An Important Alliance

Posted by on July 7, 2015

Amy ClicknerWith Lansing being 400 miles away, it can sometimes be tough for those of us in Marquette County to have our voices heard on a regular basis. I recently wrote a column about public policy, why it is important that we are informed and involved, and a few recent issues we are following. I wanted to take this column to go over one very effective alliance that we are a part of that strengthens our voice in Lansing.

We have been a member of the Northern Michigan Chamber Alliance (NMCA) for over three years. The NMCA was established based on the premise that many legislative issues impact Michigan’s northern Lower Peninsula and Upper Peninsula in similar ways. These issues should be addressed regionally to maximize the political influence of this 14-county alliance. The alliance of the Alpena Area Chamber of Commerce, Benzie County Chamber of Commerce, Cadillac Area Chamber of Commerce, Charlevoix Area Chamber of Commerce, Gaylord Area Chamber of Commerce, Lake Superior Community Partnership, Petoskey Regional Chamber of Commerce and Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce have identified legislative areas that should be monitored and advocated to elected officials on the local, state, and federal levels. When deemed appropriate and in support of Chamber Alliance positions and recommendations, member advocacy and grassroots activities will be developed and promoted using this legislative agenda as a basis for taking position on legislative policy.

The Northern Michigan Chamber Alliance is committed to:

  • Making it easier for businesses in northern Michigan to be competitive
  • Helping strong business sectors remain strong and continue job creation in our region
  • Ensuring our workforce is educated and prepared for the future needs of northern Michigan businesses
  • Promoting investment in our public transportation and business infrastructure, including energy development, road systems, harbors, airports and broadband connectivity

 

Earlier this year, the alliance set the following legislative priorities for 2015:

  • Comprehensive Statewide Energy Policy that ensures energy reliability and affordability in northern Michigan
  • Continue to close the gap in K-12 per pupil funding
  • Support updated programs, policies, and investment in talent and workforce development, training, retention, and attraction
  • Support comprehensive transportation infrastructure funding – roads, airports, rail, and shipping
  • Support regulatory reforms where needed
  • Retain funding for Pure Michigan
  • Retain funding for Great Start Readiness Program and early childhood
  • Support the expansion of business infrastructure in northern Michigan

 

Next week we will welcome the Alliance to Marquette County for our monthly meeting which is typically held in downstate. We look forward to this week each July when we get to show off interesting businesses and industry, some of our favorite local foods and our beautiful community. I know the representatives from each county look forward to their visit to the U.P. each summer as well. For more information on the Northern Michigan Chamber Alliance and our involvement, click here.

CEO, Amy Clickner, writes a bi-weekly column for the Mining Journal.

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