Legislative Priorities

KANSANS WORK

Workforce has continued to be a top issue facing Kansas businesses. The following are areas that must be addressed in order to assist in retaining, attracting, and developing our workforce:

• • Childcare. The Topeka Chamber urges the state to explore
    solutions to the critical lack of available childcare. This has
    become a roadblock to businesses and families trying to return to
    work. We feel existing tax credit programs should be reviewed for simplification to the application, so that access to childcare may be expanded.
  • Workforce Training & Development. The Topeka Chamber urges further
    collaboration among all the relevant stakeholders (K-12, higher
    education, early childhood education providers, technical
    educators, community colleges and the business community) to
    continue to develop creative approaches to workforce training such as the HIRED “fund” pilot program. We support measures that will assist with recruitment and retention of employees in key industries. Support for our MRC is an extension of our military personnel needs. 
  • Higher Education. The Topeka Chamber supports select requests of the Kansas Board of Regents to increase funding for public universities, community colleges, and technical colleges to include need-based student aid programs. This includes funding for our technical colleges to offer business apprenticeships, an increase in concurrent enrollment or dual credit programs, and competency-based education. We support incentivizing students in the fields of greatest workforce needs. 
  • Housing. The quality and quantity of our housing stocks are not
    adequate to attract talented people to live and work in our
    communities. The Topeka Chamber urges the state to explore
    ways to help the residential real estate market to produce housing in step with demand and offer a diversity of housing options to support all members of our community. We feel enhancements to RHID programs would be instrumental to continued development. 

Kansans Connect

Infrastructure investment is of critical importance, as is the undisrupted movement of people, goods and ideas into and across the Topeka Chamber region. This issue is pivotal in unlocking development. Factors that play a direct role in our efforts to grow include:

• • Transportation. The Topeka Chamber supports undiminished funding of the Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Programs (i.e. Polk-Quincy Viaduct Project continues to completion without delay, K10.)
    
  • Broadband. Access to reliable internet in our region is critical for our business and overall community. Chamber supports accessing federal infrastructure investment dollars for this purpose.
  • Innovation. Support for the K-State 105 program, a comprehensive initiative designed to boost economic growth across all 105 counties in Kansas that establishes a statewide network to connect Kansans with university expertise and innovative solutions. The Chamber supports the sustained funding request.
  • Entrepreneurship. The Topeka Chamber has been the beneficiary of several businesses that have started up in our community in the biotech and agricultural industries through our notable Plug & Play. We support K-State’s veterinary medicine request which will help us advance the animal health industry through facilities, research and educational programs.
  • Aviation. Support funding for the investment of our MRO complex and activity to attract economic development projects in our airport campus.
  • River. Support implementation of the Riverfront Advisory Strategy aimed at developing our capitol city river.

Kansans are fiscally responsible

The Topeka Chamber supports a stable, fiscally responsible tax policy that encourages business growth and is competitive with surrounding states. We support measures that aim to reduce income and property taxes.

• • Regulation. The Topeka Chamber encourages the legislature to seek ways to make state tax reporting requirements more business friendly, especially for small businesses. We encourage a light-touch regulatory approach that emphasizes stability, predictability and fairness.
  • Economic Development. The Topeka Chamber supports the Kansas Framework for Growth, as well as existing incentives, such as the HPIP, PEAK and STAR bonds. 

We support the continual re-evaluation of existing tools for their effectiveness in communities where they are deployed. This support includes the extension and inclusion of key tax provisions that support economic growth.  

We support mechanisms that spur tourism, thereby resulting in newcomers coming to our region and sustaining our existing residents.

Kansans are in it together

The Topeka Chamber supports efforts to create a culture of health and safety in the workplace and our neighborhoods. 

• • Healthcare. This includes strategies and solutions that would improve outcomes, expand access, and ensure the ongoing viability of health care providers and those they serve.  The Topeka Chamber supports taking advantage of federal funding by expanding Medicaid. The Chamber also advocates for greater analysis of prescription medication, to solve the root cause of increased prices of drugs.
  • Homelessness. The Chamber encourages state and municipal governments to work together to find innovative solutions to homeless. We support a portion of surplus funding to come to our community so we may invest in state mental health institutions, as mental health is the leading cause for our homeless.

For information about the Chamber’s legislative priorities, contact Juliet Abdel, President