The regional business community values collaboration and cooperation. As a region we must capitalize on opportunities of job creation, talent development, diversity, entrepreneurship and growth. We must also embrace the challenges that are associated with that growth. The regional chambers of commerce listed [below] are collectively focused on the following priorities to address both the opportunities and the challenges that drive our communities forward during a time of rapid change and momentum.

Economic Development

A favorable business climate enables the region to attract and retain industry. To support our recruitment and retention efforts, we recommend: 

• Preserving, expanding and promoting flexible, targeted incentive tools at the local, county and state level that support continued job growth and investment.
• Identifying additional Opportunity Zone sites that encourage business investment in areas within the region that have not maximized their developmental opportunities.
• Expanding Site Development Readiness throughout the region.
• Supporting policies that ensure North Carolina is a leader in emerging industry clusters including Advanced Manufacturing, Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, Life Sciences, AgTech, CleanTech, EdTech, FinTech and BioTech.
• Tax Policies that promote competitiveness, equity, efficiency, simplicity and certainty.

 
Education and Talent Supply

The region’s continued competitiveness depends on our ability to maintain and expand a diverse and highly skilled workforce. Our workforce must combine critical thinking skills and the flexibility necessary to support regional job growth. To produce this skilled and flexible workforce, we support:

• Expanding access to NC Pre-K programs, targeting 75% of eligible children and support for State Funding Model changes.
• Competitive compensation for education professionals.
• Dedicated revenue/resources to fund personnel required to operate schools at optimum levels.
• Education and workforce development strategies/services that enhance the talent pipeline including work-based learning and apprenticeship programs.
• Strategies that align universities, community colleges and schools with existing/future industry needs, including innovation and entrepreneurship in the education sector.

 
Healthcare

Our business communities’ ability to add jobs is increasingly challenged by escalating healthcare costs. Moreover, attracting and retaining the best talent requires access to affordable healthcare insurance coverage and to quality healthcare services. We therefore support healthcare policies that:
 

• Adopt proven methods of coordinated and quality-driven care that achieve efficiencies in the delivery of services across the care continuum.
• Ensure healthcare providers are able to meet the healthcare needs of their communities by managing the availability of services.
• Encourage public-private activation to achieve goals identified in local community health needs assessments.

• Increase small business access to affordable healthcare.
• Support access to affordable health insurance options/Association Health Care plans.

 
Transportation, Infrastructure and Sustainability

As the population in our region continues its rapid expansion, investment in transportation and infrastructure is a necessity to both ensure our ability to compete in a global economy and maintain a high quality of life. We support:

• Regional Transportation Alliance issues that include but are not limited to, the use of Strategic Transportation Investments (STI) for infrastructure investments and the implementation of Build NC to deliver critical road improvements.
• Continued investment for RDU Master Plan objectives.
• Investments in technology, high-speed fiber and digital information infrastructure.
• Identifying and addressing critical water & wastewater infrastructure needs.
• Modernization of the region’s energy grid, renewable assets and natural gas connections.