Zionsville Chamber Policy Positions
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Effective Government
Position: The Zionsville Chamber believes that businesses should be able to operate with limited government interference. We support local government consolidation, where appropriate, and the repeal of unnecessary or duplicative regulations so that businesses may operate freely and efficiently. We believe that businesses should be able to operate with limited government interference.
Rationale: Indiana thrives off of the business-friendly climate it has created, especially as it relates to a low-cost of living and a favorable tax climate. It is crucial to engage business leaders that are interested in working for the best interest in the community. Hoosier businesses value their ability to operate autonomously when it comes to making decisions that are right for their business.
Taxes
Position: The Zionsville Chamber supports reasonable tax initiatives that encourage economic development opportunities in the county. Policies the Chamber may support include, but are not limited to property tax abatement and tax increment financing as a way to provide tools for local units to enhance their economic development portfolios.
Rationale: One factor in enabling and encouraging economic development opportunities is to provide tax-incentive tools that make sense for each region of the state. Ensuring that there is a wide range of economic tools is critical in promoting development.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Attainable Housing
Position: The Zionsville Chamber supports policies and local government incentives that promote access to attainable housing so that the workforce population can find affordable and attainable housing in Zionsville. We support a comprehensive planning and development strategy that supports collaboration between local units of government, private entities, and public input.
Rationale: Central Indiana’s suburban communities, like Zionsville, must remain competitive when it comes to attracting and retaining workers to sustain new business and GDP growth. A broad housing inventory available to workers at all income levels can promote growth in the workforce and encourage employees to not only work, but live in Zionsville communities.
Regionalism
Position: The Zionsville Chamber supports policies that encourage regional collaboration as an effort to improve economic development initiatives. Collaboration amongst regions allows for communities to attract and retain a stronger workforce, incentivize quality-of-place projects, and support public-private financial partnerships.
Rationale: With recognizing that there is only so much money to go around, we understand that the business community has no regional boundaries. It is imperative that all stakeholders in this space, including local chambers, economic development corporations, schools, hospitals, small businesses, and local units of government work together to develop projects that benefit their communities while minimizing waste and duplication. The Zionsville Chamber supports creative and innovative strategies to accomplish these initiatives.
Quality of Place
Position: The Zionsville Chamber supports policies and funding opportunities that enable the county to improve their quality of place. These policies may include regional incentives to promote collaboration amongst communities, environmental sustainability funding and/or incentives, funding for roads and infrastructure, grants for trails, etc.
Rationale: Indiana does not have, and will never have, some of the amenities our coastal competitors have, like mountains and oceans. The Zionsville Chamber supports the creation of innovative policies and unique initiatives that will help create robust communities with amenities that not only attract new residents, but incentives them to stay and/or retire here.
Diversity/Equity/Inclusion
Position: The Zionsville Chamber supports policies and funding opportunities that allow communities to improve on their diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. Having a community that is inclusive of all its residents is important to creating a sense of belonging and ensuring long-term workforce retention and residency.
Rationale: As a local chamber with a business-focused membership base, it is important that we use our voices and actions to help create an open dialogue about systemic issues such as racism and inequality. We are committed to engaging our local business leaders in participating in civic engagement programs, strengthen connections throughout our communities, and create a sense of belonging.
HEALTHCARE
Healthcare
Position: The Zionsville Chamber supports policies and local government initiatives that encourage the development and implementation of healthcare support systems. Supporting policies that address health issues in our workforce will enhance our region’s ability to attract not only new businesses, but retain a larger workforce and long-term Zionsville residents.
Rationale: A healthy workforce is a more productive workforce, and directly impacts workforce development, economic development, and community development strategies. The Zionsville Chamber supports policies that give businesses the resources they need in order for them to provide tools, wrap-around services, and other support systems to aid in their employees’ mental health and general well-being.
