The Legislative Action Committee advocates for:

Chamber members at all levels of government

Economic development and job growth

Efficient and effective government

Objectives

• Review and recommend policy changes to legislators regarding issues being considered by federal, state, county, and local governments.
• Investigate issues of concern to the business community and make recommendations to legislators regarding actions they should take.
• Educate members on legislation under consideration by federal, state, county, and local governments, and if needed, ask members to contact their legislative leaders.
• Sponsor events with legislators for the Chamber's Board of Directors and committee members.

SUCCESSFUL EFFORTS

• Successfully negotiated a lower statewide Minimum Wage than NYC. It will only be $12 instead of the proposed $15 (New York State)
• Advocated for the inclusion SNUG funding (City of Poughkeepsie)
• Supported legislation to include the Hudson Valley into the Film Tax Credit (New York State)
• Supported PILOT payments for MacDonnell Heights Center District Project (Town of Poughkeepsie)
• Supported the alienation of Wheaton Park to be redeveloped into a mixed-use development project under Pelton Manor Partners (Poughkeepsie)
• Supported Law on Aggressive Panhandling (City of Poughkeepsie)
• Supported continuous loop of bus transportation from MTA, DIA and Main Street (Beacon)
• Supported Dutchess County Transition Center Expansion (County of Dutchess)
• Supported the Reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank (Federal)

UNSUCCESSFUL EFFORTS

• Opposed statewide Minimum Wage of a $15 (New York State)
• Opposed Paid Family Leave (New York State)
• Opposed to an increase in Salary/Overtime Threshold signed into law via Executive Order by President Obama (Federal)

WE SUPPORT

CLICK HERE to read the full Agenda

All levels of Government

• Consolidation of agencies, state programs and local governments to ensure we are creating shared services to provide better and more efficient government
• Transparency among elected officials and the public

Federal

• ACA Reform
• Reauthorize the Export-Import Bank
• Legal Immigration System reform

New York State

• Scaffold Law Reform
• Unemployment Insurance Reform
• Worker's Compensation Reform
• Unfunded Mandate Relief
• Repeal of the MTA Tax
• Annual MTA Forensic Audit
• Term Limit Reform
• State Formula for fairly funding school districts
• More state funding for Vocational Skills Training
• Agri-tourism Farming Legislation
• Removing Vicarious Liability for loaner vehicles at Auto Dealerships
• Abolishment of the Wage Tip Credit

Dutchess County

• Planning Board Streamlining and Regulation Relief
• Consolidation of City of Poughkeepsie Bus System with County Bus System

City of Poughkeepsie

• Downtown Business Improvement District (BID)
• Measures to improve Safety and Security
• Consolidation of City of Poughkeepsie Bus System with County Bus System
• Pelton Manor Project - Advocacy
• Poughkeepsie Alliance Support & Advocacy
• Tansit-Orientated Development Plans
• SNUG funding

Beacon

• Funding for Incline Railway

Fishkill

• Fishkill Deport-Continental Commons Project

Town of Poughkeepsie

• Hudson Heritage Project
  ​

WE OPPOSE

All levels of Government

• Any law, regulation or mandate that will make it harder to do business in New York State.

Federal

• Paid Family Leave Legislation
• Minimum Wage Increase
• Increase in Salary/Overtime Threshold
• Health Care reform

New York State

• FIT Chargebacks to the County
• Department of Labor proposed changes to Call-In/On-Call pay
• Department of Labor proposed Ban the Box
• Department of Labor proposed Credit Checks
• Department of Labor proposed Salary History
• Government Sponsored Retirement Program
• Single payer health plan with 80% employer contribution
• Expansion of the prevailing wage

Dutchess County

• The Item Pricing Law - REPEALED!
• Jail Expansion & Rate of Recidivism

City of Poughkeepsie

• The Live-In Superintendent Proposal

Red Hook

• Proposed Zoning law prohibiting small business franchise expansion