Advocacy news – December 17, 2021
As we have done since the Michigan Chamber’s creation, our advocacy team has worked closely and tirelessly throughout this past year with our members to ensure we’re working to address the issues that matter most to you and that we’re a strong, unwavering voice for business.
Despite the transformational times and challenges of 2021, together, notable progress was made. Here are the top 10 wins for business this past year.
- Reopening business safely. The Michigan Chamber was proud to spearhead this coalition of nearly 60 job creators to help Michigan get back to work during the COVID-19 pandemic. By removing government closures and restrictions while providing health protocols based on science and data, businesses and employees developed plans to safely reopen. Thanks to the coalition’s work and the Chamber’s leadership, the campaign worked and the Governor lifted the restrictions.
- Tackling the talent crisis. The Michigan Chamber successfully advocated for the reinstatement of the Going PRO Talent Fund, along with a $40M appropriation in the Fiscal Year 2022 budget. The fund is instrumental in providing competitive grants to employers critical to jumpstarting the skill building needed to ease workforce shortages across Michigan. Given high employer demand and need, the Chamber will continue to advocate for additional dollars as the Legislature and Governor negotiate the use of federal relief funding.
- Breaking down the barriers to employment.
Funding for affordable childcare – The Michigan Chamber supported an allocation of $1.4B in childcare funding from federal recovery dollars, a major win for our families, childcare providers and the overall business community. In addition, $2.5M was allocated for the innovative Tri-Share Pilot program, which helps make childcare more affordable by allowing the cost of care to be split between the state and participating families and businesses.
Affordable housing – The Michigan Chamber continues to advocate for action on the affordable housing crisis through its partnership with the Housing Michigan Coalition. Several bills have been overwhelmingly passed by the Senate and await action in the House.
- Bolstering the employer-financed unemployment system. The Michigan Chamber helped garner a $150M deposit to the Unemployment Insurance (UI) Trust Fund, the 100% employer-financed fund that pays benefits to claimants. This unprecedented deposit was made to recognize the stress COVID placed on the fund and the unusually high number of fraudulent benefits paid out. We will continue to advocate for additional deposits to ensure adequate benefits for workers while avoiding crippling insolvency of the fund as well as unfair, higher taxes on our businesses.
- Setting a new foundation for economic development and competitiveness. Thanks to efforts of organizations like the Michigan Chamber and strong bipartisan legislative support, three new funds and a funding structure will now be created to help make Michigan more competitive for jobs and investments and set the state up for long-term economic success. The bill package was broad, diverse and inclusive to help benefit both smaller and bigger businesses across all industries and regardless of location in urban, suburban or rural areas. The Governor is expected to sign the legislation early next week.
- Supporting businesses through federal vaccine mandates. The Michigan Chamber led the launch of a statewide coalition – ListentoMIBusiness – after employers were shut out of the traditional rulemaking process for the sweeping federal vaccine mandate from President Biden and the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for any business with 100 or more employees. While currently on pause with the Courts, the Chamber has been voicing concerns about the many unanswered questions and unintended consequences, along with suggesting viable alternatives and seeking additional testing and vaccination funding should the requirement go forward.
- Reducing tax burdens.
State and Local Tax (SALT) – The second time looks to be the charm after previous Gov. Whitmer vetoes of bipartisan, Michigan Chamber-backed legislation allowing “pass-through” businesses (small businesses filing taxes through their individual owners, such as S corporations, partnerships, and limited liability companies) to fully deduct their state and local taxes from their federal income, ultimately reducing their federal tax burden and hopefully helping them recover faster from COVID-19 impacts.
Personal Property Tax (PPT) exemption for small business – The Michigan Chamber played an instrumental role in helping advance a PPT exemption from $80,000 to $160,000 that would help small businesses throughout Michigan from paying this administratively complex and onerous tax on items (e.g., furniture, computers, etc.) that have already been taxed.
Gov. Whitmer is expected to sign both bills into law early next week.
- Advancing critical infrastructure.
Funding for broadband – The cascading effects of COVID-19 have underscored the reality that access to the internet and broadband are key to a competitive workforce and economy. That’s why the Michigan Chamber has been an active participant in the stakeholder advisory group of the Michigan High Speed Internet Office to ensure a robust, effective strategic plan and working on the front lines to secure all available federal relief funding in a smart way that maintains private markets.
Renewable Natural Gas Capacity Study – Due to the Michigan Chamber’s efforts in championing renewable natural gas as an important feedstock energy solution to lower carbon fuels, the MPSC has recently kicked off a study to evaluate its potential in the state. In accordance with Public Act 87 of 2021, approved by the Legislature and signed into law in September by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (Case No. U-21170), the Commission will study potential sources of RNG, understand its production potential and help identify barriers to development.
- Helping businesses navigate diverse issues. Our Michigan Chamber team was honored to assist more than 5,500 businesses with a wide variety of policy and regulatory questions and issues via phone and email.
- Voted “Most Effective Membership Lobbying Organization” – again. Recognizing the critical role our members play in the Michigan Chamber, MIRS and capital insiders again handed top honors to the Chamber in this category – for the 8th time in a row (16 years!). The Michigan Chamber has been recognized as the top organization since the inception of this biennial survey.
Priorities in the new year
As we approach 2022, the Michigan Chamber team will remain focused on our pillars to “Protect. Connect. Strengthen.”
This includes continuing to focus on addressing Michigan’s workforce crisis and breaking down the barriers to employability, including affordable childcare and affordable housing. We’ll also be pushing for effective, responsible disbursement of Michigan’s share of the enormous federal relief dollars (i.e. American Rescue Plan Act [ARPA] dollars) with the goal of moving Michigan forward through a thriving, prosperous economy that benefits all. As 2022 is also a significant election year, we’ll be actively working to assess, endorse and elect qualified pro-business candidates to the State House and Senate as well as make endorsements of candidates for statewide offices.
Do you have questions for us, or policy ideas or other needs for the new year? We’d love to hear from you! Contact our business advocacy team today at info@michamber.com.
Happy holidays and a healthy, prosperous new year for all!