Chamber Sees Growth in ‘Seven Solutions for 2007’

By BARBARA HAWKINS
Bluefield Daily Telegraph, Jan. 8, 2007

Editor’s Note: When the West Virginia Legislature and the Virginia General Assembly convene for their 2007 regular sessions on Wednesday, people ‘back home’ will be watching the action and showing more interest in the issues than in any year in the past.

In the southern sections of both states, citizens have made wish lists for their respective lawmakers and the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce has outlined seven key points the organization’s members want the legislature to address.

The Daily Telegraph will report those wish lists beginning today with the West Virginia Chamber followed by Mercer County on Tuesday and the Virginia targets from the Tazewell County area on Wednesday.

CHARLESTON — West Virginia’s economic growth is the focus of the State Chamber of Commerce’s “Seven Solutions” for 2007 — a list of proposals leaders of the state’s largest, most influential general business organization believe will reap an economic resurgence.

State Chamber leaders predict their “formula for success dealing with lawsuit reforms, health care cost containment and regulatory relief” will help propel the state to new heights of prosperity and progress.

“The Chamber’s seven solutions are ones that, if implemented, will advance West Virginia’s economic competitiveness, improve the state’s business capacity and offer new employment opportunities to our citizens,” said Steve Roberts, Chamber president.

Roberts said enactment of the seven key points they have listed for the legislature to deal with during 2007 are “vital to further advance the state’s economic growth and create a more stable and competitive environment for businesses and professionals to operate, invest and employ West Virginians .”

Roberts said, “Enactment and implementation of these policies will substantially improve the state’s business climate and help make West Virginia ‘open for business’.” Here are the state chamber’s seven key points targeted for change:

1. West Virginia must invest in additional efforts to help provide employers with a trained and skilled work force who possess the knowledge and capabilities needed in today’s workplace. Through public-private efforts, education and training programs that match the needs of today’s employers — particularly new programs focused on technology, fluency and proficiencies — are needed. Also, employers must ensure a drug-free workplace and employees must be able to pass drug screenings.

2. The state must enact meaningful judicial reforms so employers can feel secure operating in the state under a fair and balanced legal system. The state needs to come in line with nearly every other state and enact fair reforms.

3. Reforms to stem the tidal wave of asbestos and silica mass litigation is needed to ensure that injured individuals are diagnosed based on established medical criteria and by attending physician. The reforms would help unclog the system for those who are truly impaired or injured.

4. The state, along with business, labor, government, etc., must act now to reform our health-care system and stem the constant escalation in health-care costs. The state must eliminate the cost shift from government health-care programs to private-sector plans. Investments must be made in electronic health information networks and telemedicine systems to access critical health-care data and improve efficiencies in overall management.

5. Efforts to reduce the cost of doing business in the Mountain State should continue, including Workers’ Compensation costs and the state business taxes. The Workers’ Comp costs on a per-employee basis, are still significantly higher than other states. Reductions are needed so all employers can compete on a better playing field and hire more people. West Virginia businesses need to see the elimination of the business franchise tax and inventory tax and additional reductions in the state’s corporate net-income tax rate.

6. The act to obtain lawful environmental and regulatory permits should be streamlined and simplified. Some employers say getting an environmental permit for expansion is too time-consuming, burdensome and costly.

7. West Virginia needs to continue funding basic infrastructure such as roads, highways and utilities and making new investments in advanced infrastructure such as broadband and fiber connectivity.