Asheville Chamber's 2012 Legislative Agenda

The Board of the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce approved the 2012 Legislative Agenda on Wednesday, March 28 (scroll to bottom to see agenda). This marked the end of a long and diligent process of the Chamber to identify the legislative priorities and needs of Western North Carolina’s business community.

The legislative agenda process began with a survey of businesses across the region. For the first time the Asheville Chamber partnered with five other chamber’s (Black Mountain-Swannanoa Chamber, Henderson County Chamber, Haywood County Chamber, Madison County Chamber, and Transylvania County Chamber) to get a clear picture of the legislative needs from across the region. From the survey, it was clear that membership priorities revolved around tax reform, education funding, and regulatory reform.

Following the survey, the Chamber convened the Governmental Affairs Task Force for three meetings to hear from community presenters and learn about Asheville’s legislative needs. The group heard from Buncombe County Schools, Mission Hospital, UNC Asheville, North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association, Senator Burr, Asheville Downtown Association, and Mountain Housing Opportunities.

The Task Force was able to use the survey and community presentations to identify the needs of Chamber business members and create a draft agenda. This agenda then went before the Chamber’s Executive Leadership Committee and finally the Chamber Board for revision and approval.

The Chamber will now begin work to advocate on member’s key priorities. This will take place at the upcoming Legislative Luncheon on April 20 when the agenda will be presented to state legislatures and on the ground in Raleigh during the Short Session. Finally, the Chamber will be taking a group of business leaders to Raleigh and Washington, D.C. to meet with our legislative leadership and convey WNC’s needs.

Click here to learn more and register for the Legislative Luncheon.

The Chamber is eager to represent your business. If you have questions or comments please contact Jeff Joyce at jjoyce@ashevillechamber.org.


2012 State Top Priorities

Job Creation
• Support programs and state legislation to help all businesses, irrespective of size, to create and maintain jobs, including tax incentive strategies, grants and an expand the small business preference for companies seeking contracts with the state
• Supports the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians as a sovereign nation that has determined what is in the best interest of its citizens, in their efforts to amend their Tribal Gaming Compact with the State of North Carolina to permit live dealers at their gaming tables. (Approved by Chamber Board October 10-21-11) Encourage leadership to move forward with a live gaming agreement and address the agreement during the Short Session.
Regulatory Reform
• Protect and attract jobs through continued regulatory reform. The Chamber encourages the balance of environmental protection with job creation by streamlining and making the regulatory process more transparent.
Tax Reform/Fiscal Issues
• Support tax reform efforts resulting in “across the board” tax rate reductions- broadening the tax base to help lower rates for businesses and individuals; eliminating special tax breaks, simplify compliance, and ensure no specific industry is targeted
• Examine the Unemployment Trust Fund. NC currently owes $2.6 billion to the federal government. The Chamber encourages the creation of a solution that addresses sustainability and solvency.
Education/Workforce
• Support early education; more flexibility for local school boards and community colleges to make decisions on innovative programs, lottery funds, and budget decisions; and restoring to the University of North Carolina System the management flexibility needed to manage budget reductions and to retain and recruit university employees.

2012 State Agenda

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
• Support programs and state legislation to help all businesses, irrespective of size, to create and maintain jobs, including tax incentive strategies, grants and an expand the small business preference for companies seeking contracts with the state
• Supports the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians as a sovereign nation that has determined what is in the best interest of its citizens, in their efforts to amend their Tribal Gaming Compact with the State of North Carolina to permit live dealers at their gaming tables. (Approved by Chamber Board October 10-21-11) Encourage leadership to move forward with a live gaming agreement and address the agreement during the Short Session.
• Oppose efforts to erode NC’s Right-to-work laws
EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
• Support early education; more flexibility for local school boards and community colleges to make decisions on innovative programs, lottery funds, and budget decisions; and restoring to the University of North Carolina System the management flexibility needed to manage budget reductions and to retain and recruit university employees.
TRANSPORTATION & INFRASTRUCTURE
• Request the completion of the I-26 Connector Project, including aesthetics design components
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
• Support incentives and programs to enhance green building and energy conservation efforts
FISCAL ISSUES
• Support tax reform efforts resulting in “across the board” tax rate reductions- broadening the tax base to help lower rates for businesses and individuals; eliminating special tax breaks, simplify compliance, and ensure no specific industry is targeted
HEALTHCARE
• Support legislation that reforms Medicaid without loss of benefit or cost shifting to business
• Support improved access for patients and fair payment for providers, including mental health services



