2025 Public Policy Agenda

Growing our region’s economy and advancing sustainable community development are at the core of our
mission. To ensure our region continues to thrive, we support projects and concepts that enhance quality
of place, making Chattanooga and Hamilton County more attractive for living, working, visiting, and
growing business.

EXPANDING THE TOOLS FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

• Support efforts to streamline and expand the economic incentive toolbox, including the use of Payment in Lieu of Tax (PILOT) and Tax Increment Finance (TIF) to enhance economic development opportunities in Hamilton County.
• Commit to working with local and state governments to develop additional innovative solutions that incentivize economic growth and ensure competitiveness.
• Continue partnering with Hamilton County government to maintain the impact of the INCubator while supporting policies that minimize barriers to entrepreneurship.
  Support local government participation in industrial site and business park development to further support new business recruitment, as well as the retention and expansion of existing businesses.
• Advocate for efforts to rezone, plan and develop infrastructure on a segment of McDonald Farm as a new industrial park, while advancing the preparation of the option property at Enterprise South Industrial Park.
• Ensure that economic development tools remain fully funded and available for use as state and local governments address potential funding issues.
  Advocate for efforts to incentivize and implement a remote worker economic development strategy to help recruit talent to the region.
   

QUALITY OF PLACE

• Support enhanced community amenities and assets that foster talent attraction and retention.
• Support blight removal and adaptive reuse strategies, including reviewing local government’s building inventory to grow the city’s tax base and improve economic development opportunities.
• Support River City Company’s “One Riverfront Strategy” to continue the economic vitality of downtown and the riverfront for both citizens and tourists, including a focus on the Broad Street revitalization, AT&T Field, Hawk Hill redevelopment, and the parks system.
• Collaborate with TVA to ensure its existing office footprint is redeveloped to leverage economic development opportunities in Chattanooga’s core, including opportunities identified in Chattanooga Tourism Co.’s “Convention Center Futures Study” to enhance the economic impact of the convention industry.
• Support the rehabilitation and maintenance of the Walnut Street walking bridge.
• Support community efforts to provide art and promote the creative economy in Hamilton County.
• Support city and county efforts to maintain and expand the parks system and other natural resources.
• Advocate for efforts at the federal level to use tax credits to incentivize the reuse and repurposing of single-use office spaces.
  
  

HOUSING

• Support efforts to increase market-rate, workforce, and affordable housing throughout Chattanooga and Hamilton County.
• Support efforts to streamline permitting for housing units in the region.
• Support initiatives by elected officials and the community to increase the supply of attainable housing options in Chattanooga and Hamilton County.
• Collaborate with partner organizations and local government to address the growing problem of homelessness in the community.
  
  

REGIONAL COLLABORATION

• Work within the framework of the Greater Chattanooga Economic Partnership and THRIVE Regional Partnership to support improved regional collaboration on issues affecting the greater Chattanooga area.
• Support efforts to leverage the defense and energy sectors surrounding Chattanooga, including Oak Ridge, Huntsville, and Tullahoma, as tools for economic growth.
  
  

INCREASE BROADBAND ACCESS

• Support increased statewide investment in broadband telecommunications infrastructure, particularly in rural areas, which is critical to education, health care, and business retention and recruitment efforts in the state and region.
  
  

PROTECTING BUSINESSES

• Ensure state and local municipal governments have the flexibility to spend federal disaster funds to address specific needs without additional bureaucratic deadlines on when to use the funds.
• Support efforts to provide targeted, temporary, and timely federal liability protections for businesses following government-issued COVID-19 response guidance.

One of the most effective ways to support the region’s workforce is through responsible education policy. From early childhood education to tailored workforce development initiatives, the Chamber supports legislation that allows the education system to remain flexible to meet the present and future needs of the workforce.

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

• Support funding for high-quality prekindergarten programming statewide.
• Collaborate with local and statewide partners to advance child care and early childhood initiatives at the local and state levels.
  
  

K-12 EDUCATION

• Support existing and future legislation and initiatives that improve literacy outcomes for students, specifically by fifth grade.
• Support policies and initiatives that provide more flexibility to structure education to better fit the needs of students and employers.
• Support legislation that limits the liability of companies partnering with the school system for work-based and youth apprenticeship learning programs.
• Support efforts to increase annual funding for K-12 education in Chattanooga and Hamilton County.
  
  

SCHOOL FACILITIES

Continue to support efforts proposed by the schools’ facilities working group by advocating for the full implementation of the long-term comprehensive plan to address Hamilton County Schools’ capital needs.

HIGHER EDUCATION

• Support efforts to make higher education in Tennessee more affordable and flexible for students.
• Support efforts to provide more flexibility for institutions to better address the needs of their students and workforce in their respective regions.
• Support the expanded availability of regional manufacturing training.
• Support efforts to eliminate out-of-state tuition at community colleges for DREAMers.
• Support increased quantum, artificial intelligence, computer science, and engineering program opportunities within higher education institutions in Chattanooga.
  
