Chamber Advocacy

About the Chamber

Mission Statement

The Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce recognizes that a thriving business community is an integral part of the outstanding quality of life in the Greater West Chester Region. Due to that GWCC advocates for the following principles.

In order to support this mission, the Chamber has listed a 2009/2010 Legislative Session Agenda in an effort to both educate the full Chamber Membership as well as the Legislative Delegation of issues of importance.

• Improved Tax Structure & Local Economic Vitality
• Health Care & Tort Reform
• Improved Infrastructure, including Transit and Energy
• Training, Education & Workforce Development
• Fair Labor & Employment Laws

Improved Tax Structure & Local Economic Vitality

Local government often has more impact then federal or state legislation, especially pertaining to economic vitality of a region.  Local municipalities need to take into consideration how any ordinances or regulations adopted by municipalities may affect the business community.  Items of particular interest to the Chamber Membership are:

• Working to keep taxes low with fiscally responsible spending.
• Appropriate land use regulations to allow businesses to locate and grow in Greater West Chester.
• Professional and informed staff available to the business community and residents
• Revitalizing business and shopping districts, including providing enough affordable parking.
• Enacting fair, not restrictive, energy and environment regulations.
• Allowing business owners and management to partake in the political process.
• Not enacting ordinances that supersede state laws on corporate reporting.
• Utilizing local business for municipal operations and activities.

 Next, Pennsylvania’s tax structure contains some of the highest rates and most restrictive provisions in the country and our corporate tax laws are uncompetitive when compared to the rest of the nation.  Across-the-board reforms and reductions in business taxes are necessary in order to stimulate economic development.  The Chamber advocates the elimination of the death tax, the reduction of the corporate net income tax (CNIT) rate, the phase out of the capital stock and franchise tax (CSFT), and adoption of a single sales factor. 

• The death tax falls on income that has already been taxed, and it forces the destruction of thousands of small family businesses.  It also discourages work, savings and asset-accumulation, while diverting resources into tax avoidance and enforcement that could be spent in economically productive activities.
• The capital stock and franchise tax is a tax paid on a business’ assets each year, regardless of how much money the business has made or lost that year.  Income is taxed separately with the corporate net income tax.  The tax was targeted for elimination in 2000.  However, the law passed by the Legislature did not kill the tax immediately, but put in place a gradual reduction of the tax until it would disappear completely in 2009.  The phase-out has since been extended to 2011
• As more and more states have moved to the single sales factor, Pennsylvania - again - appears at a competitive disadvantage and the perception defeats much of the other very good economic development work done by our state government. 
• Similarly, Pennsylvania stands virtually alone in its treatment of Net Operating Losses.  The proposal brings us to parity and competitiveness with other states so that our many other strengths can win jobs and economic expansion for the Commonwealth.  The NOL carry-forward benefits cyclical commodity companies of which our state has so many; while also benefiting our young start-ups with cash flow in their years of transition to profitability.

Health Care & Tort Reform

Making insurance more affordable and accessible to small businesses will encourage entrepreneurs to expand their workforce and benefits packages. 

• The Chamber supports small business group reform, small business health plans, health savings accounts and encourages any legislation that creates competition among health insurance companies and health care providers. 
• The Chamber insists that any plans for expanded health care must not shift a disproportionate share of the funding to the business community.
• The state must not unfairly target health care providers by cutting Medicaid funding.  These cuts will have a negative impact on our citizens, hospitals, businesses and the overall economy of the region.  This is due to the fact the state’s Medicaid budget impacts our community because Medicaid payments reimburse hospitals for care to our most vulnerable citizens and help the hospitals employ staff, and purchase goods and services, which generate state and local taxes, and stimulate the economy.  The cuts do not provide savings; rather they represent a shift in cost burdens. 
• The Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce also supports the reauthorization of the Pennsylvania Healthcare Cost Containment Council (PHC4) and also the Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error (MCARE) Fund. 
  •  As an independent state agency, PHC4 is responsible for addressing the problem of escalating health costs in Pennsylvania, ensuring the quality of health care and increasing access for all citizens regardless of ability to pay. PHC4 is the designated state agency that provides this service by compiling and analyzing data on patient outcomes in Pennsylvania health care systems/ hospitals.  This early model of healthcare data collecting has been the model that many other national organizations have built upon.  The Agency publishes comparative information about health care providers for use by health care purchasers and consumers, and encourages providers to use this data to contain costs and improve the quality of care they deliver.  This information is extremely valuable for purchasers and consumers of healthcare.
  • MCARE is a special fund within the State Treasury established, among other things, to ensure reasonable compensation for persons injured due to medical negligence.  Money in the fund is used to pay claims against participating health care providers and eligible entities for losses or damages awarded in medical professional liability actions in excess of basic insurance coverage provided by primary professional liability insurance companies or self-insurers.  MCARE also administers a compliance program to ensure adherence to the provisions of Act 13 and its attendant applicable regulations.  This fund is very important step in keeping our doctors within Pennsylvania, ensuring quality care for our residents. 

