Membership Survey - 2027 Legislative Priorities

Greater Williamsburg Chamber of Commerce

2027 Legislative Affairs Priority Survey

Greater Williamsburg Chamber of Commerce's Mission:

Advocate, Collaborate, and Create an Environment

in which business can grow and succeed.

To accurately represent the needs of the Greater Williamsburg business community during the 2027 Virginia General Assembly session, please rank the proposed legislative priorities below. Your feedback will determine the GWCCs official legislative agenda.

Survey Goal: Prioritize state legislative issues that support a pro-business environment in the Greater Williamsburg region. (When considering your responses, do you think that the Virginia House of Delegates and Senate of Virginia should propose legislation to address your pro-business priorities?)

📝 Instructions

This is a ranked choice survey. For each category, please rank the sub-topics from the number 1, (Highest Priority) to the lowest priority using each number only once per category. (Note: In the final survey tool, you will replace the bracketed instructions below with your dropdown ranking options: e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.)

Please select which applies to you.

 I am a business owner member of the GWCC.

 I am a member through a business owner member of the GWCC.

Business Climate 📈

Some items in this section connect to transportation and housing priorities addressed elsewhere in this survey. Please rank each item based on its importance to the overall business environment in Virginia.

Business Climate

Expand access to state-funded low-cost loans and grants for first-time business owners.

Modernize the Virginia Department of Taxation website to be more user-friendly, including visible Pass-Through Entity (PTE) account balances for business owners.

Advocate for state-level policies that protect Virginia businesses from adverse federal regulatory and fiscal impacts.

Reduce regulatory and litigation burdens that constrain business growth and competitiveness in Virginia.

Support a state-funded transit pass program that connects young and entry-level workers to employment, reducing workforce access barriers for Peninsula businesses.

Explore avenues to reduce energy costs.

Comments

0/250

Housing 🏡

* Housing

Support policies and resources to increase access and affordability to a wide range of housing options near employment centers.

State incentivization to localities to encourage workforce and affordable housing development while maintaining local land use authority.

Incentivize the use of existing real estate and land for housing solutions and promoting attainable housing models.

Develop employer assisted housing programs through tax breaks and other incentives.

Comments

0/250

Technology & Infrastructure 💻

Technology & Infrastructure

Commission a state study on how AI and robotics-driven workforce reductions may affect Virginia's long-term tax base and funding for education, public safety, and essential public services.

Ensure traffic enforcement camera revenues remain in the host locality.

Maintain Virginia’s strict requirements for use of license plate readers for public safety.

Advocate for clear state AI security policies and intellectual property protections.

Explore the impact of data centers on energy usage, national security, and the environment

Comments

0/250

Transportation 🚗

Transportation

Expand state-supported transit route options along the I-64 corridor on the Peninsula.

Expand state-funded local transit routes within Peninsula municipalities.

Expand state-supported transit options on nights and weekends.

Support state funding for park-and-ride expansion at key Peninsula transit hubs.

Prioritize the timely implementation of the third train from Williamsburg and Newport News to Washington D.C. as crucial for regional connectivity and economic growth.

Comments

0/250

Workforce & Education 🧑‍🎓

Workforce & Education

Create state tax incentives or grant programs for businesses that hire and develop entry-level workers.

Commission a study on AI’s impact on Virginia’s workforce and emerging job displacement risks.

Support state funding for universal K-12 school meal programs to reduce barriers to student learning and long-term workforce readiness.

Increase state funding to school CTE labs and equipment to align with current industry standards and high-demand fields.

Comments

0/250

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Greater Williamsburg Chamber of Commerce | 421 N. Boundary St. | Williamsburg, VA 23185 US

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