Fill out this form to share your information with Salem voters! Salem City Council – Ward 8 Candidate Name: Micki Varney Why do you believe you should represent the community in this office? I have lived my life serving and advocating for others and being on City Council is a labor of love where… Read More
Salem Area Chamber of Commerce Cap-and-Trade Position Statement
A complex Cap-and-Trade legislative proposal will be considered during the 2018 Short Session of the Oregon Legislature, set to begin February 5, 2018. The legislation was drafted after work in the 2017-2018 Interim led by Senator Michael Dembrow (D-Portland) and Representative Ken Helm (D-Beaverton), chairs of their respective environment committees. Several issues surrounding the proposals… Read More
Legislative Update – May 2nd, 2017
The most significant issues still outstanding are (1) business taxes, (2) transportation funding, (3) predictive scheduling legislation, and (4) increased DEQ fees that would help implement a new regulatory scheme – ‘Cleaner Air Oregon’ – that the Oregon State Chamber is opposing. In addition, there are a handful of opportunities to do a few good… Read More
April 13th 2017 Legislative Update
Here’s a brief rundown of what’s happening now of importance to business in Oregon’s Legislature: SB 301 would effectively preclude employers from enforcing zero tolerance drug policies. We are deeply disappointed this bill has been kept alive in Senate Judiciary. SB 828 / HB 2193 would implement predictive scheduling. We were disappointed to see both the House… Read More
Ride Sharing in Salem
April 3rd was a pivotal day in the Oregon Legislature as a comprehensive, preemptive law surrounding ride sharing in Oregon was considered by the House Committee on Business and Labor at a public hearing. It was a long hearing with supporters and detractors offering their perspectives in testimony. Salem Mayor Chuck Bennett spoke in favor… Read More
Predictive Scheduling: Senate Bill 828
We now have reason to believe that Senate Bill 828 will be the primary legislative bill to mandate “predictive scheduling” on Oregon employers. We also believe it may now be the top labor priority for 2017. Senate Bill 828, although it applies to all employers, focuses its most stringent regulations on restaurants, retailers, and hospitality… Read More
Writing’s on the Wall
2017 Legislative Developments As we look ahead to Oregon’s 2017 Legislative Session, priorities from the House of Representatives are becoming more apparent. Here you will find the current list of tax proposals being considered by House Democratic Leadership. This is important because tax proposals must be initiated in the House. In addition, please see the… Read More
Crunch Time
As I think back to the last three legislative sessions I’ve been involved in, I’m incredibly thankful for the dozens of people that have taken time away from their profession and their families to meet with legislators. My friend John Miller recently said “creating a job is a miracle”, and he’s right. When you consider… Read More
‘Tis the Season
November’s General Election is less than a month away, and there are significant state and local issues appearing on the ballot. Locally, the “Keep Salem Safe” campaign that is working to pass a bond measure that will build a new facility for Salem’s Police Department, is gaining significant momentum. Please visit www.keepsalemsafe.com to learn how you… Read More
Helping Salem Happen
“A dream becomes a goal when action is taken toward its achievement.” — Bo Bennett The dream: Salem as a destination, a magnet of activity, a magnet of people, a magnet of economic prosperity…and we’re getting there, but there’s still work to do. I’m often asked “what does the Salem Chamber do, anyway?” My answer… Read More
