The Evanston Chamber of Commerce supports policies that promote economic growth and curtail unnecessary or unreasonable constraints on the development and growth of business. The Chamber fosters an environment that promotes economic growth by identifying and protecting business development opportunities.
As the premier business organization in Evanston, it is the Chamber’s role to create and develop policies that will guide effective pro-business legislative and local policy representation for our membership. The Evanston Chamber of Commerce utilizes the following principles to develop policy recommendations and to articulate positions on behalf of Chamber members when meeting with elected officials:
- Stimulate economic development by prioritizing business retention and growth in the region.
- Seek accountability in all forms of government operations and, where applicable, periodic measurement of programs.
- Ensure all government agencies maintain policies that promote an efficient and equitable market economy. Government programs and regulations should be developed to correct market inefficiencies and not to further complicate existing market inadequacies.
- Support an educational system that prepares students to meet market demands.
- Promote quality of life that ensures the Evanston community will remain an attractive place to live, work, and do business.
The Chamber encourages innovation in creating programs that benefit the common good, the sound management of programs, and the prioritization of programs that can be funded using sound fiscal policy.
The Chamber will continue to support projects, programs and initiatives that align with our goals. However, the Chamber does not seek to usurp the authority of the City of Evanston on specific issues of zoning, land use, streetscape design, and taxation policy. The Chamber will act as a strategic partner to the City and will contribute information to economic development discussions such as opinion surveys and market analyses that are relevant to the issue at hand, thereby advocating for our membership as a whole.
The Chamber seeks to partner with all entities that wish to create better local business conditions and a higher standard of living for all Evanston residents.