The honoree profile videos from the Chamber's recent Centennial Celebration are now available online at bostonchamber.com.

In the 'Briefing Room,' Guzzi and Nikitas talked with Mike Skoler, CEO of Sokolove Law, LLC.  Skoler discussed the unique Sokolove model and the future of the legal industry.

On 'The Business Beat with Peter Howe,' Guzzi, Nikitas, and Howe talked national job numbers and Cisco.

On yesterday's edition of 'This Week in Business,' Chamber CEO Paul Guzzi and NECN's Mike Nikitas discussed the future of GM and the American car industry. Joining Paul and Mike were Jim Boyle, president of the Massachusetts State Automobile Dealers Association and John Wolkonowicz, a senior automotive analyst with Global Insight.

Chamber CEO Paul Guzzi discussed Governor Patrick's revised budget with NECN's RD Sahl 'On the Record.'

An editorial in today's New York Times highlighted the negative impact on job creation of the 'Buy America' provisions inserted by Congress into the economic stimulus package.

The Times references a study conducted earlier this year which "estimated that “Buy American” provisions could “save” 9,000 American jobs — a tiny number compared with the 650,000 jobs supported by foreign government procurement of American exports."

At the same time, foreign governments are beginning to retaliate, "representatives of Australia, Brazil, Canada, the European Union, Japan and Mexico have been consulting about how to respond to the United States’ protectionist drive. After Canadian companies were barred from bidding for American business, news reports say that some 12 Canadian cities passed ordinances against buying American."

Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce CEO Paul Guzzi warned about the potential ramifications of this proposal in a Boston Globe op-ed in February.

Guzzi argued: "In Massachusetts alone, merchandise exports in 2007 accounted for $25.4 billion, with more than 28 percent of all manufacturing workers in the state dependent upon exports for their jobs. And Massachusetts exports continue to grow briskly, climbing 35 percent between 2003 and 2007. Export centers are spread throughout the state, and provide much-needed jobs not only to Greater Boston, but to Pittsfield, Worcester, New Bedford, and Fall River. The decline in exports that could result from an era of economic protectionism could have dramatic repercussions for blue-collar workers here, who are already struggling to maintain their jobs."

As the Times editorial board makes clear, job cuts related to 'Buy America' are already taking a toll on our economy and outweighing the benefits of the provision.

Last month, the Chamber submitted testimony to the Joint Committee on Education in favor of legislation that would lift the cap on charter schools and expand opportunities for students throughout Greater Boston.

Despite their documented success, charter school expansion is presently slowed by a cap that limits student access and constrains innovation. Lifting the cap will offer new educational opportunities and provide encouragement to parents and educators seeking greater creativity and flexibility.

Charter schools have proven to be an effective tool in closing the achievement gap between low-income and minority students and their peers. A recent study released by The Boston Foundation found that students in Boston charter schools consistently outperformed their peers in traditional public schools. The results in math achievement for middle-school students are particularly compelling: the study estimates that the benefit of a single year spent in a charter school was equivalent to closing half of the black-white achievement gap. Similar results of a recent New York study are equally compelling.

In addition, during the recent Senate budget debate, the Chamber and other groups urged Senate support for a measure that would maintain the existing charter school funding mechanism. The Chamber will continue to work with legislative leaders in the coming weeks to ensure continued support for and expansion of the charter school model.

View the Chamber's complete policy agenda here.

The Chamber testified last month on proposed amendments to the Mandatory Greenhouse Gas Reporting Regulation (310 CMR 7.71).

Massachusetts energy costs remain among the very highest in the nation – a competitive disadvantage which continues to impact businesses of all size and industry and hinder job growth and expansion in the Commonwealth. This cost structure could be further impacted by the implementation of the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2008 in the months ahead. As a result, this regulatory process must be viewed in part through the lens of its impact on the regulatory burden and business costs borne by Massachusetts employers.

The Chamber supports revisions to the regulation, including changes to the stationary source reporting requirements, annual air emissions data reports, and verification of facility reports, which would help to facilitate implementation for both regulated entities and the state.  

Adoption of these revisions could help to lower the cost of compliance and preserve regulatory and legislative intent, without further impacting the competitiveness of our economy, job market, or energy cost structure. The Chamber will continue working with the DEP and stakeholders as this important process moves forward.

View the Chamber's complete policy agenda here.

Data privacy regulation will impact companies of all sizes and industries at a time of widespread budgetary constraints and accelerating revenue and job loss. The cost and operational burden of any new business regulation must be viewed, in part, through this lens. Yet ensuring data protection is a goal shared by all – and the Chamber believes this issue can be addressed without significantly impacting the competitiveness of the state. As such, the Chamber will continue working to advance data privacy policy that protects personal information and the Massachusetts economy.

