The Michigan Chamber of Commerce announced today its legislative priorities for the 2003-2004 legislative session. These priorities were reviewed and unanimously approved January 21st by the Michigan Chamber's 87-member Board of Directors, which consists of business leaders from throughout the state.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000320/DEM039 )

More than 350 job providers were directly involved in establishing the Michigan Chamber's 2003-2004 legislative priorities which address 12 issue areas: corporate responsibility; education quality; energy; environmental quality; health care; human resources; land use; school finance; taxes; telecommunications; tort reform; and transportation.

"Despite the current economic slowdown, the Michigan Chamber is optimistic about our state's future. So we look forward to the start of a new session with many new lawmakers and a new administration," said J.C. Huizenga, Chair of the Michigan Chamber's Board of Directors and Chair of Westwater Group, Grand Rapids. "The Chamber's agenda for economic competitiveness is intended to help lawmakers identify policies and programs that will encourage job creation and economic growth."

"The best way for the legislature and administration to maintain Michigan's economic competitiveness is for state government to continue to improve Michigan's tax climate for individuals and business while preserving a reasonable regulatory climate," said Michigan Chamber President & CEO Jim Barrett. "Therefore, we urge the legislature and the Granholm Administration to pursue economic competitiveness by focusing their time and effort on policy initiatives that will encourage investment and job creation in Michigan."

The Michigan Chamber's legislative priorities are not intended to be a catalog of the Chamber's position on every important issue that might come up over the next two years. Rather, they are intended to communicate to businesspeople, the news media, the legislature and administration what state government's top priorities should be to encourage job creation and economic growth.

"The voting record of State Senators and State Representatives on these priorities and other key issues that may emerge over the next two years will become the Chamber's 2003-2004 Job Providers Index, the Chamber's main basis for determining legislative campaign endorsements," explained Bob LaBrant, Senior Vice President of Political Affairs and General Counsel for the Michigan Chamber. "Any legislator who has a 75 percent or better voting record with the Michigan Chamber will automatically receive an earned endorsement for election in 2004."

The Michigan Chamber's 2003-2004 legislative priorities are available on the Chamber's web site at: www.michamber.com . A printed booklet of the Michigan Chamber's legislative priorities will be available next month. For a copy of the booklet, contact Betty McNerney, Director of Communications, at (517) 371-7663 or via email at: bmcnerney@michamber.com .

The Michigan Chamber of Commerce is a statewide business organization which represents approximately 6,500 employers, trade associations and local chambers of commerce. The Michigan Chamber was established in 1959 to be an advocate for Michigan's job providers in the legislative, political and legal process.

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SOURCE: Michigan Chamber of Commerce

CONTACT: Jim Barrett, Chamber President, or Rich Studley, Senior V.P.,
Gov't Relations, of Michigan Chamber of Commerce, +1-517-371-2100

Web site: http://www.michamber.com/