  

CAREER & TECHNICAL EDUCATION

• Support expanded vocational training programs.
• Continue to advocate for innovative public-private partnerships, such as the Construction Career Center, to enhance opportunities for students and address real needs of employers in the region.
• Support the expansion of computer science programming and other technical programs at UTC and Chattanooga State.
• Support Chattanooga State’s Logistics and Transportation Hub project.
• Support applied career learning experiences for K-12 students, including the expansion of youth apprenticeships, work-based learning, and internship opportunities for high school students, as well as career exploration opportunities for K-8 students connected to current and future thriving-wage career pathways.

Chattanooga prides itself on its wealth of outdoor activities and natural resources. We support efforts to make Chattanooga a clean and attractive environment for residents and visitors. We work to ensure a healthy community and promote public safety policies that create a better environment for businesses.

ENVIRONMENT

• Support energy efficiency and conservation initiatives that preserve natural beauty while avoiding a negative economic impact on the business community.
• Support federal efforts to improve interagency coordination and engagement with a broad stakeholder community to reduce climate change risks for companies and communities across the country, prepare for environmentally driven crises, and strengthen national security.
  
  

HEALTH

• Support efforts with community partners to improve health outcomes for residents.
• Support legislative and policy changes that reduce the cost of health care and provide additional access to affordable, quality health care.
• Work with governmental and nonprofit partners to combat opioid and fentanyl use in Tennessee.
• Work with education and community partners to plan and support a health and wellness district in Chattanooga.
• Support the expansion of programs within the Hamilton County Jail to provide appropriate care and treatment for individuals suffering from mental health complications.
  
  

SAFETY

• Support legislation and policies at the local and state levels to enhance public safety and foster an environment where businesses and the local economy can thrive without undue threats to the community.
• Support efforts by the Chattanooga Police Department, the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, first responders, and community partners to improve safety throughout the community for member businesses and residents.
• Support businesses through collaboration with national partners to address the illicit trade of goods.

It’s no secret that Chattanooga’s geographic location makes it a gateway to the rest of the United States. It is critical for Tennessee—and Chattanooga specifically—to invest in infrastructure that encourages businesses and the economy to flourish.

AIR TRANSPORTATION

• Support policies that enhance future development in and around the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport.
• Work with the airport to advocate for additional state and federal funding to grow the number of flights and expand flight locations.
• Support efforts by the Airport Authority to create an air service development fund to attract and support new and increased air service to the community for both full-service and low-cost carriers.
  
  

TRANSPORTATION

• Support the state’s leading role in the growing electric vehicle market.
• Support efforts by the city and county to invest in more electric vehicle charging stations.
• Support policies and initiatives that make it easier for residents to use public transportation.
• Support efforts to modernize and expand CARTA’s routes and hubs.
• Partner with city, county, and state officials to advocate for the region’s share of CHOICE lanes included in Gov. Bill Lee’s “Transportation Modernization Act.”
• Support investments and innovations to ensure the local transportation network infrastructure is coordinated, safe, and moving traffic efficiently.
  
  

RAIL TRANSPORTATION

• Support federal funding opportunities to assist with construction costs for increased rail capacity at Enterprise South.
• Partner with local organizations and government to continue supporting the regional rail network connecting Chattanooga with both Nashville and Atlanta.
• Support Amtrak’s long-range strategic plan to add Chattanooga to its regional rail network.
  
  

INFRASTRUCTURE

• Support efforts to secure a second wastewater treatment plant in northern Hamilton County, as well as additional sewer infrastructure throughout Hamilton County.
• Support adequate and flexible parking options within the downtown area.
• Support infrastructure needs for McDonald Farm.
• Work to identify specific infrastructure projects and prioritize them based on need and impact to the community.
• Support state efforts to address congestion on the state highway system.

The Chattanooga Chamber is committed to growing and recruiting a world-class workforce. We will advocate for policies and innovative programs that give citizens the skills and opportunities to succeed in the 21st-century economy.

21st Century Workforce 

• Support additional funding for the state’s work-based learning grants.
• Support enhancements to programs and projects that strengthen the link between publicly funded workforce development initiatives and economic development.
• Support criminal justice reform programs that provide vocational skills training and job coaching for individuals re-entering the workforce after a period of incarceration.
• Continue to grow business participation with the Future Ready Institutes and Hamilton County Schools.
• Advocate for increased skills funding at the federal level, including making Pell Grants eligible for short-term education and training programs to allow for the re-skilling of workers impacted by the evolving economy.
• Support efforts to expand legal immigration opportunities to grow the community’s talent pool.
• Expand registered apprenticeships, work-based learning, and youth apprenticeships.
  
  

TALENT

• Support policies that remove barriers to employment by reforming and updating the state’s unemployment system.
• Address the need for affordable, quality child care to allow workers to re-enter the workforce and in-person employment.
  
  

DIVERSITY AND ECONOMIC INCLUSION

• Support programs and initiatives that strategically increase diversity and inclusion in market participation within the region.
• Support training and development programs to expand procurement and supplier diversity business opportunities, grow markets, and increase economic participation.
• Address legislation impacting diversity and economic inclusion to attract talent, support supplier diversity, and advance business development.