The Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce works with our elected
officials on the local, state and federal levels of government to
influence pro-business policies that support economic growth.
Participation in the political arena from all citizens in the community
is essential for dynamic growth in Muskegon.
Second Friday of each month, 7:30-9:00am
Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce
Committee membership is by appointment
Adam Zuwerink, Parmenter O'Toole
David Gerdes, Rehmann
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , 722-3751
The Committee encourages elected officials to work with the business community to bolster the economy and improve our global competitiveness. We encourage cooperation and partnerships among government, education, business and civic groups. Each year your Chamber's Government Affairs Committee outlines goals and objectives based on the following guidelines.
The issues addressed by the Government Affairs Committee are those that:
Public positions and support statements will be given when the issues meet the above guidelines. For those issues that don't meet the above guidelines, we offer assistance by providing appropriate networking contacts with other stakeholder organizations, government agencies, representatives or community leaders.
Click here to see the Chamber's legislative priorities in the categories of Education Reform, Environmental Quality, Health & Human Resources, Infrastructure, Public Policy, State Fiscal Management, Tourism, Trade, and Workforce Development.
Representatives from the Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce journeyed to Washington, DC in February 2009 to advocate for a plan to create jobs and spur economic revitalization in the Great Lakes region.
The Muskegon Chamber has joined with its counterpart organizations from twelve Midwest states to develop "An Agenda for Jobs and Economic Transformation in the Great Lakes Region" which calls for significant short term and long term investment and new policy initiatives in five strategic areas:
Federal transportation infrastructure funding and policy
A 21st century border with Canada
Investment in the Great Lakes to transform our economic region
Great Lakes innovation strategy
Federal immigration policy
The agenda recommends projects that will put thousands of people immediately back to work and will also fuel the region's longer term economic transformation. The most immediate recommendations revolve around transportation and watershed restoration projects. In total, the initiatives recommended by the coalition will result in well over $100 billion long term economic benefit to the region and nation, as well as hundreds of thousands of jobs.
The Great Lakes region is the world's most important economic engine, covering all or parts of twelve states and two Canadian provinces. It is the second largest economy in the world, the cradle of innovation, ingenuity and productivity, the home of many of the world?s leading educational and health care institutions, and the source of 20% of the world's fresh water supply.
The region faces significant challenges as it adjusts to a new global economy, challenges that call for a change in approach to the region's future. Those changes include a new partnership between the federal government and the Great Lakes states to provide an immediate boost to the region's economy through significant job-creating infrastructure investment, as well as new policies to help drive the long term economic transformation of the region.
Find out how the Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce could benefit you.