As a chamber, we know that the economic growth of any community is tied to the prosperity of its businesses – creating and retaining jobs and providing much-needed tax revenues for government services and programs. It is essential, then, that businesses can operate in an environment that allows them and their employees to grow and thrive; such an environment is framed by government policy and procedures. It is obvious, then, that the business community – like other community constituencies such as neighborhood organizations – must be able to communicate its needs to be part of this important discussion and process.
Business must take a leadership role in the Metro elections for mayor, vice mayor and Metro Council this August. The Nashville Area Chamber is nonpartisan and cannot endorse or support candidates. However, members of the business community – many of them Chamber members – are involved in the Nashville Business Coalition (NBC), an organization that is focused on the creation of public policy that encourages a prosperous business environment. The NBC can be a resource for business leaders when they are considering whom to vote for. Ralph Schulz and I serve on the NBC board in an advisory role to share business issues from the Chamber perspective;
Dan Haskell with Gullett Sanford Robinson & Martin PLLC chairs the NBC.
We wanted to let you know about our work to position the business community as a participant in the upcoming election cycle, and encourage all Chamber members to be part of it. After the May filing deadlines, the Chamber will post information about all the candidates and their platforms online to give our members an opportunity to learn more and take an active role in the selection of our future elected leaders. This will be a valuable avenue to understanding the business platforms of the candidates who will shape our business environment for the next four years.