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Commentary by Susan Tegmeyer
Special to the Herald/Review
During the last two weeks the Greater Sierra Vista Area Chamber of Commerce has been actively working on behalf of its members in the legislative arena.
In late February we participated in Chamber Day at the Legislature, when we traveled to the Capitol to meet face to face with district representatives.
The chamber believes involvement in this annual event is vital, in that it gives the business community an opportunity to talk about locally important issues of the day with the decision makers.
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Topics of discussion included the current state budget crisis, taxes, land use and health care — all subjects close to the hearts of business owners in Southern Arizona.
Another pressing issue included the proposed new bill being sponsored by Sen. Marsha Arzberger and Rep. Bill Konopnicki, which would support the introduction of a state temporary worker program.
Arzberger took time out of her schedule to sit down with members of the Southern Arizona Chamber Alliance, of which this chamber is a member, to talk in more detail about Senate Bill 1482 and House Bill 2791.
This legislation is aimed at employers who are struggling to find the skilled workers they need to go about their daily business and keep their doors open.
These business owners will need to submit an application of request to the Arizona Industrial Commission, which will administer the program.
Only citizens of Mexico will be eligible, and employers will recruit workers from across the border with the skills they need.
Arzberger stressed that this is not an amnesty for illegal immigrants, but a temporary solution to current labor shortages.
Mexican workers will be required to return home at the end of the working week.
This program also will help solve the issues facing border crossers who travel many miles on a daily basis to work in Arizona, but have to return to Mexico on the same day.
The chamber is supportive of this proposal. Many of our local industries, such as construction, hotels and agriculture, are unable to fill their job openings through the local employment pool.
Being able to spread their net wider will help keep those businesses solvent and will ultimately contribute to a thriving local economy.
Less than a week after our trip to the Legislature, the chamber met with representatives of the Sierra Vista Regional Health Center’s Government Relations Committee.
The hospital is working to form advocacy partnerships with a number of local organizations in an effort to create a stronger community voice that results in positive action by the legislators.
The chamber is one such partner and has been for a number of years.
Local businesses need to know that there is good, quality health care available to attract good, quality employees.
It is also important that those same employees have access to the medical services they need.
According to Sierra Vista Regional Health Center, there are 112 physicians per 100,000 people in Cochise County. That is well below the Arizona average of 219 physicians for a population of 100,000. The national average is 293.
One of the major problems in recruiting physicians is the high malpractice insurance premiums, which can cost as much as $90,000 per year.
Understandably, such elevated premiums discourage doctors from applying for positions in this region.
The solution to this issue is tort reform, which would place a cap on lawsuit damages and lower those premiums. This is a move that has already proved successful in Texas, where physicians are now lining up to fill positions.
Health care and education often go hand in hand when a family is looking to move to a new area.
Much attention has recently been given to Fort Huachuca Accommodation Schools and the proposal to establish a five-member appointed board for the district.
There is also a move to pass new legislation to change the current limits on how the federal funds given to Arizona for military schools should be spent.
Last year the district was told it should not have spent the money on operational and maintenance needs.
However, this is where the cash is needed and we believe the smooth passage of HB 2821, the bill proposing these funding changes, should be supported by the business community.
The chamber encourages its members, as well as the general public, to contact this region’s local representatives, whatever your views, and use the democratic process to make a difference.
Contact details for representatives can be found on our Web site, www.sierravistachamber.org.
SUSAN TEGMEYER is president/CEO of the Greater Sierra Vista Area Chamber of Commerce. Contact the chamber at 458-6940, or at its office at 21 E. Wilcox Drive. Her column appears every other Sunday in the Herald/Review.
Sam G wrote on Mar 17, 2008 9:21 PM:
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