Advocacy & Elections
Your Business. Your Community. Your Voice.
The Chamber is a trusted convener and provider of business resources. We recognize the systemic interdependencies of a healthy economy and provide an ear and a voice for local business at the confluence of government, commerce, and community. Through a robust platform of member advocacy services, we advocate for business by increasing visibility, dialogue, and representation at local, state, and federal policy circles around issues of impact and interest to our members.
Economic Development and Business Advocacy Guiding Principles
The Chamber advocates for business-friendly policy in support of private enterprise, entrepreneurial endeavors, and an economically competitive business climate. These Guiding Principles reflect our commitment to advocacy for our members and with our partners.
The Chamber supports policies and incentives that contribute to our competitive position in private sector job creation, retention, and economic growth and oppose regulatory overreach, legislation, and policies that unnecessarily encumber innovation, negatively impact business, or otherwise diminish economic competitiveness.
The Chamber advocates for adequate funding and responsible spending in education. We support targeted investment and collaborative partnerships that create a strong workforce development system and that contribute to talent attraction, retention, and business growth. We support access to quality and affordable childcare options that enable parents to participate in the workforce.
We support a tax system that stimulates economic growth, avoids a disproportionate tax burden on select sectors of the economy, and provides rules and processes that are transparent. Taxes and regulatory fees should be levied for the purpose of maintaining essential government services with the least detrimental effect on economic vitality.
The Chamber supports initiatives that create a welcoming community attractive to live, work, play, and do business. These include initiatives that address workforce housing needs; local access to quality healthcare; public safety efforts that ensure safe neighborhoods and that build trust between various communities; and the development and preservation of facilities and amenities that improve our region’s quality of place.
The Chamber supports investment in efficient and well-maintained transportation and infrastructure vital to the health of our region’s economy. To support the needs and growth of the region, objectives must foster the movement of consumers, workers, and freight for commerce, a healthy business climate, safe passage and promote economic development.
The Chamber supports policy that creates an adequate supply of commercial and industrial land and eliminates barriers to commercial development and commerce. We support a consistent and reasonable application of federal, state, and local land use laws; and oppose excessive, costly, and duplicative regulatory overreach.
The Chamber supports policies that advance economic sustainability and resiliency; that increase or improve economic opportunity; and that reduce or stabilize economic hardship in our community. We believe that issues surrounding Homelessness, Mental and Behavioral Health, Energy, Environment, and Emergency Preparedness are best solved when public and private sectors work side by side.
Member Advocacy Services
Join the Legislative and Policy Interest List to stay informed and to receive:
- invitations to monthly round table discussions, designed to facilitate healthy dialogue on issues of interest and impact to business and community.
- information on issues of interest to the business community,
- pulse surveys that ensure your business experience and views are known, and
- action alerts on policy issues that need your voice.
Participate in pulse surveys that help inform legislators, policy makers, and chamber leadership about where you stand, what you’re experiencing, and how we can improve policy outcomes.
Reach to our advocacy team with concerns, questions, or requests for advocacy services.
Contact your elected representative and copy chamber staff so we know where you stand.
The Springfield Chamber is a member of state, regional, and national chamber associations that provide government and legislative affairs resources. The Oregon State Chamber of Commerce, Oregon Business and Industry, and the US Chamber of Commerce, are key sources of legislative and policy insight at the state and federal level. We’re also connected with associations that offer specialized industry sector advocacy and will work with staff at these organizations to gain perspective, resources, and, where aligned, may support their position, research, or other efforts. Oregon Restaurant and Lodging Association, Lane Families for Farms and Forests, Oregon Forest Industries Council, and Travel Lane County are examples. We also work with local business associations, chambers of commerce, and government affairs liaisons at public and private entities representing local jurisdictions or businesses.
Springfield Chamber Backs HB3205, Supporting Workforce Recruitment and Retention Strategies for Small Businesses
Springfield Chamber Submits Testimony to Add BSN Degree to Oregon Community Colleges
Providing broader, equitable, quality education and earning opportunities for nursing students in Oregon is a path forward to addressing the shortage of credentialed and qualified nurses and why the Springfield Chamber's workforce development initiative supports SB 523.
