It’s that time again--the 2012 Chamber Lobbying Days are going on this week. Members have already read about this effort in our emails earlier in the week, but it’s important that everyone know what the Chamber is doing on behalf of the DC business community. Lobbying Days is one of our most effective efforts in terms of getting our voices heard in the halls of the Wilson Building, and the support of the Chamber members who are participating deserves some recognition as well.
In separate sessions on Wednesday and Thursday, we’ve been meeting with Councilmembers to discuss the issues that are of critical importance to DC businesses, large and small. In particular, we’re been impressing upon the Council the importance of keeping new taxes and fees out of the Fiscal year 2013 Budget, as in the Mayor’s proposal.
As I’ve said in this space previously, we applaud the Mayor’s decision in his proposed budget to refrain from adding to the tax burden on DC businesses. However, we’ve got to remain vigilant through the budgeting process to ensure that this intelligent policy is actually carried out. If we don’t keep a close eye on things, and make sure the voices of the DC business community are heard loud and clear, we could end up with a very different budget than what we started with--and with items not conducive to business growth and development.
Hopefully, you’re already following us on Twitter (handle: @dcchamber)--and if not, now’s the time to become a follower. We’ll be posting updates from Lobbying Days as well as all of our events and initiatives on behalf of DC business.