Message From the Chair:
Media Storms
 Norma Ritz Johnson
Vice President, Legislative Affairs
Lubbock (TX) Chamber of Commerce
2009-2010 Chair, ACCE Government Relations Division
As I write this message I’m reading an article in today’s New York Times called “Storm over the Chamber” (it came complete with a full color half-page photo of the U.S. Chamber headquarters with storm clouds above). As most folks are probably aware, the U.S. Chamber has been in the crosshairs recently for taking strong positions. A few high profile member defections gave Chamber opponents fuel for major media coverage. Think that’s a situation your local chamber couldn’t find itself in? Think again.
The U.S. Chamber’s recent travails are eerily familiar for me. About a year ago the Lubbock Chamber experienced a similar local media storm after taking-on a sensitive, but necessary, local issue. Despite having support from 82 percent of our members, the chamber was openly criticized and our board’s decision making process was questioned. When one well-known member dropped their membership over the issue, our opponents seized upon the opportunity for publicity and claimed that our membership was split over the issue.
Of course those of us in the chamber business know the realities of member turnover. Members drop and join for a variety of reasons, and someone is bound to get angry when your chamber takes a strong position.
I sympathize with the U.S. Chamber, but given our experience last year, it is interesting to watch the national media storm play out.
Watching this situation should be interesting for other chamber leaders as well. Chambers of commerce who take assertive public policy positions should take notes on how the U.S. Chamber reacts to and deals with this current media storm. It’s a worthwhile exercise given that your opponents are also watching and developing strategies to take you on in the future.
From the Policy Clearinghouse Blog
Recent posts from the Policy Clearinghouse Blog:
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Chambers Suggest Budget Solutions
Chambers of commerce can do more than wring their hands about state budgetary woes, they can (and should) suggest smart cuts and budgetary solutions. Here are two recent examples from the Salt Lake City Chamber and the Kentucky Chamber.
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Early Childhood Investment Pays Off
Is early childhood education an item on your list of nice but non-essential programs to strive for some day? If so, you may want to read University of Chicago economist and Noble Prize laureate James Heckman’s thoughts on the efficiency of education spending.
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Spokane Prop 4 Defeated!
This election day Spokane voters rejected Proposition 4, the Community Bill of Rights. This is the set of nine city charter amendments that would have expanded citizen’s rights to a host of services without any provision to pay for those rights. Click to read quotes from Greater Spokane Inc.’s Rich Hadley.
For more policy-focused commentary and links, check out the Policy Clearinghouse Blog
Discussion Topics
Recent discussions from the Policy Clearinghouse LinkedIn Group
Modernization of Public Notice Laws
I'd welcome comments about how your state has updated public notice laws. Our local governments are spending approximately $200,000 a year to publish notices in the paper. Has any other state recently brought their public notice requirements into the 21st century?
Chambers Running Transit Tax Campaigns
Have any chambers been involved in a county-wide policy campaign? I am curious because we may be launching a county-wide effort to advocate for a transit tax in order to move along the development of rail late next year. I am looking for a colleague who has undertaken this type of campaign so I can discuss their experiences in a like-campaign and bounce ideas off of, etc.
Building Local Influence
I am working to try and streamline how we address local issues with the goal being to attract more member involvement on local issues and become more influential at the local levels of government. How does your chamber handle government affairs programs/committees locally?
Help your chamber peers, log on the Policy Clearinghouse LinkedIn Group to post your response.
Government Relations Division Member Profile
 Bryan Sunderland
Director of Government Relations
Kentucky Chamber of Commerce
Bryan directs the Kentucky Chamber’s government affairs and lobbying program. He has been an active contributor to the ACCE Policy Clearinghouse and recently joined the Government Relations Division Advisory Committee. This month marks his fourth anniversary at the Kentucky Chamber.
ACCE: How did you get started in chamber work, and what keeps you in the profession?
Bryan: Before coming to the Kentucky Chamber I spent five years working for the Kentucky General Assembly. During my time there, I worked directly for the Senate President and Majority Floor Leader. During my tenure, I staffed several committees, directed redistricting efforts, provided media relations and communications and ended my service as the Director of Legislative Operations. I really enjoyed my experience working for the legislature, but the opportunity to join the Kentucky Chamber and impact policymaking was too good to pass up.
ACCE: What policy issues are currently occupying your most of time?
Bryan: As it is in many states, the state budget is our overriding issue. Even before the economic downturn magnified our budgetary issues, the Chamber invested time analyzing why comparatively fewer dollars are going to important programs like educations and economic development. We found that the problem isn’t overall tax revenue; the state’s general fund has grown in proportionately with the state’s economy over the past 20 years. The problem is that 3 areas are consuming an ever increasing share of state revenue – corrections, Medicaid, and public employee health costs. With the current economy, we have an unprecedented opportunity to address these growing expenses.
I’m also spending more time than ever before on the phone with our representatives in Washington D.C. Federal issues, specifically healthcare, card check, and the energy debate, are more important to our members than ever before.
ACCE: What are the biggest challenges your chamber/community currently face?
Bryan: The state budget and Kentucky’s unemployment insurance system is occupying most of our time because it is really the biggest issue facing our state. We have to create long-term, structural solutions to the budget gap, or else business will be stuck holding the bag.
ACCE: Finish this sentence. Never again will I …
Bryan: Never again will I schedule back to back conferences that require travel from Kentucky to Maine to Nevada and back in less than one week. |
