Andy Peterson, President and CEO of the North Dakota Chamber of Commerce speaks to Wahpeton Rotary
Posted by Robert Chambers
on May 01, 2012
On May 1st the members of the Wahpeton Rotary Club heard from Andy Peterson the President and CEO of the North Dakota Chamber of Commerce during their regular noon hour meeting at Prante's. He explained the Chamber's lobbing of the North Dakota Legislative Assembly on behalf of business describing both defensive and offensive lobbying. Overall he finds that the North Dakota legislators are open to listening to the Chamber and other interests and have the ability to compromise and do what is best of the people of North Dakota.
He went on to describe the founding of the US Chamber of Commerce in Washington, D.C. As many local Chambers had been founded prior to the US Chamber many North Dakota communities, including Wahpeton, are founding members of the US Chamber and that is represented on a large mural in the lobby of the Chamber's building in Washington.
He closed by dealing with Measure Two, a measure that will be on the North Dakota ballot in June. He is mildly amused that the Chamber has had to be counter- intuitive on this issue. Normally they would not be in favor of keeping a tax but he calls Measure Two a "plan without a plan" and while well meaning has a "myriad of unintended consequences" most of which would not be in the best interests of North Dakota. In particular that extends to local governments who would have restricted ways to raise revenue and have to have their budgets funded by and thus approved by the state legislature. That loss of local control would be harmful to the communities and a burden on the legislature. He pointed out that much of the wording of Measure Two likely has consequences not intended by the proponents or is very confusing as to what exactly is intended. For these reasons the Chamber opposes Measure Two.
He went on to describe the founding of the US Chamber of Commerce in Washington, D.C. As many local Chambers had been founded prior to the US Chamber many North Dakota communities, including Wahpeton, are founding members of the US Chamber and that is represented on a large mural in the lobby of the Chamber's building in Washington.
He closed by dealing with Measure Two, a measure that will be on the North Dakota ballot in June. He is mildly amused that the Chamber has had to be counter- intuitive on this issue. Normally they would not be in favor of keeping a tax but he calls Measure Two a "plan without a plan" and while well meaning has a "myriad of unintended consequences" most of which would not be in the best interests of North Dakota. In particular that extends to local governments who would have restricted ways to raise revenue and have to have their budgets funded by and thus approved by the state legislature. That loss of local control would be harmful to the communities and a burden on the legislature. He pointed out that much of the wording of Measure Two likely has consequences not intended by the proponents or is very confusing as to what exactly is intended. For these reasons the Chamber opposes Measure Two.