The Seattle Metro Chamber is a business advocate that promotes a competitive, equitable, and resilient economy. As we recover from the major economic shock brought on by the pandemic, we are committed to working with policymakers at every level of government to rebuild a thriving region. Recovery necessarily requires inclusion of BIPOC, LGBTQ+, gender-diverse, and veteran-owned businesses.
At the state level, the Chamber will advocate that legislators:
- Advance economic recovery through:
- Tools such as stimulus packages and other programs that help seed economic recovery and resiliency.
- Relief and support targeted at small businesses, with a particular emphasis on businesses owned by historically excluded groups.
- Preserve our state’s competitiveness and jobs by avoiding unnecessary additional tax and regulatory burdens on business. [See Chambers State Tax Principles]
- Promote infrastructure that ensures the mobility of people and freight. [See Chambers Transportation Principles]
- Ensure robust public support for high-quality education, with a focus on issues we expect to address next year, including:
- Expanding access to high-quality, affordable childcare and maintaining pre-K funding
- Safe and healthy reopening of K-12 schools
- Assuring appropriate funding for post-secondary higher education
- Encourage evidence-based, regional solutions to homelessness and affordable housing, including supportive housing
- Support equitable digital access, including devices, internet, and digital literacy
In addition to the above, at a regional level, the Chamber will also emphasize the importance of working together to revitalize downtown Seattle, which is a key regional economic driver important to an equitable recovery.
- This includes addressing issues particularly acute for downtown Seattle, including:
- Restoring the 300,000 jobs that were located downtown pre-pandemic
- Defining clear plans for how reimagined public safety services ensure residents, employees, and visitors are safe
- Helping those experiencing homelessness move into stable housing
Download a PDF version of our 2021 Advocacy Agenda