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a man was knocking on doors asking if people wanted their walks shoveled-- city police bullied him saying he needed a business license! People tried to start food stands downtown, a competitor complained and the city hassled them into oblivion. Where do you think entrepreneurship starts? Chamber needs to step up on behalf of these people and focus on 'how can we make this work' instead of sitting back and letting them be beat down by the city's heavy hand. Regulations on restaurant start ups should be as limited as possible so people can start on shoestring... that could lead to great dining in Billings rather than national plastic food vendors. Where else can the Chamber help things to happen and push back those who would stop them because they don't have pockets full of cash? You never know where the next big thing will happen. We need an environment that will let new things to start. That's what a Chamber should be about.

Refineries account for 25% of Yellowstone County’s tax base. We need to continue to educate our community and legislators on the importance of this industry.

Be more aggressive at City and County levels to support controlled growth.

A good role for the Chamber is to educate members about the facts about community issues such as SD#2 levies and bonds. Often times messages can become distorted by multiple sources.

The future of medicine is good but may be changed if Affordable Care Act brings about damaging changes.

Stop the stoppers - Wash. bureaucrats.

In recent years, I association the US Chamber more than anything with fighting urgently needed action on climate change. At every level, the Chamber should be providing leadership for the necessary transition to a post-fossil fuel economy. Particularly in a fossil fuel-oriented economy, denying the inevitable shift only damages our long term prospect to make a successful transition for Montana and the region.

Support legislation to loan local governments funds while tax protests are pending.

Billings has too many Tea Party crazy legislators. A few bad apples are giving Billings a bad reputation. We need reasonable men and women who will work hard to do the right thing. I am so tired of the partisian politics. We need new legislators who are not so Tea Party bound.