Greater Flagstaff Chamber - Business Advocacy Division at Work
Did you know, the Chamber has a Business Advocacy DIvision (BAD)? The Chamber's BAD is made up of volunteer member investors in various business backgrounds including retail, bankers, construction management, engineers, our utility partner, health and wellness and more.
The Business Advocacy Division meets the third Thursday of every month at 7:30 AM to hear presentations from local, state and elected officials and government staff on items important to the business community's prosperity. Please feel free to email Joe Galli, senior Advisor, Public Policy at jgalli@flagstaffchamber.com if you are interested in volunteering or for more information.
As your business advocate, the Greater Flagstaff Chamber interacts directly with Flagstaff's mayor and council, Coconino County, our state representatives and out U.S. Congressman and U.S. Senators. We focus on needs of one business at a time, or needs of an entire sector. We work hard for you while you are hard at work by advocating for sound rules, regulations and policies that help your business succeed. Your success is our success. Your voice is our voice.
Our goal is to provide a healthy business climate which we believe creates a vibrant community for all. We do this through one of our core values which is representing the interests of your business before government entities. As a strong voice for rules, policies and regulations that help you succeed, we recognize and thank you for your membership investment since we are private sector funded one business at a time!
Here are some of the recent and current issues we are engaged in on your behalf.
What are we working on at the Chamber at the City level? Through research and in-depth conversations the Business Advocacy Division takes a position of support or opposition for business.
- Promoting sound local development policies including expediting & streamlined permitting processes
- Revising & updating the Sign Code
- Creating a NEW "property care ordinance"
- Organizing the community's Regional Planning Effort
- Working on NAH's plans for new hospital construction
- Advocating for a lower stormwater rate hike (win!)
What has been a Chamber focus at the Arizona legislature?
- $8.9M appropriation to the City of Flagstaff for post-fire flood mitigation needs
- Research and development tax credits
- Appropriations for statewide infrastructure improvements
- $14M appropriation to Lowell Observatory for the Astronomy Discovery Center
- Further reduction of business property assessment ratio
- Income tax credits for small businesses impacted by higher local wage mandates
What's the Chamber focused on with the U.S. congress?
- FTC Rule on non-compete agreements
- Streamlined permitting processes for business growth
- Federal infrastructure appropriations inc. $40+M in defense appropriations for Camp Navajo improvements leading to economic development opportunities.