Land Usage
Support ordinances and legislation that preserves
agricultural land and open spaces through the establishment of a review
process with local involvement prior to the acquisition of real property
purchased for public use, and the identification of land within the
county appropriate for development.
Regional
Transportation
Support the development of a regional transportation "Master
Plan":
- More funding for Metro bus service
- I57 interchange at 6000N Road
- Development of Metra Rail expansion
- Development of Greater Kankakee Airport
Medical
Liability Reform
Support legislation directed at implementing caps to
non-economic damages in medical liability lawsuits. Such
action is intended to provide stable and dependable access
to medical care locally.
Housing Authority
Support revitalization of County Housing Authority to
enhance the efficiency and quality of living.
Solid Waste Disposal
Support development of a county wide plan for solid waste
disposal and recycling.
Workforce Preparation
Support the development of comprehensive school-to-work
programs which partner schools and businesses and are
designed to assist individuals to develop the skills and
habits required by a modern and efficient workforce.
Government Affairs Committee
Providing an opportunity for your legislative voice to be heard
Photo courtesy of The Daily Journal. Government Affairs Committee Chairman Brett Reum (pictured above, left) and Chamber President David Hinderliter (pictured above, right) welcomed U.S. Senator Barack Obama (pictured above, center) to the Kankakee River Valley on Friday, Feb. 18, 2005 at the Chamber's Business Leaders Luncheon.
Pictured above, front row from the left: Larry Linman, Chamber President David Hinderliter, and Sheriff Tim Bukowski. Back row from the left: Bernie Anderson, Legislative Committee Chairman Brett Reum, Senator Gary Dahl, County Board Chairman Karl Kruse, Jerry Kuntz, John Gruhn and Rod Goodall.
Pictured above, from the left: Government Affiars Committee Chairman Brett Reum, State Representative Careen Gordon, Dominic Randazzo and Chamber President David Hinderliter.
State Representative Lisa Dugan (seated above, center) met with the Government Affairs Committee. Pictured above from the left: County Board Chairman Karl Kruse, Bob O'Leary, Rick Bukowski, Bart Frazier, Kathy Vaccaro, Rod Goodall, Dominic Randazzo, Rose Mitchell, Shari Marshall, Bernie Anderson, Government Affairs Chairman Brett Reum, Val Romberg and Jerry Kuntz.
Photo courtesy of B2B. U.S. Senator Dick Durbin spoke at the Women in Business Lunch & Learn on December 15, 2004. Mary Thomson is pictured above with the Senator.
All legislation should be viewed in the context of overall social policy with the goal being the development of a coherent governmental policy toward:
-
public education
-
support of the family
-
job-training
-
economic development
-
incentive programs for business
For more information about the Government Affairs Committee, please contact the Kankakee Regional Chamber of Commerce.
P.O. Box 905
Kankakee, IL 60901
Phone: 815-933-7721
Fax: 815-933-7675
State Issues
Diversion of Specified Funds
Eliminate the diversion of special designated taxes or fees
that have a specifically targeted use. An example is motor fuel funds
being used for general revenue funding instead of use in the building
and rebuilding of roads and highways.
Business Taxation
Enhance the local and state business climate by opposing the
creation of additional anti-business taxes and fees and developing a
competitive tax structure by repealing or rolling back anti-business
taxes and fees already adopted.
Health Insurance Coverage
Allow small employers to purchase policies providing certain
basic coverage that small businesses can expand on. This would Provide
more coverage choices to small businesses without further state imposed
coverage mandates.
Workers Compensation Reform
Reform tax system on workers compensation benefits paid so
businesses are not fully financially responsible to pay for Industrial
Commission and its additional arbitrators.
Property Tax Reform
Support the reduction of reliance upon the property tax as a
primary source of school funding.
South
Suburban Airport
Support the development of an airport in the south suburbs.
Federal Issues
Transportation Funding
Support the
development of a plan to channel funds to
the state for road and bridge work, which is a matching funds grant.
Healthcare
Reform
Support legislation and lobbying efforts
that will ensure consistent and equitable reimbursement
levels from Federal (Medicare) and State (Medicaid) payment
sources to providers.
Taxes
Support
federal tax code
simplification and the reduction of individual tax rates and
the reduction of individual exemptions with the goal of a
flat income tax.
Tort Reform
Support
legislation that limits non-economic
damage awards (i.e. class actions, asbestos litigation and medical
malpractice investigation). We need to restore fairness and
balance to our legal system.
Government
Regulations
Support
legislation to remove or diminish
Federal regulations which place U.S. businesses at a competitive
disadvantage and/or which are not funded in full or in part by federal
dollars.
Energy
Support
legislation that provides for access
and availability of reasonably priced energy and energy sources such as
renewable energy like bio fuels while encouraging preservation of the
environment.