Economic Development and Business Advocacy Guiding Principles

The Chamber advocates for business-friendly policy in support of private enterprise, entrepreneurial endeavors, and an economically competitive business climate. These Guiding Principles reflect our commitment to advocacy for our members and with our partners.

Economic Competitiveness

Workforce Readiness

Taxation

Quality of Life

The Chamber supports initiatives that create a welcoming community attractive to live, work, play, and do business. These include initiatives that address workforce housing needs; local access to quality healthcare; public safety efforts that ensure safe neighborhoods and that build trust between various communities; and the development and preservation of facilities and amenities that improve our region’s quality of place.

Transportation and Infrastructure

Land Use

Community Resiliency

Member Advocacy Services

However you choose to engage in advocacy, the Chamber is here for you, giving you a voice and keeping you informed with Roundtable discussions, pulse surveys, action alerts on important policy issues, and written and verbal testimony where it impacts critical business interests. Your Chamber acts as a steward of essential information as well as a direct conduit to your elected officials.

Stay Informed, Stay Engaged

Join the Legislative and Policy Interest List to stay informed and to receive:

invitations to monthly round table discussions, designed to facilitate healthy dialogue on issues of interest and impact to business and community.
information on issues of interest to the business community,
pulse surveys that ensure your business experience and views are known, and
action alerts on policy issues that need your voice.

Participate in pulse surveys that help inform legislators, policy makers, and chamber leadership about where you stand, what you’re experiencing, and how we can improve policy outcomes.

Reach to our advocacy team with concerns, questions, or requests for advocacy services.

Contact your elected representative and copy chamber staff so we know where you stand.

Industry Associations, Government Affairs Collaboration

The Springfield Chamber is a member of state, regional, and national chamber associations that provide government and legislative affairs resources. The Oregon State Chamber of Commerce, Oregon Business and Industry, and the US Chamber of Commerce, are key sources of legislative and policy insight at the state and federal level. We’re also connected with associations that offer specialized industry sector advocacy and will work with staff at these organizations to gain perspective, resources, and, where aligned, may support their position, research, or other efforts. Oregon Restaurant and Lodging Association, Lane Families for Farms and Forests, Oregon Forest Industries Council, and Travel Lane County are examples. We also work with local business associations, chambers of commerce, and government affairs liaisons at public and private entities representing local jurisdictions or businesses.

Springfield Chamber Advocating on Behalf of our Businesses

Springfield Chamber Backs HB3205, Supporting Workforce Recruitment and Retention Strategies for Small Businesses

Springfield Chamber Submits Testimony to Add BSN Degree to Oregon Community Colleges

Providing broader, equitable, quality education and earning opportunities for nursing students in Oregon is a path forward to addressing the shortage of credentialed and qualified nurses and why the Springfield Chamber's workforce development initiative supports SB 523.

Corporate Activities Tax Relief Bill: Springfield Chamber Submits Testimony Supporting Raising The CAT Exemption Threshold

The Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce stands with Oregon’s small businesses who have demonstrated exceptional resiliency under the most extraordinary pressures of inflation, workforce shortages, and rising cost of providing living wages and employee benefits.

Springfield Chamber Endorses Public Safety Ballot Measure 20-327

The Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce supports renewal of the local option levy for Springfield jail and police services and encourages constituents vote "Yes" on Ballot Measure 20-327 in November.

Springfield Chamber Submits Public Testimony Advocating on Behalf of Best and Highest Use of Proposed Room Tax (TRT) Increase

Springfield Chamber Joins Coalition Advocating for Energy Choice

The City of Eugene is considering a ban on natural gas and other fossil fuel infrastructure in newly constructed buildings. Businesses report grave concerns that such policy will limit their ability to operate locally or remain competitive in other markets.

Read The Full Article

Eugene and Springfield Chambers of Commerce Release Statement Following Business Survey Findings

The City of Eugene is considering a ban on natural gas and other fossil fuel infrastructure in
newly constructed local buildings.

Recognizing the significant impact this could have immediately and in the future for local
businesses, the Eugene and Springfield Chambers of Commerce together developed and
administered a survey of their members to measure business community sentiment on these
issues and the impacts such policies could have on local organizations, jobs, and families.

Springfield Chamber Submits Testimony to Oregon Department of Forestry on Western Oregon Habitat Conservation Plan

I offer this perspective as a supplement to our testimony submitted May 31^st, 2022, asking for a more thorough analysis of impacts the Habitat Conservation Plan proposal will have on rural Oregon, and a process more inclusive of local business, industry, and taxing districts. We ask that you consider the ramifications of regulations posed on one sector impact Oregon businesses, families, and communities.

Read Full Testimony

Springfield Chamber Comments on Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Western Oregon State Forest Habitat Conservation Plan

I write to express concerns that the Oregon Department of Forestry’s (ODF) draft Habitat Conservation Plan(HCP) and the associated draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) would increase the environmental and economic harm our communities and forests have faced over the past several decades, all of which were exacerbated by the 2020 Labor Day Wildfires from which we are still struggling to recover. We hope a better path forward can be found and we are reliant on your leadership to enable this.

Read Comment

Springfield Chamber Comments on Main Street Safety Project

Investing in road infrastructure, commuter and public safety, and quality of place enhancements has its merits, but should not come at the expense of small and medium-sized enterprises, the foundation of our economic strength, resilience, and opportunity.

Read Comment

Springfield and Eugene Chambers Issue Joint Statement to Eugene City Council on Potential New Construction Natural Gas Limitations

The IPCC is clear, our global climate is warming and as a country and society we must take action to slow the impacts of climate change. Locally, we implore you to consider and implement policies that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions in a way that does not compromise the delicate ecosystem on which we’ve built our society – a local economy that provides jobs which pay for housing, food, clothing, and other necessities; a local economy that funds the infrastructure we rely on such as public education, roads, sewers, and even climate policy implementation.

Read Full Statement

Springfield Chamber Submits Testimony on Oregon Redistricting

Read Testimony

Appeal for reasonable revisions to OR-OSHA COVID-19 Permanent Standard Draft Rules

OR-OSHA should be providing workers and local businesses with certainty, not layering new regulations on local employers nearly 14 months into the pandemic that pose barriers to already challenging economic recovery efforts.

Coalition Letter Urging Extension of PPP Deadline

March 3, 2021

The Springfield Area Chamber joins 12 Oregon chambers of commerce in support of letter to congress urging extension of the Paycheck Protection Program deadline.

ILR Leads Letter Urging Congress to Pass COVID-19 Liability Protections

February 1, 2021

The Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce signed on to the Institute for Legal Reform's letter to Congress urging members to consider targeted and temporary liability protections in the next COVID relief package.

READ THE FULL LETTER

Appeal for Small Business Remedy and Relief

12/15/20

The Springfield Chambers wrote a letter to Governor Kate Brown and Lane County representatives to the Oregon legislature to recognize the critical role small business plays in sustaining our state’s economy and to prioritize substantial remedies for small business employers.

READ THE FULL LETTER

Chamber Calls for City Council's Focus on Business Recovery

9/4/20

Read letter to the council here

Most Recent News and Updates

The Bottom Line is one of Springfield's only business news sources. Compiled, edited and published by the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, this digital magazine, serves its members and the public with business news, community events, press releases, advocacy and elections updates, new member profiles, and everything else that affects business and community interests in our region. Enjoy The Bottom Line at https://springfieldbottomline.com/

OUR MOST RECENT ADVOCACY POSTS: