Here is what the Chamber accomplished on your behalf in 2005:

CITY OF ANN ARBOR

Emerald Ash Borer Millage
The Chamber opposed the City of Ann Arbor Emerald Ash Borer millage before voters on Nov. 8, and recommended that general fund reserves and the $1.6 million budget surplus generated during fi scal year 2004-2005 be used to address the Emerald Ash Borer infestation.

STATUS: The Emerald Ash Borer millage went down 57 percent to 43 percent on Nov. 8. On Dec. 19, city council voted unanimously to spend $2.1 million to remove 10,500 ash trees. The funds came out of the city’s 2005-2006 Budget.

Personnel Costs
The Chamber urged the city to aggressively address its health care and benefit costs, increase the percentage of health care paid by the employee, and adopt more competitive total compensation policies consistent with approaches undertaken by various community employers.

STATUS: The city has switched all employees to a preferred provider program (PPO) that saved $1 million last year, and non-union employees now pay $20 per month for singles, $40 per month for a spouse and $80 per month for a family for health care costs. However, the city is still well behind private sector employers, and some public-sector employers, in terms of the percentage of health care paid by the employee. In particular, union employees (80 percent of the city workforce) do not contribute to their health care premiums, except for two deputy police chiefs.

WASHTENAW COUNTY

2006-2007 County Budget
The Chamber withheld support on the county’s 2006-2007 budget. County property tax collection is gradually shifting from winter to summer and this shift is expected to bump county tax revenue in 2006 and 2007 and cause a corresponding drop in 2008. The Chamber encouraged the county to set aside some of the additional tax revenue collected in 2006 and 2007 to cover the drop in 2008.

STATUS: The County Board of Commissioners did not agree and budgeted to spend the bump in tax revenue in 2006 and 2007 and deal with the drop in 2008.

800 MHz Emergency RadioSystem
The Chamber supported funding a new, $33 million emergency radio system via a countywide millage in order to significantly improve public safety in Washtenaw County.

STATUS: The millage may appear on the ballot in 2006.

STATE OF MICHIGAN

Single Business Tax:
The Chamber opposed Gov. Jennifer Granholm’s Single Business Tax proposal because it would place a greater tax burden on service industries.

STATUS: After haggling all year, the Legislature passed legislation in mid-December that will benefit manufacturers. The governor is expected to sign this legislation. Single Business Tax reform will continue to be discussed in 2006.

21st Century Jobs Fund
The Chamber supported “in concept” Gov. Granholm’s Jobs for Michigan bond proposal and encouraged the Legislature to move it forward.

STATUS: The legislation passed in November. Tobacco settlement funds totaling $400 million will be invested in the commercialization of research at universities and non-profi t research institutions, venture capital funds and a commercial lending program.

These are some of the issues the Chamber worked for on your behalf in 2005. If your business is not a member of the Ann Arbor Area Chamber of Commerce, you should join today. Learn more about Chamber benefits on our Web site @ www.annarborchamber.org, call (734) 665-4433 or e-mail info@annarborchamber.org.