Danville-Pittsylvania chamber to meet with state legislators

In anticipation of state budget cuts, local business leaders will closely monitor the General Assembly this session.

Ten representatives from the Danville-Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce will head to Richmond on Wednesday to participate in the Virginia Chamber of Commerce’s “Chamber Day at the Capitol.”

“Obviously this year, the session revolves around the budget and the economy,” said President Laurie Moran of the local chamber.

The local chamber will monitor the legislative issues to ensure those areas that are critical for business success are maintained, she added. Business leaders acknowledge that cuts will be made given the current economy.

“It is our hope that those budget cuts won’t be detrimental to the business community,” Moran said.

The Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber participates in Chamber Day every year, which gives business leaders the opportunity to hear about key issues from top officials like Gov. Bob McDon-nell, Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling, Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, Speaker of the House Bill Howell and Senate Majority Leader Dick Saslaw.

The Danville-Pittsylvania County Chamber is also part of a coalition called Virginia West, which represents chambers in this area and the western part of the state. Virginia West, which is staffed out of the Roanoke chamber, tracks legislation and keeps a representative at the capitol through-out the session.

“We share that resource,” Moran said. “We work together on policies and issues we share across the region.”

The local chamber publishes a legislative policy statement on its Web site every year. In its 2010 statement, the chamber lists these as priorities: a strong education system and availability of tech-nically skilled people, a work force development system, a well-funded and aggressive economic development effort, sound fiscal management and continued state tax restructuring as a primary means of finding permanent solutions to the state’s education and transportation needs.

The Danville-Pittsylvania County Board of Directors also met with state legislators in December to share issues or concerns. Local chamber representatives will go to Richmond at other times as well as legislation demands additional people be present, Moran said.

For more information, visit www.dpchamber.org then click on Legislative Agenda under Chamber Information. To see bills monitored by Virginia West, visit www.vawest.org and click newsletter.