Corporate Activities Tax Relief Bill: Springfield Chamber Submits Testimony Supporting Raising The CAT Exemption Threshold
The Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce stands with Oregon’s small businesses who have demonstrated exceptional resiliency under the most extraordinary pressures of inflation, workforce shortages, and rising cost of providing living wages and employee benefits.
Springfield Chamber Endorses Public Safety Ballot Measure 20-327
The Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce supports renewal of the local option levy for Springfield jail and police services and encourages constituents vote "Yes" on Ballot Measure 20-327 in November.
Springfield Chamber Submits Public Testimony Advocating on Behalf of Best and Highest Use of Proposed Room Tax (TRT) Increase
Springfield Chamber Joins Coalition Advocating for Energy Choice
The City of Eugene is considering a ban on natural gas and other fossil fuel infrastructure in newly constructed buildings. Businesses report grave concerns that such policy will limit their ability to operate locally or remain competitive in other markets.
Eugene and Springfield Chambers of Commerce Release Statement Following Business Survey Findings
The City of Eugene is considering a ban on natural gas and other fossil fuel infrastructure in
newly constructed local buildings.
Recognizing the significant impact this could have immediately and in the future for local
businesses, the Eugene and Springfield Chambers of Commerce together developed and
administered a survey of their members to measure business community sentiment on these
issues and the impacts such policies could have on local organizations, jobs, and families.
Springfield Chamber Submits Testimony to Oregon Department of Forestry on Western Oregon Habitat Conservation Plan
I offer this perspective as a supplement to our testimony submitted May 31st, 2022, asking for a more thorough analysis of impacts the Habitat Conservation Plan proposal will have on rural Oregon, and a process more inclusive of local business, industry, and taxing districts. We ask that you consider the ramifications of regulations posed on one sector impact Oregon businesses, families, and communities.
Springfield Chamber Comments on Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Western Oregon State Forest Habitat Conservation Plan
I write to express concerns that the Oregon Department of Forestry’s (ODF) draft Habitat Conservation Plan(HCP) and the associated draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) would increase the environmental and economic harm our communities and forests have faced over the past several decades, all of which were exacerbated by the 2020 Labor Day Wildfires from which we are still struggling to recover. We hope a better path forward can be found and we are reliant on your leadership to enable this.
Springfield Chamber Comments on Main Street Safety Project
Investing in road infrastructure, commuter and public safety, and quality of place enhancements has its merits, but should not come at the expense of small and medium-sized enterprises, the foundation of our economic strength, resilience, and opportunity.
Springfield and Eugene Chambers Issue Joint Statement to Eugene City Council on Potential New Construction Natural Gas Limitations
The IPCC is clear, our global climate is warming and as a country and society we must take action to slow the impacts of climate change. Locally, we implore you to consider and implement policies that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions in a way that does not compromise the delicate ecosystem on which we’ve built our society – a local economy that provides jobs which pay for housing, food, clothing, and other necessities; a local economy that funds the infrastructure we rely on such as public education, roads, sewers, and even climate policy implementation.
Springfield Chamber Submits Testimony on Oregon Redistricting
Appeal for reasonable revisions to OR-OSHA COVID-19 Permanent Standard Draft Rules
OR-OSHA should be providing workers and local businesses with certainty, not layering new regulations on local employers nearly 14 months into the pandemic that pose barriers to already challenging economic recovery efforts.
Coalition Letter Urging Extension of PPP Deadline
March 3, 2021
The Springfield Area Chamber joins 12 Oregon chambers of commerce in support of letter to congress urging extension of the Paycheck Protection Program deadline.
ILR Leads Letter Urging Congress to Pass COVID-19 Liability Protections
February 1, 2021
The Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce signed on to the Institute for Legal Reform's letter to Congress urging members to consider targeted and temporary liability protections in the next COVID relief package.
Appeal for Small Business Remedy and Relief
12/15/20
The Springfield Chambers wrote a letter to Governor Kate Brown and Lane County representatives to the Oregon legislature to recognize the critical role small business plays in sustaining our state’s economy and to prioritize substantial remedies for small business employers.
Chamber Calls for City Council's Focus on Business Recovery
9/4/20
Read letter to the council here