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Chamber Priorities

Chamber Pushes 2008 Priorities

As public interest turns to state and national elections, the Kalispell Chamber is gearing up to promote a pro-growth, job-generating agenda in 2008. Here are some of the highlights:

INFRASTRUCTURE AND TRANSPORTATION: The Chamber's Infrastructure Study Group will analyze the cost of needed infrastructure and make recommendations on the best way to fund it. The Chamber will back efforts to fully fund the Kalispell Bypass and update the Kalispell Transportation Plan. The Chamber will also push for complete reconstruction of Going-to-the-Sun Road's alpine section in Glacier National Park. The Chamber will work to ensure continued Amtrak service and expanded commercial air service.

EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE: The Chamber's Kalispell Business Education Initiative will work to strengthen collaboration among businesses and their education partners to improve the Flathead workforce and better prepare students for the future. The Workforce Committee will improve the quality and quantity of the workforce through their focus of workforce housing, workforce transportation, and childcare.

TRADE: On August 13, the Kalispell Chamber will team with the US Chamber and US Sen. Max Baucus to present TradeRoots, an educational program providing business with an awareness of how to expand their markets through trade and the resources available to make it happen. The March luncheon will focus on the boom in Canadian business and its positive impact on the retail and real estate sales sectors.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: The Chamber is developing plans to expand the capabilities of the Flathead Regional Business Center by creating additional office and conference space to meet our needs and those of our partners. The Chamber will take action to better serve business men and women by strengthening the Small Business Development Center and Government Contracting Assistance Center. The Chamber will further meet the needs for a structured, systematic, and sustainable program to grow wealth and job-creating companies here through the Business Expansion and Retention Program.

NATURAL RESOURCES AND THE ENVIRONMENT: The Chamber will pursue opportunities for bio-energy development through combined heat and power potential and bio-fuels heating systems. The Chamber will work to defeat proposals which would diminish the water and environmental quality of Glacier National Park and Flathead River through coal development in the Canadian Flathead.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT: The Chamber will actively support the development and construction of the Glacier Performing Arts Center and the modernization of Flathead County Library's Main Branch in downtown Kalispell. The Chamber will conduct a community visit with Coeur D'Alene, ID to understand how a peer community is managing similar challenges to ours. The Chamber will help secure nationally known author and urban development expert Joel Kotkin to present on urban infrastructure development and growth.

TAXES AND REGULATION: The Chamber will aggressively work to prevent unfair taxes on business to pay for spending increases or tax cuts. Such tax hikes could take the form of impact fees that unfairly target commercial enterprise and overly burdensome workplace regulations.

BUILDING CHAMBER BENEFITS: The Chamber will implement a major upgrade of the Chamber Web Site and database that will drive new traffic to its members and provide new ability for members to maximize the benefits they receive. And, the Chamber will further efforts to increase access to affordable healthcare through Chamber Choices Health Plan.