Next, the high legal costs paid by Pennsylvania employers, especially around Medical Malpractice, stunt the Commonwealth’s economic growth.  Fairness, common sense and personal responsibility need to be returned as an integral part of our courts by continuing to reform our antiquated legal system.  Enacting meaningful tort reform would greatly reduce the costs that businesses incur in the State of Pennsylvania and help ensure a better quality of life for all residents, due to the fact that our small business owners and doctors are leaving the Commonwealth due to frivolous lawsuits, particularly in Southeastern Pennsylvania. 

• Thus, the Chamber supports tort reform legislation that would put caps on non economic damages, would limit the recovery of punitive damages, would reform Joint and Several Liability, would prevent frivolous lawsuits and reduce the cost of medical malpractice insurance for our doctors. 

Improved Infrastructure, including Transit and Energy

Mass transit, highway and bridge systems in Pennsylvania are in a financial crisis.  This will have a negative effect on the economy of Pennsylvania if not solved.  A modern, safe and efficient transportation infrastructure is necessary for the free flow of commerce, and the mobility of the workforce for business and recreational activities. 

• Thus, managing the growing congestion on our roads is essential, and thus the Chamber supports programs that make our roads more efficient. 
• Next, mass transit systems are critical to business operations within Greater West Chester.  Due to this, the Chamber supports securing funding streams for SEPTA and the expansion of services. 
• In addition, inter-modal access, trucking and freight are an integral component of our economy, and the Chamber supports policies that allow the free flow of goods and commerce.

Next, energy bills can be a significant portion of the costs of doing business for a company.  Our businesses rely on reliable and reasonably priced energy. 

• Thus, the Chamber opposes any additional surcharges on energy or utility bills, and asks the legislature to keep small businesses in mind as the plan for the expiration of rate caps.
• The Chamber supports policies that will encourage existing energy plants to continue operating, and new generating plants to be built. 
• Careful consideration should also be given to the impact upon generation infrastructure when environmental standards are set, and negative impacts will be minimized by following nationwide standards.  Adoption of more stringent, state-specific standards should be reserved for situations where these standards are both supported by sound science and produce benefits that clearly outweigh the incremental costs.   

Training, Education & Workforce Development

Education is an investment that contributes to the direct economic success of individuals, benefits the economy, and attracts and supports business.  In fact, investments in early childhood education are one the most effective tools a community can utilize in order to promote economic development. Next workforce development and constant training is a critical human capital process concerned with identifying future needs, developing a productive workforce, examining the skills of employees at all levels, and determining both strengths and skill gaps.  Work force development and training can prepare today’s workforce for tomorrow’s challenges.

• Thus, the Chamber supports programs that emphasize technical skills, business skills, trades and vocational schooling.
• The Chamber also supports improvements to Pennsylvania’s public education system that will increase the quality of education and overall improvement of student achievement.
• The Chamber is in favor of increasing authority and flexibility superintendents and principals for management and personnel decisions.
• The rewarding of educators whose performance contributes to growth in student achievement while at the same time fairly and efficiently removing ineffective educators.
• Competitive educational systems and programs, such as charter schools, magnet schools, school choice and Educational Improvement Tax Credits, that provide ample choices for parents and students.

Fair Labor & Employment Laws

The Chamber supports reforms to the workers’ compensation system and unemployment compensation program that would lower costs and lessen the burden on employers, but opposes unfair labor laws. 

• The Chamber also opposes The Employee Free Choice Act.  This bill has the potential to expose more small businesses to union campaigns, and also make them more vulnerable to union organizing tactics.  According to the US Chamber of Commerce, of the 2,649 union representation elections conducted by the NLRB in 2005, more than 20 percent involved bargaining units of fewer than 10 employees and a full 70 percent involved bargaining units of fewer than 50 employees.  Moreover, current procedures allow for most elections to be held within 56 days.  A quick and fair process helps small businesses that can not afford expensive drawn out stalling techniques that this bill will allow for union organizers.  The card check bill would allow unions to target even smaller companies, and as you know small businesses are the back bone of the economy