The Mission of the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce is to strengthen our business community through collaboration, engagement, and strategic partnerships. As part of this mission, the Chamber serves as the voice of business, via our role as advocates and a trusted source and information repository for the business community. We seek to build a business-friendly Athens Area that allows businesses to fully compete for customers and market-share based on the goods and services they provide.
About the Committee
The Business Advocacy Committee is a standing committee comprised of Chamber members. It shall be charged with the primary responsibility to promote a positive, proactive business environment in the Athens Area by:
- Developing and supporting legislation and other governmental action which promotes a strong business climate and job growth opportunities.
- Opposing legislation and other governmental action which inhibits a strong business climate and diminishes job growth opportunities.
- Establishing productive relationships between business interests and public officials.
- Providing forums to inform public officials and candidates for public office on issues impacting the business community.
- Communicating official Chamber positions to the appropriate public officials prior to their action on the issue.
- Endeavoring to hold public officials accountable for their actions and the resulting impacts on the business community.
While the Committee of the Chamber shall be charged with the above-referenced responsibility to promote a positive, proactive business environment, the Chamber is a non-partisan organization and shall neither endorse candidates for public office nor political parties.
Public Policy Criteria
The Chamber’s Business Advocacy Committee uses these broad criteria when determining positions on policy issues:
Does the proposal enhance the broad competitive business environment?
- Does the proposal help maintain or enhance an environment conducive to business and a level playing field for businesses in the Athens Area now and into the future?
- Does the proposal provide the opportunity for competitive business practices regardless of demographics of business or owners?
Does the proposal allow the Chamber to take the lead or play a supporting role, as relevant, in advancing the issues and relying on local government to carry out their roles for good public policy, with an emphasis on:
- Workforce Housing
- Workforce Development
- Transportation and Transit
- Technology and Utilities
- Business Regulations
Proposal Submission Process
For issues and proposals to be considered, they must be submitted in writing utilizing the 2022 Request for Advocacy Form. Other topics and additional related areas will be presented to the committee at the discretion of staff to avoid presenting unrelated items to the Board.
Positions are taken by a majority vote of the Board of Directors after recommendation from the Business Advocacy Committee. As is the case with any piece of legislation, the Board can choose to take a position of Interested Party, Non-Opposition, Partial Opposition, Opposition, Partial Support, and Support.