BILLINGS AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PRIORITY ISSUES

>> Community Infrastructure:

New Ball Park
Cobb Field is a cultural anchor in our community and the Chamber supports construction of a new ball park. The Chamber believes that to be successful, a public/private partnership both funding and promoting passage of the bond issue in November is essential

Shiloh Economic Corridor
The Chamber intends to continue to play a significant role in developing and implementing improvements to the Shiloh Economic Corridor, including the addition of roundabouts rather than signalized intersections. The Shiloh Economic Corridor will enhance economic development and quality of life and completion of this project needs to be done on a timely basis

MetraPark
MetraPark is a vital part of the tourism infrastructure and the Chamber believes that it is a critical time for master planning of this facility. We support the Ray Ward assessment of facility and grounds, and encourage implementation of most of the recommendations made in the report. We support the facility’s operation as a loss-leader in driving business to Billings and we support public investment to improve and maintain the facility and grounds.

>> Legislative Agenda (Including but not limited to):

Expansion of Resort Tax
The Chamber supports the removal of resort tax limitations to allow for all communities in Montana to determine whether or not they want to implement this tax, and for what purposes, within their communities or area. The tax should have local voted authorization and should be used only in the community in which it is generated.

Tourism Business Improvement District
The Chamber realizes that tourism promotion funding on a local level is inadequate. Funding of like-cities tourism promotion is an average of four times greater than that of Billings’. The Chamber supports the development of a hotel room assessment based upon actual occupied rooms that may require state enabling legislation and the support of 60% of the assessed value of hotels within a jurisdiction. Revenue generated must stay in the local community in which it is collected and can only be used for tourism promotion that generates room nights.

Workforce Training
Publicly funded worker training is essential in order for Montana to be competitive when it comes to industry retention/expansion and new industry recruitment. We support continued funding to help offset the cost of training individuals for newly created “base industry sector” jobs as enacted by the 2003 and 2005 legislatures. Furthermore, we support the initiative to develop training funds and programs for incumbent worker training to assist existing businesses with 20 or fewer employees to expand and to utilize the talents of their incumbent workers to meet the demands of the 21st century workplace.

Wrongful Discharge
"Montana’s Wrongful Discharge Act, being the only statute of its kind in the nation, has had an adverse impact on recruiting new businesses to Montana. The Chamber vigorously opposes any action or legislation it deems will have an effect of eroding employers’ rights under the current statutes. We will support any improvements or modifications to this statute which would enhance Montana’s ability to attract and retain new or existing businesses."

>> Workforce Development K-12:

The Chamber will promote an education/business connection with School District 2, develop a working Task Force to help expedite this process, and work towards successful passage of future mill levies which are well crafted and thoroughly explained to the voting public.