Your Chamber at Work - October 17, 2022

Oct 17, 2022

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Newsletters

FROM THE KC CHAMBER'S PRESIDENT AND CEO

Thomas Jefferson said it well: “We do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.”

The all-important midterm elections are coming up November 8 so mark that date and be sure to vote.

Voter registration is closed in Missouri and closes in Kansas tomorrow, October 18, but here are some important dates to keep in mind:

Missouri

  • Absentee voting is underway now. The deadline for requesting an absentee ballot is November first. (Check with your local election board)
  • Absentee ballots must be returned by either mail (postmarked November 8 or before) or in person by November 8.

Kansas

  • Advanced voting begins October 19. The deadline for requesting a ballot is November first.
  • Ballots must be returned by mail or in person by November 8.

KC BizPAC is the political action committee of the KC Chamber in partnership with the Civic Council of Greater Kansas City. The PAC endorses local and statewide candidates for public office who align with our priorities and key issues. In the November 8 election, in Kansas, BizPAC is supporting incumbents Governor Laura Kelly and Lieutenant Governor David Toland, Attorney General candidate Chris Mann, and incumbent Secretary of State Scott Schwab. In Johnson County, BizPAC supports Mike Kelly for Chair of the Johnson County Commission. In Jackson County, Missouri, BizPAC supports current County Executive Frank White.

There’s a long list of state senators and state representatives being supported by BizPAC in Missouri and state representatives in Kansas (no state senate elections this year.). Here’s a link to the complete list.

In addition, the KC Chamber has taken positions on several ballot conditions:

  • Support for KCMO Bonds Questions 1 & 2.
    • Question 1 is a no tax increase measure authorizing the City to issue general obligation bonds up to $125-million for improvements to the City’s convention center, public pools, parks, and community centers.
    • Question 2 would authorize the issuance of up to $50-million in bonds to provide affordable housing for very low-to-moderate income households. Like Question 1, no tax increase would result.
  • Support of the Jackson County Children’s Services Fund extension.
    • This measure would permanently extend the one-fourth cent sales tax for the fund, which provides financial support to organizations promoting kids' mental health and social-emotional well-being in the county.
  • Opposition to Missouri Amendment 4.
    • Amendment 4 permits the Missouri Legislature to mandate that the City of Kansas City, Missouri devote no less than one-fourth of its general revenues (up from one-fifth) to fund the Kansas City Police Department.
    • Here’s a link to the rationale behind the position.

And remember – vote on November 8!

NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORKING – KANSAS CITY TEACHER RESIDENCY

How can teachers get in-classroom mentorship to strengthen their skills? Through the Kansas City Teacher Residency. Meet this group and see how they’re impacting KC schools at our next Neighborhood Networking at the Kansas City Teacher Residency, this Friday, October 21. Doors open at 8:30 a.m. at their 1712 Main Street location in KCMO. The Kansas City Teacher Residency prepares teachers through a teacher residency model, pairing them with a classroom mentor for a full school year. Register here. It’s free for Chamber members and $15 for non-members. Thanks to our 2022 overall networking sponsors Delta Dental and Mazuma Credit Union, and our 2022 Neighborhood Networking sponsors Unbound, Bardavon Health Innovations and Kansas City Current.

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION AUTHOR SERIES: DARA HORN, PEOPLE LOVE DEAD JEWS

Join us as author Dara Horn discusses her book People Love Dead Jews, Tuesday, October 25, 3:30 to 4:45 p.m.at the Commerce Trust Building, 922 Walnut St, 15th Floor Auditorium. This latest event in our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion author series has Horn exploring a pointed question: Why do far too many people seem to love dead Jews, but ignore the living ones? Is there any connection between recent antisemitic attacks and recent controversies about public Holocaust education? Horn says yes. Register here to attend this powerful event. Thanks to Humanities Kansas & Earl J. and Leona K. Tranin Special Fund. The Chamber’s Presenting Diversity Sponsors are CommunityAmerica Credit Union, Evergy and Hallmark. Our Workshop Presenting Sponsor is Commerce Bank.

WOMEN IN THE WORKFORCE

One million women. That’s how many are missing from the workforce now compared to pre-pandemic, at least according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Join the KC Chamber’s Executive Women’s Leadership Coalition and the Workforce Development Committee for Women in the Workforce, Monday, October 31, 9 to 10:30 a.m. at Evergy’s 1200 Main St location in Downtown Kansas City. UnitedWE CEO Wendy Doyle will moderate a conversation focused on reasons women are leaving the workforce, solutions for retention, and much more. This event is free, but registration is required. Save your spot today! Thanks to our Presenting Sponsors KPMG and UMB.

135TH ANNUAL DINNER

There’s so much to celebrate at this year’s Annual Dinner! Join your fellow Chamber members, friends, colleagues, and everyone else at our 135th Annual Dinner, Tuesday, November 22, at the Kay Barnes Ballroom in the Kansas City Convention Center, 301 W. 13th in Downtown Kansas City. It’s one of the best ways to kick off the holidays! Doors open for some of the region’s best networking at 4 p.m., then we have dinner and enjoy the program beginning at 5:30. Be there when we announce the Kansas Citian of the Year! And from the new single terminal airport to the NFL Draft to the World Cup and so much more, the world really is #Connected2KC. Get your tickets now. Special thanks to our 2022 Annual Dinner Presenting Sponsor, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City. Our Visionary Sponsor is Kansas City Southern. Our Premier Sponsors are Hallmark, JE Dunn Construction, and UMB Bank. Our Executive Sponsors are CommunityAmerica Credit Union and McCownGordon Construction.