2012 Federal Priorities

1. Tax Reform & Job Creation
• Encourage pro-growth tax policies that preserve American’s global competiveness and support businesses’ ability to grow, invest and create jobs. Broaden the tax base to help lower rates for individuals and corporations, eliminate special tax breaks, simplify compliance, and ensure no specific industry is targeted
• Support state efforts to provide incentives and job training to attract and grow jobs, including more directed support to community colleges for workforce training and education
• Support programs and state legislation to help all businesses, irrespective of size, to create and maintain jobs, including tax incentive strategies and grants
• Support the critical infrastructure needs of the Blue Ridge Parkway to maintain this key economic development driver in the region
2. Energy/Alternative Energy and Regulations
• Encourage pro-growth energy action that increases diverse energy supplies, supports the development of alternative fuels, reduces the cost of energy, improves efficiency, and promotes environmental stewardship while putting Americans back to work.
• Ensure that the EPA evaluates economic impact and job loss in its regulations, as is currently required by all major environment laws
• Support efforts by Congress to craft comprehensive environmental legislation which reduces greenhouse gas emissions
and protects our economic competitiveness and quality of life. We recognize that members of Congress are held accountable to constituents for decisions on cost and impact and federal agencies such as the EPA do not have the same accountability for economic consequences
3. Education Funding
• Provide more directed support to community colleges for workforce training and education
• Strengthen the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act and other key programs
• Preserve the current maximum Pell Grant award for qualified students
• Preserve current funding levels for research grants and contracts with universities
• Improve the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to raise student achievement and close achievement gaps; support special emphasis on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), U.S. history and economics, investment in school improvement, and encourage innovation.
4. Healthcare
• Preserve and enhance funding for medical research for NIH (National Institute of Health), CDC (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention), and AHRQ (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality) to promote associated economic development in WNC. Expand the number of Graduate Medical Education residency slots available to NC to address growing physician shortages; protect healthcare providers from arbitrary payment reductions that result in cost shift.
• Encourage business involvement during the development, implementation and administration of the federally mandated NC Health Benefit Exchange for individuals and small businesses.
5. Transportation
• Support multi-year legislation to provide long-term funding for states to undertake major infrastructure projects. We appreciate the Senate’s passage of MAP-21 (S 1813) , a two-year, $109 billion reauthorization bill that also makes reforms to eliminate inefficiencies and infuses $1 billion to boost the Department of Transportation’s innovative transportation program (road and bridge improvements transit upgrades; freight, port and rail expansions; and new options for bicyclists and pedestrians) We encourage the US House to pass companion legislation to avoid shutdown of highway and transit programs when SAFETEA-LU expires on March 31, 2012.

Health and Wellness Forum

Date: Thursday, January 12th 2012
Time: 4:00pm to 5:30pm

Sponsored By: Crescent Health Solutions

Description:
Learn how your business can be the solution to Western North Carolina’s health care challenges. With the start of 2012 there is no greater time to learn how your workforce can improve overall health, increase productivity and cut cost. Make plans to join us on Thursday, January 12 from 4 p.m. until 5:30 p.m. to hear from health experts and business leaders leading the way in wellness.

The panel discussion will be moderated by Meridith Elliott Powell of Motion First.

Panel Discussion:

Dr. Ron Paulus, President & CEO, Mission Hospital and Health System
Paul Vest, President & CEO, YMCA of Western North Carolina
Stephanie Emerson, Director of Firm Administration, Johnson, Price & Sprinkle
Katie Craig, Van Winkle Law Firm
Anne Thornhill, NC Prevention Partners

Space is limited. Register today.

