioner Dennis Stuckey, Chairman Commissioner Josh Parsons, Vice Chair Commissioner Craig Lehman Lancaster County Government Center Office of the County Commissioners 150 North Queen Street, Suite 715 Lancaster, PA / VOTERVOICE Have your voice heard! What s the best way to get messages to policy-makers? VoterVoice! The Chamber has implemented a smart, proactive approach to online governmental affairs that is immediate and direct. VoterVoice is a grassroots advocacy system that seeks to connect individuals to an issue, match to their elected officials and guide them through a message sending process all in less than five minutes! VoterVoice can be accessed through the Chamber s website at lancasterchamber.com then Advocacy, Action Center

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