Business Advocacy

An integral component of the Chamber's mission is to communicate the views of the business community to our elected officials. The Public Affairs department identifies, prioritizes and recommends policy to our Board of Directors for those issues that affect our local economy, business environment and quality of life in Tampa and Hillsborough County.

In this section of our site, you can learn more about:

• Key Issues for Tampa's Business Community
• Upcoming Public Policy Events
• The Chamber's Policy Council
• Federal Elected Officials
• State Elected Officials
• Local Elected Officials

Stay informed on the Key Issues the Chamber is currently engaged in. The Chamber communicates our message with several different methods including:

• Annual Legislative Agenda: The Legislative Agenda is composed annually as a broad listing of chamber positions on state and federal issues. The issues span the business spectrum and are based on our strategic planning pillars to include infrastructure, business climate, quality places, talent, governance and innovation. This Agenda is communicated to our state and federal officials at the beginning of each legislative session. It is amended over the course of the year as issues arise.
  • Click here to see our 2010 State Legislative Agenda or 2010 State Legislative Summary.
  • Click here to see our 2010 Federal Legislative Agenda.
• Direct Communication: The Public Policy Chair, Designated Members and Chamber Staff will contact and/or meet with the appropriate elected officials in order to present the Chamber's position on various issues.
• Signed Position Letter: The Chamber will create letters that state our position on an issue. We then send that letter to all concerned parties via fax, email and hard copy, staff then follows up with a phone call to alert the officials to the position that the Chamber has taken.
  • ABLE Grant Funding
  • Entertainment Industry Economic Development Incentive
  • Florida Land and Title Association Support
  • Higher Education Funding - Senate
  • Higher Education Funding - House
  • State Transportation Trust Fund
• Call to Action Email: The "Call to Action Email" is sent out to the entire Chamber Membership for the purpose of sending a mass response to elected officials and concerned parties in order to express our members support for issues that are very important to them. Simply click on the Call to Action Email and it will formulate an out-going email from each member to be sent to the elected officials.
• Joint quarterly Meetings with Tampa City Council and the Board of County Commissioners: The Executive Committee of the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce hosts joint quarterly meetings with the Tampa City Council, Hillsborough Board of County Commissioners and the Hillsborough County School Board in order to keep an open dialogue between the Chamber, the City of Tampa and Hillsborough County.

Below are some useful links to our local goverment agencies and other business advocacy organizations.