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DCR Chamber Policy Positions

Dakota County Regional Chamber of Commerce Policy Positions - 2025

Business Climate and Competitiveness

The best contributor to a strong economy is a healthy business climate. We will promote public policy that supports the rights of private employers to make decisions based on what is important to their employees and customers. We also strongly encourage our public sector partners to engage the business community in their planning and decision-making processes. We support:

 

  • Streamline regulations, efficient and predictable permitting and licensing processes, and reduced barriers to entry for new businesses.
  • Minimize business owner mandates, especially those impacting small businesses
  • Land use policies which provide for a diversified tax base, preservation of industrial land, and transit-oriented development.
  • Access to opportunities for minority- and women-owned businesses.
  • A statewide approach to early-childhood education and childcare funding, recognizing that the task of preparing the future generation of workers is larger than any individual city can fund through the property tax or administer.
  • Affordable workforce housing opportunities.

 

Talent Supply and Development

Access to a diverse, skilled workforce is an essential tool for business growth. We support public policies that prioritize efforts to help employers attract and retain employees, while also allowing employers the flexibility to meet the needs of their companies and employees. This includes:

  • Resources and connections for students and workers looking for new career opportunities.
  • Immigration policies to support the attraction of professionals to our market.
  • Addressing the benefits cliff by ensuring public assistance policies are not an inhibitor to career development and workforce retention.
  • Enhancing access to high school and post high skill training education that have a direction connection to employers.

 

Infrastructure

High quality community development and reliable infrastructure are central to economic growth. Investment in infrastructure (including roads, bridges, ports, transit, utilities, and telecommunications) are central to the economic growth of the Dakota County region. We support:

  • Reprioritizing investments in public infrastructure (streets, bridges, park facilities) in the city and or county budget, recognizing that these are core municipal services.
  • Transportation design and transit service that supports efficient workforce access to employers, as well as improved mobility throughout the region and housing options.
  • Sustainable, predictable, and comprehensive funding mechanisms for infrastructure.
  • Oppose changes to internet and cable franchises regulation.

 

Healthcare

We support policies that ensure access to affordable, high quality health care for our businesses and residents. We want to build upon the long-standing history of success Minnesota has achieved through collaboration between state leaders, nonprofit health plans, the business community, and other stakeholders that have resulted in Minnesota’s performance at or near the top of all key health rankings. Our priorities include:

  • Increasing competition, stability, and access to quality, affordable health care.
  • Ensuring Minnesota’s state public health programs are managed in a manner that supports budget predictability, accountability, access, and member experience.
  • Opposing taxes, mandates, and regulations that increase the cost of healthcare and its ease of access.

 

Housing

We support policies that increase the overall housing stock throughout Dakota County (rental/homeownership, multi/single-family, affordable/workforce/market rate). We believe that there is no singular solution to the housing shortage in our region and that government partners should focus on attracting private housing development, encouraging cross-sector partnerships and reimagining housing policy to reduce cost barriers for developers and consumers. We support:

  • Continued state and local investment to build new housing across the spectrum.
  • Zoning modifications to ensure that current regulations are solutions to identified problems and do not inhibit other housing production or affordability goals, or unnecessarily increase development or operational costs.
  • County and city governments acting as strong development partners by easing burdens for businesses and residents alike. This includes local investment (and ongoing maintenance) in parks, water, and utility infrastructure, etc. that play a role in development costs and the affordability of housing.
  • Policies and investments that strengthen the regional homelessness response system and promote collaboration among local and state governments.
  • The Dakota Chamber will work to be an active voice for our members on these important conversations from policy development to final policy decisions.
  • Ultimately, we want to ensure that adequate shelter is accessible.
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