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PUBLIC POLICY AGENDA

One South Coast Chamber will advocate for and support legislation and initiatives that improve the South Coast region’s business climate and overall quality of life, educate the membership on issues of importance, and, when necessary, actively work to defeat legislation that adversely affects the business community. One SouthCoast Chamber is fully committed to being engaged on the local, state, and federal level.

The Chamber has a responsibility to its members to review all pending legislation and regulations for its impact on their financial well-being, and, if necessary, develop public positions that speak on their behalf.

Our advocacy efforts are designed to fulfill seven core priority areas: economic development, education and workforce, energy, public infrastructure, regulatory reform, taxation, transportation and healthcare.

Economic Development:

  • Advocate for increased investments in regional economic development and technical assistance funding at the state and federal levels; promote a stronger sense of regionalization among cities and towns throughout the South Coast
  • Promote a positive local business climate, one that encourages growth, entrepreneurship, and pay equity
  • Diversification of the local, state, and federal economy; continued growth and advocacy centered around the base industries of the South Coast region

Education & Workforce:

  • Strengthening internship and co-op opportunities for our local high school students
  • Supporting educational opportunities and programs that provide high-quality education and resources to students
  • Promote meeting the hiring and training needs of our local workforce through continued partnerships with workforce boards, educational institutions, and private-sector training
  • Public Education Funding & Reform
  • Promote and advocate for quality early childhood education and childcare as tools to improving outcomes and improving the economic condition of the region
  • Support expansion of early college options for South Coast high school students

Energy & the Environment:

  • Advocate for cost-effective energy policy that helps retain and attract business
  • Address grid issues – offsetting peak billing with generators/private power
  • Support the “South Coast Electric Power Group” electricity savings program for large energy users (manufacturers, hospitals, etc)
  • Support the Off Shore Wind industry as an economic driver for the region as both a staging area and supply chain

Public Infrastructure:

  • Promote public promotion and financial investments in all roads, bridges, sidewalks, and maritime infrastructure throughout our region
  • Advocate for State Piers/port issues at the local, state, and federal level (including, but not limited to harbor dredging)
  • Advocate for domestic commercial flight expansion and economic development opportunities at the New Bedford Regional Airport
  • Advocate for relocation of NOAA to the South Coast

Regulatory Reform:

  • Promote smart regulations to ensure workplace safety & protect public health
  • Promote economic development by reducing red tape and timely permitting and zoning processes
  • Advocate for flexibility to allow businesses to thrive post-pandemic
  • Advocate for significant changes to the referendum/ballot question process

Taxation:

  • Advocate for reduced taxation on the municipal, state and federal level
  • Advocate for business owners and residents on issues related to taxation and fees
  • Advocate for alternatives to increasing gasoline tax for infrastructure improvements

Transportation:

  • Advocating for increased public transportation infrastructure funding sources (Regional Transit Authority) at the state level
  • Advocate locally for sensible and affordable parking solutions to support downtown businesses

Healthcare:

  • Government must minimize health care disruptions by acting as a good business partner
  • Continued advocacy for strong public health as it relates to both the workplace and community at large
  • Promote the continued viability and quality of our community hospitals, health centers and medical centers