For more information contact jjoyce@ashevillechamber.org

Public Policy Update: NCGA Special Session

The North Carolina General Assembly was back in Raleigh November 27-30 for a special session, and the Asheville Chamber was on the ground making sure the voice of Western North Carolina business was heard.

North Carolina legislatures arrived in Raleigh on Sunday and got the November special session underway at 8 pm on Sunday night. Throughout the session, which ended Tuesday (November 30), legislatures worked on key legislation for WNC.

The Asheville Chamber was particularly excited to see HB 796 receive approval from both the House and Senate. HB 796 changes North Carolina’s alcohol law and will allow breweries that brew more than 25,000 barrels of beer to self-distribute their product at the brewery location. This bill is pivotal for potential job creation in Buncombe and Henderson counties.

The Chamber would like to give a big thank you to Representative Tim Moffitt, Representative Chuck McGrady, Senator Tom Apodaca, and Senator Martin Nesbitt for their hard work on this legislation.

The Chamber was also pleased to see the Governor’s compact with the Eastern Band of Cherokee come through on Monday. The compact will modify NC's gambling law to allow live dealers in Cherokee and will produce needed jobs in WNC. The Chamber will be working hard to see that the General Assembly approves this job creating legislation as soon as possible.

The special session saw additional action with the Senate repealing the Racial Justice Act (SB 9) and the House passing legislation to cap the gas tax (HB 645). In the coming weeks be looking for the Governor’s veto to come on the repeal of the racial justice act and expect no action on the gas tax cap as the Senate decided not to take up the bill.

The General Assembly is scheduled to return to Raleigh February 16-18.

The Chamber will work hard to keep you updated on the happenings at the NCGA. If you have questions or concerns do not hesitate to contact Jeff Joyce at jjoyce@ashevillechamber.org.

Action Alert: Chamber's Voice Heard in DC

The Environmental Protection Agency’s Utility MACT rule is awaiting implementation and scheduled to be finalized by December 2011.

The EPA’s Utility MACT rule requires an untimely decrease in mercury emissions by power plants. The Asheville Chamber recently asked President Obama, his Cabinet and the EPA to first consider the implications on North Carolina business and jobs the Utility MACT rule will have if implemented.

Economists are predicting the MACT (scheduled to begin in December) will drive up prices for the power sector, manufacturers and other industries vital to NC. The Asheville Chamber encourages the President remain diligent in safeguarding our environment while also protecting businesses and working families.

US Senate takes Action:

Senators Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Dan Coats (R-Ind.) introduced the bipartisan “Fair Compliance Act” to create reasonable timelines and benchmarks for utilities to comply with two major Environmental Protection Agency to protect jobs and keep utility rates stable. The legislation would extend the compliance deadline for the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR) by three years and the deadline for the Utility MACT rule by two years – so that both would fall on January 1, 2017. Our federal delegation can help to delay this rule to give the appropriate time to assess the impact by supporting Senate Bill 1833.

How You Can Help

Contact the President and EPA

Due to the limited time we have to ensure our message is heard, we cannot afford to rely on the post office to deliver your letter. Additionally, White House security can often delay the delivery of letters to their recipients. So instead, please e-mail a .PDF copy of your letter to: E-mail Address: vjarrett@who.eop.gov

The Honorable Valerie B. Jarrett
Senior Advisor to the President
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20015

The Honorable Lisa Jackson
Administrator
Environmental Protection Agency
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20460


Contact your Federal Delegation

Our federal delegation can help to delay the Utility MACT to give the appropriate time to assess the impact of the Utility MACT rule by supporting Senate Bill 1833. Call your elected officials today.

Senator Richard Burr: (202) 224-3154

Senator Kay Hagan: (202) 224-6342

Congressman Heath Shuler: (202) 225-6401

Congressman Patrick McHenry: (202) 225-2576

NC Biotechnology Grant Opportunities

The North Carolina Biotechnology Center helps make connections and provide support for our state's biotechnology industry. The North Carolina General Assembly funds the Biotechnology Center as a private, non-profit organization dedicated to biotechnology development.

