The Voice of Business in Your Community

The way the world does business is changing – what doesn’t change is the need to represent the interests of business with government.  Advocacy was one of the first things the Founding Fathers of our nation sought to protect. The first amendment to the Constitution makes very clear that petitioning the government is an important right that should not be taken away. Democracy is not a spectator sport.  Businesses must play to make sure they are in the game and influencing the outcome. With our broad base of members and the resources we are equipped with, Chambers are the perfect conduits to serve and represent the Voice of Business to key decision makers in their community.

Connecting leaders and influencing decisions is a natural role for Chambers of Commerce.  We are the only entity in our community that represents business of all sizes, industries, and stages.  This gives Chambers a unique market niche to be the leading voice on public policy. Chambers are able to harness the collective power or their membership and join them together as one voice to influence outcomes in government.  There probably is no more important function for Chambers than to be the voice for business in their community.  The bottom-line is our members want to be profitable and stay competitive.  Who better to be on their side than the Chamber?

Our organizations have strategic political insight, extremely knowledge of business issues, know all the players, and can be a positive force to promote business interests with government. A Chamber’s collective clout helps keep business taxes and regulations in line. When Chambers focus on politics and policy, members can take care of running their companies! –WACE

Community Economics means both People and Business Really Matter

Growth is not always bad nor is it always good. Clearly if our community accepts an industry that creates problems, it also accepts long-range negative consequences in excess of the new employment and currency it would bring.

The decision to grow businesses in one manner or another may have monetary impacts on community services and schools that exceed the economic profits of a development effort. Our business community takes pride in the fact that we seek full assessments and evaluate all the costs for growth and the Chamber is pleased to be at the forefront of these activities

Local businesses and citizens who care about the future of our community must continue to ask: “Will the growth of our business community bring long term living-wage jobs to our community citizens or attract outside people to move in to take the jobs it creates? “Does the community benefit as a whole fiscally, environmentally, and socially or are their hidden long-term negative consequences that are children will be paying?”

We can create jobs and positive growth by supporting local business and expanding within pre-determined boundaries. As a concerned group of business owners we put a collective human face on how we see the future of our community. We invite you to become involved in our efforts. Contact the Chamber of Commerce for information on how you can become a voice in these efforts.

Connect with our National Political Voice
Each month the Chamber assists our members and the local business community with information about issues relevant to your daily life. We also believe we need to have our voices heard in our Nation’s Capital and be aware of what is happening in Washington. These informational links are vital political resources to see what bills are up in Congress, find out what others have to say about issues, and voice our opinions directly to our representatives. Click on one of the links to find out what’s happening in Washington and voice your opinion.

San Ramon Chamber of Commerce Announces Positions

HOV lanes at Norris Canyon
The San Ramon Chamber of Commerce supports the long range planning efforts of CalTrans and the Contra Costa Transportation Authority in the voter approved efforts outlined in Measure J. As such, the HOV project should be able to proceed through the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) process to identify possible issues associated with the plan as well as its alternatives. Based on the outcome, the community and its agencies will be better positioned to determine if the HOV project is in the community’s best interest. It is clear however, that given the planned City Center and continued development in the Dougherty Valley (as well as other growth measures that will affect not only I-680 but the Crow Canyon and Bollinger arterials) we must continue to seek improvements that will mitigate current and future transportation needs.

North Camino Ramon Specific Plan
The San Ramon Chamber of Commerce supports long range planning as a mechanism to ensure that the city is prepared for its future. Even if the city were to stop growing, change is certain to occur, and the city has the responsibility to ensure that the future needs of the community will be met — just as it has a responsibility to ensure that current projects fit the city’s current view. As the city continues to advance through the planning process, it is incumbent on residents, property owners and local businesses to engage in a healthy dialogue regarding the future of the corridor. The San Ramon Chamber of Commerce urges the city staff and policy makers to maintain an open process that addresses current concerns in the context of future needs. It’s similarly important for all stakeholders to keep an open mind towards the need for change over time and not to be locked into preconceived notions of maintaining the status quo over a long range planning horizon. Together we need to assess what we do and don’t want as a community that balances a mix of retail, commercial and housing that might evolve over time in the corridor.