Did you know that as a Chamber member, you have a local lobbyist working on your behalf to protect the interests of the business community? One of the most significant benefits of your Chamber membership is that Chamber staff and the Government Affairs committee are working to represent your interests with city, county and state governments. In 2023, the Chamber will also begin making regular updates available to its members to keep you informed on legislation and local government action that may impact your business.
Tracking and advocating for pro-business policies
Vice President of External Affairs Lily White is a registered lobbyist on behalf of the Columbia Chamber of Commerce and is actively engaged with our city council, mayor and Boone County commissioners. Lily attends every meeting of Columbia’s City Council and she and Matt McCormick, our President & CEO, regularly speak to the council during meetings if our Chamber Board has taken a position on the issue being discussed.
Chamber staff is also tracking legislation in Jefferson City that impacts our businesses and local economy, such as the internet use tax, workforce development programs and funding for our transportation systems, university and community college.
Unveiling our 2023 Priorities
Each year, the Chamber’s Government Affairs committee compiles a list of priorities for both the local and state level. These priorities are based on feedback received from members and legislative issues that the Chamber expects to see discussed in the coming session.
The Chamber’s 2023 Local Priorities (for Columbia/Boone County) will be announced at the Civic Appreciation Breakfast on December 20. The 2023 Legislative Priorities (for state legislature) will be announced at the Legislative Reception on January 5, 2023. At each of these events, the Chamber hosts relevant elected officials and leaders to start the conversation about how the business community and civic leaders can work together to make our community a better place. Registration is now open for both of these events and any Chamber member with interest in our government affairs work is encouraged to attend!
New in 2023: Government Affairs Video Updates
Based on member feedback and a desire to better inform our members about this Chamber benefit, we will be launching a new video series in 2023 offering information and commentary to our members on government affairs updates relevant to the Columbia economy. These bi-monthly videos will cover both local politics and state legislature, keeping you informed about legislative action that may affect your business. Look for our first video on YouTube and Facebook on January 5.