Member Benefits

Legislative Agenda

The purpose of the Council on Legislative Affairs is to advocate for a better business climate for our members by influencing economic and public policy. The council brings together representatives of the business community – geographic, categorical, political and demographic – to create a unified voice for business. All advocacy efforts are founded on supporting business success, promoting the local economy and protecting the business climate of our region.

The Chamber and its Council focuses its energies on the latest and most important issues affecting business. Current initiatives include:

Economic Development

• Promoting economic development to assure continued economic growth
• Promoting entrepreneurship for small and emerging businesses
• Promoting international business investment and trade opportunities for local businesses
• Balancing environmental regulations with the social and economic realities of our region
• Enhancing our region’s infrastructure to increase efficiency, cost-effectiveness and self-sufficiency
• Creating an environment that fosters an entrepreneurial focus
• Encouraging legislators to foster a competitive climate between Illinois and neighboring states
• Encouraging business expansion/relocation by providing seminars and workshops in conjunction with Aurora Economic Development Commission and others
• Extending the Enterprise Zone statutes to provide more opportunities for business development and the purchase and use of services and goods within qualified areas
• Encouraging additional sources of assistance from the state to increase job creation, business expansion and increased utilization of goods and services
• Assisting with the growth and development of information technology and other leading-edge initiatives
• Balancing environmental regulations with the social and economic realities of our region

Taxation & Fees

• Encouraging a tax climate that promotes the region as fair and competitive for business
• Assisting with the growth and development of information technology and other leading-edge initiatives
• Encouraging structural reform of the tax system to reduce the reliance on property taxes to fund education and governmental entities

State Financial Reform

• Supporting reform to reduce the deficit and develop a realistic plan to balance the state budget
• Supporting fair pension reform to develop new, more affordable retiree health care plans for all state workers that are comparable to the benefits available to taxpayers in the private sector
• Prohibiting the diversion of transportation user fees and taxes for non-transportation programs
• Coordinating efforts among the business community, local governments and our Congressional delegation to maximize federal funding for the region

Labor & Employment Law

• Providing a collective voice on behalf of member businesses regarding employment law legislation on the municipal, state, and federal level

Education & Workforce Development

• Improving the region’s education and quality of workforce
• Building the capacity for enhancement of parent/guardian engagement, community involvement and cultural diversity in students’ learning and development
• Strengthening the articulation and accessibility between our education systems and workforce demands
• Promoting access to high quality, life-long career development for the region’s present and future jobs
• Identifying efforts to create quality programs and services that will increase entrepreneurship

Healthcare  & Insurance Reform

• Allowing small businesses to pool their risks and harness their collective buying power, which will result in cost savings that encourage employers to continue (or begin) offering coverage for their employees
• Change in the employee health plans and Medicare reimbursement structures that give greater personal incentives to help manage healthcare costs by introducing market forces as a factor to help control expenses
• Reporting by providers of health care services of quality, cost and efficiency standards, patient experiences, clinical performance and safety to health care consumers
• Opposing coverage mandates and attempts to dictate policy provisions within an employer's healthcare plan

Hospitality & Entertainment

• Opposing any and all gaming expansion that would negatively impact the local facility and community
• Encouraging initiatives that will help the Aurora region secure a larger share of the multi-million dollar regional tourism industry