MODERNIZATION/ INFRASTRUCTURE
Broadband
Position: The Zionsville Chamber supports policies and funding opportunities that allow for the expansion of broadband in our communities. Policies we may support include eliminating regulatory red tape and investing in newer technologies as they come on the market. In addition, the Chamber supports a regulatory environment and funding streams for infrastructure growth and improvements.
Rationale: Having access to quality broadband connection allows for more robust workforce opportunities, better access to health care services, and supports our education system. Similarly, being able to get people, products, and information from point A to point B is paramount in a strong workforce and economic development growth.
Innovation Districts/Tech-Sector
Position: Zionsville Chamber supports policies that encourage creation of innovation districts, and supports an evolving tech-industry.
Rationale: With Indiana having some of the most robust STEM and CTE programs in the country, it is important that the state creates an environment where students will be able to find jobs within those fields, without having to move out of state. Creating policies that incentivize local units to create innovation districts will help bolster the tech-community and allow Indiana to remain competitive in a constantly evolving market.
EDUCATION/WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT/LABOR
STEM
Position: The Zionsville Chamber supports policies that enhance Indiana’s science technology engineering and mathematics (STEM) and career and technical education (CTE) in the K-12 education system. Having a robust CTE and STEM program will enable Indiana to remain competitive in a growing job market.
Rationale: Indiana has been able to attract a high-quality portfolio of technology-related companies that provide high-demand and high-wage jobs. Despite the state also having a large-number of Indiana students obtaining STEM-related degrees, many of them are moving out of state. It is important that we support stronger policies in these important fields to not only attract these types of high-wage, in-demand businesses, but also to find employees to fill these jobs.
Childcare/Early Childhood Education
Position: The Zionsville Chamber supports efforts to bring quality and accessible childcare to the region. When employees have the ability to find local and high-quality childcare pre-k in their community, it enables them to be a stronger member of the workforce. In addition, having children in high-quality childcare will ensure that our future workforce has a stronger chance for success in school. The Chamber supports public-funding for quality childcare and pre-k for all Hoosier children, especially those who are from income-limited families.
Rationale: It is important that Hoosier children have access to quality child care and pre-k childcare so that they may be prepared for further schooling. Studies have shown that children who are properly prepared for kindergarten are more likely to be reading at the third-grade level by the end of third grade, and are more likely to graduate high school. Having a strong educational foundation is key, and having an accessible and quality early childhood education childcare system is a significant part of that foundation. We support policies that focus on quality, utilize data-driven approaches, and allow for multiple providers, while prioritizing income-limited families.
Workforce Development
Position: Zionsville Chamber supports policies that incentivize the state, local units of government, and employers to help ease the workforce crisis in Indiana. This in turn, will promote and spark economic development opportunities across the state
Rationale: Workforce development is one of the most crucial priorities for employers across the state. Not only is the state competing with coastal competitors, cities across the state are competing with each other to attract and retain talent. It is important that we maintain a strong talent pipeline to fill jobs as well as retain highly-qualified skilled workers already in the workforce. The Chamber supports policies that can include, but are not limited to, tax credits and incentives, tuition assistance, licensure reciprocity, investments in training, and work-based learning opportunities. Workforce development and economic development - while distinct policies - often go hand-in-hand. In order for economic development opportunities to present themselves, we must have the people to fill those jobs. In addition, it is important to support workforce re-entry programs for those with differing abilities and veterans - two crucial pieces of the workforce pipeline.
ENVIRONMENT
Sustainability
Position: Zionsville Chamber supports policies that incentivize businesses and local units to develop sustainability programs and encourage the attraction of green jobs to the community.
Rationale: The federal government has passed legislation that will send billions of dollars to states for the creation of infrastructure jobs in the green industry. Recent reports show jobs are growing at a significant pace for Indiana’s green economy. Those numbers are expected to grow significantly over the next several years. It is important that Indiana capitalizes opportunities like these in an effort to not only become a more environmentally sustainable state, but to attract and retain job opportunities in the green space for Hoosier residents.