Below is a listing of upcoming grant opportunities offered through partners of the Biotechnology Center.

If you have any special funding requests, or wish to be added to a distribution list for regular grant opportunities, please send a note to julie_king@ncbiotech.org.

Deadline: 11/17/11

Agency: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Program: Vaccine Innovation Award

Description: Gates Foundation recognizes that innovation in the delivery of vaccines can take many shapes. Rather than limit what innovation can mean, they welcome a diverse array of ideas. As long as the innovation has resulted in tangible health impact related to vaccine delivery, it is eligible for consideration.
Nominees will be assessed on three broad criteria:

• Impact — the nominee should have achieved significant improvements in the prevention, control, or elimination of vaccine preventable disease.
• Innovation and creativity — the nominee should have applied imaginative and pioneering approaches to overcome difficult challenges to immunizing children and achieving impact.
• Scale — the nominee's innovation should be at scale or suitable to be implemented at scale within the nominee's country and around the world.

Award Amount: $250,000, featured on Gates Foundation website, and personally acknowledged by Gates Foundation leadership.
Website: http://www.gatesfoundation.org/vaccines/Pages/vaccine-innovation-award.aspx

Eligibility: It is open to individuals from any disciplines who work on delivery of vaccines. Candidates from academic institutions, governments, health care facilities, research institutions, non-profit organizations and for-profit companies may be nominated.

Deadline: 12/15/11

Agency: National Science Foundation

Program: Innovation Corps Program (I-Corps)

Description: NSF seeks to develop and nurture a national innovation ecosystem that builds upon fundamental research to guide the output of scientific discoveries closer to the development of technologies, products and processes that benefit society. In order to jumpstart a national innovation ecosystem, NSF is establishing the NSF Innovation Corps (NSF I-Corps). The NSF I-Corps' purpose is to identify NSF-funded researchers who will receive additional support - in the form of mentoring and funding - to accelerate innovation that can attract subsequent third-party funding. The purpose of the NSF I-Corps grant is to give the project team access to resources to help determine the readiness to transition technology developed by previously-funded or currently-funded NSF projects. The outcome of the I-Corps projects will be threefold: 1) a clear go/no go decision regarding viability of products and services, 2) should the decision be to move the effort forward, a transition plan to do so, and 3) a technology demonstration for potential partners. WEBINAR: A webinar will be held on the first Tuesday of every month, beginning in August 2011 to answer questions about this program. Details will be posted on the I-Corps website as they become available.

Award Amount: Award size will not exceed $50,000; duration of each award is 6 months.
Website: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2011/nsf11560/nsf11560.htm

Eligibility: Universities and Colleges

Deadline: 2/1/12

Agency: National Science Foundation (NSF)

Program: Sustainable Energy Pathways (SEP)

Description: The Sustainable Energy Pathways solicitation calls for innovative, interdisciplinary basic research in science, engineering, and education by teams of researchers for developing systems approaches to sustainable energy pathways based on a comprehensive understanding of the scientific, technical, environmental, economic, and societal issues. The SEP solicitation considers scalable approaches for sustainable energy conversion to useful forms, as well as its storage, transmission, distribution, and use. The following Topic Areas illustrate the broad scope of sustainable energy interest areas of this solicitation: Energy Harvesting & Conversion from Renewable Resources; Sustainable Energy Storage Solutions; Critical Elements & Materials for Sustainable Energy; Nature-Inspired Processes for Sustainable Energy Solutions; Reducing Carbon Intensity from Energy Conversion & Use; Sustainable Energy Transmission & Distribution; Energy Efficiency & Management.

Award Amount: The award size is expected to be up to $500,000/year for up to four years per proposal.

