Issue link: http://visitithaca.uberflip.com/i/934704
Your Voice: Advocacy for You, for the Community Government & Community Affairs Committee Throughout 2017, this committee explored issues and hosted speakers on topics relevant to our members and community. Topics we considered throughout 2017 include: • Minimum wage/living wage proposals • Immigration/travel ban policy impacts • The Cornell Tech Campus • Hate speech and crimes in our community • Public and air transportation infrastructure • Local election management • Single payer health care Housing Development Advocacy The Chamber continues to focus on housing development needs in our community, advocating for the addition of affordable units, workforce housing, expanded senior housing, and additional college student units on and off campus. In 2018, the Tompkins Chamber Foundation and Community Foundation will receive investment from the Park Foundation to commission a study to better understand the unique challenges we face with constructing affordable workforce housing in Tompkins County, as well as identifying creative solutions used in benchmark communities to address these issues and fund suitable housing development. Diversity & Inclusion The Chamber greatly increased participation in groups, events, and projects which promote diversity and inclusion in 2017. We continued to be active members in the Diversity Consortium of Tompkins County and to fund and promote the award-winning All Things Equal radio show. In addition, Chamber staff attended the Diversity Roundtable, hosted a Goverment & Community Affairs diversity panel, held workshops on Minority and Women Owned Business certification, and partnered with Ithaca is Love to produce and distribute Inclusive stickers to businesses commited to promoting safe spaces for the LGBTQIA+ community. Tompkins Center for History & Culture The Chamber and CVB are critical partners of the Tompkins Center for History & Culture Project in Downtown Ithaca. The CVB will move its Downtown Visitor Center to this location, while the Chamber hopes to have a remote office to serve our members in the downtown area. Significant time was invested in project leadership, advocacy, fundraising, and grant submissions on behalf of this project in 2017. 7 A Project & Partnership of: nclusive PROJECT PARTNERS: • The History Center • Historic Ithaca • Ithaca /Tompkins County CVB • Community Arts Partnership • Wharton Studio Museum • Dorothy Cotton Institute • Ithaca Aviation Heritage Foundation • Discovery Trail • Sustainability Center