Website: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2011/nsf11590/nsf11590.htm?WT.mc_id=USNSF_25&WT.mc_ev=click

Eligibility: Higher Education, Non-Profits

Deadline: 2/1/12

Agency: Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

Program: Clinical Studies of Safety and Effectiveness of Orphan Projects Research Project Grant (R01) (OPD)

Description: The OPD was created to identify and promote the development of orphan products. Orphan products are drugs, biologics, medical devices, and medical foods that are indicated for a rare disease or condition (that is, one with prevalence, not incidence, of fewer than 200,000 people in the United States). Diagnostics and vaccines will qualify for orphan status only if the U.S. population to whom they will be administered is fewer than 200,000 people per year. The goal of FDA's OPD grant program is to support the clinical development of products for use in rare diseases or conditions where no current therapy exists or where the proposed product will be superior to the existing therapy. FDA provides grants for clinical studies on safety and/or effectiveness that will either result in, or substantially contribute to, market approval of these products.

Award Amount: Phase 1 studies are eligible for grants of up to $200,000 per year for up to 3 years. Phase 2 and 3 studies are eligible for grants of up to $400,000 per year for up to 4 years. Please note that the dollar limitation will apply to total costs (direct plus indirect). Budgets for each year of requested support may not exceed the $200,000 or $400,000 total cost limit, whichever is applicable.

Website: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-FD-11-001.html

Eligibility: Higher Education, Non-Profits, For-Profits, Small Business, Governments, etc

Deadline: Open through 09/30/12

Agency: U.S. Department of Defense (DoD)

Program: Navy and Marine Corps Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) Programs

Description: The goal of this program is to ensure the establishment of an educated and well-prepared STEM workforce. Funding is for organizations that improve the pipeline of students achieving STEM degrees. Target participants are students in primary and secondary schools, as well as colleges and universities.

Award Amount: $200,000 and would consider more

Website: http://www.onr.navy.mil/Contracts-Grants/Funding-Opportunities/Broad-Agency-Announcements.aspx

Eligibility: Colleges and Universities, Middle and High schools, Non-Profits, For-Profits

Deadline: Rolling

Agency: Bayer USA Foundation

Program: Bayer USA Foundation Grant Program

Description: The purpose of this program is to provide support for sustainable partnerships that improve communities in which Bayer employees live and work. The overarching goal of this program is to enhance the quality of life, provide unique and enriching opportunities that create diverse alliances, and prepare the leaders of the future. There are four areas of focus: Education and workforce development; Environment and sustainability; Health and human services; Arts and culture. An Eligibility Pre-Screening is required for all new submissions to ensure that the proposal or project falls within the Foundation's giving guidelines

Award Amount: Varies

Website: http://www.bayerus.com/Foundation/Guidelines/Guidelines_Home.aspx

Eligibility: Non-Profits

Leaders on Board: Training the Next Generation of Non-Profit Leaders

The Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce and Young Professionals of Asheville (YPA) are offering a new professional development opportunity to YPA members. Leaders on Board will provide a foundation for those interested in serving in a volunteer leadership capacity for a non-profit organization.

Individuals selected through an application process to participate in Leaders on Board will be required to complete an eight-hour training program taking place over the course of two evenings this November. The training sessions will cover a wide range of topics to prepare each participant to be an effective board member, including:

• Legal Aspects of Non-Profit Management
• Donation Solicitation
• Reviewing Financial Statements
• And More

Graduates of the training program will be connected with local non-profit organizations that have expressed interest in welcoming these leaders to their respective board of directors.

Individuals or non-profit organizations interested in participating in Leaders on Board should visit www.ypasheville.org or contact president@ypasheville.org for detailed information on qualifications, training sessions and an application. Individuals interested in being considered for the program must be a member of YPA and complete and submit an application by October 20, 2011. Accepted participants into the program will be contacted upon review of submitted applications.

Over twenty local non-profit organizations will be participating in the inaugural program, including:

Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce
Asheville Design Center
Asheville Downtown Association
Behavior Analysis Center of Asheville
Big Brothers Big Sisters
Children First/ Communities in Schools
Homeward Bound
Irene Wortham Center
Manna Foodbank
The Pisgah Center
World Camp
YMCA
YWCA

About Young Professionals of Asheville

Young Professionals of Asheville (YPA), a program of the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce, connects young adults in order to better lead and serve the greater Asheville community. YPA welcomes young professionals (21 – 40 years of age) living in Western North Carolina to join in activities and events focused on professional development, fostering connection and serving others.