Last month, the Chamber testified in favor of Senate Bill 173, which would help to protect critical data by:

• Aligning state data protection policy with federal regulation to establish a consistent regulatory regime and facilitate compliance for Massachusetts employers;
• Providing flexibility in technology, enabling employers to utilize a variety of next-generation technologies and methods to meet their data protection requirements;
• Requiring scalability in the regulation to avoid a costly and cumbersome one-size-fits-all approach to compliance; and
• Creating separate regulations for small businesses to reflect their unique cost, resource and data situations and employ a more risk-based approach to compliance.

The Chamber believes Senate Bill 173 captures the essence of sound data protection policy. To bring outliers up to industry standard, rather than penalizing those companies already employing best practices. To reflect the time, expense, and resource required of regulated companies seeking to comply, rather than heaping costly, process-laden requirements onto companies amidst an economic crisis. 

View the Chamber's complete policy agenda here.

The Chamber recently testified in opposition to Senate Bill 547, which would significantly tighten the provisions of the life sciences marketing code of conduct regulation promulgated by the Dept. of Public Health and adopted by the Public Health Council in March. Its provisions could substantially impede or deter collaborative research and testing from being conducted in Massachusetts, while potentially harming the overall competitiveness of the life sciences cluster and driving new jobs and investment to other states.

Adoption of SB 547 would essentially nullify the legislative process that produced the bill and the regulatory process that implemented it. Concerns remain about the impacts and unintended consequences of this “first in the nation” code of conduct. Revisions or clarifications to the regulation are likely still needed to ensure a robust climate for research, development, and training. Yet the Chamber believes the process was open, deliberative, and inclusive – attempting to reflect the perspectives of consumer advocates, patient communities, and industry and health care leaders alike.

View the Chamber's complete policy agenda here.

Corporate Tax Policy: Chamber to push for additional revisions to combined reporting regulation

The Department of Revenue (DOR) released its combined reporting corporate tax regulation on May 26th. Although the regulations include a Chamber-backed revision, they also contain rules that will make it more difficult for multinational companies to compete in Massachusetts. Key parts of the regulation include:

• Disallowance of certain deductions for companies subject to a "foreign income inclusion" provision. Among those disallowed deductions are certain interest expenses from intercompany borrowing – a policy that will make it more difficult to raise capital.
• Limiting the intercompany inclusion provision to the inclusion of income, not losses, from intercompany transactions – the result of which is to prevent gross income included in a combined group’s taxable income from being reduced below zero even if a group’s member loses money in a year.
• A Chamber-backed revision stating that DOR would not seek to disregard an otherwise proper election that results in a reduction of Massachusetts tax liability – a change that more accurately reflects the legislative intent of the 10-year affiliated group election lock.

In the weeks ahead the Chamber will continue to work for improvements to these rules, through the regulatory process, the legislative process, or both.

View the Chamber's complete policy agenda here.

On the 'Business Beat' with Peter Howe, topics of discussion include the Massachusetts health care law, Tim Geitner's visit to Boston, and the potential impact of Sonia Sotomayor on business law.

In the 'Briefing Room,' Scott Griffith, CEO of Zipcar, sat down with Paul Guzzi and Mike Nikitas to share his company's vision for sustaining growth.

On yesterday's edition of This Week in Business, Wellesley economics professor Chip Case sat down with Paul Guzzi and Mike Nikitas to discuss the latest developments in the housing market.

Chamber executive vice president Jim Klocke went 'On the Record' last night with NECN's RD Sahl to discuss health care costs and the taxes vs. tolls debate.

Chamber president Paul Guzzi went ‘On the Record’ last night to discuss recent legislative agreement on raising the Massachusetts sales tax. Guzzi also touched on April unemployment increases, the Turnpike’s plan to avoid a Memorial weekend traffic jam, and the success of the Chamber’s Centennial Celebration!

The Chamber has set-up an online group where members can access and download images from yesterday's Centennial Celebration. We will be updating the online album throughout the week, so be sure to check back frequently!

More than 1,500 business and civic leaders turned out last night at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center for the Chamber's Centennial Celebration! Centennial speaker Colin Powell captivated the audience with an inspiring keynote address.

Congratulations once again to each of the evening's deserving honorees:

Centennial Award:

• Mayor Thomas M. Menino, City of Boston
• Jack Connors

 Collaborative Leadership Award:

• Gloria C. Larson, president, Bentley University

2009 Academy of Distinguished Bostonians:

• Peter S. Lynch, vice-chairman, Fidelity Management & Research Company
• Linda Whitlock, Former Nicholas President & CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston

The Boston Herald was in attendance and featured the event in today's issue.

Thank you to everyone who supported the event. Be sure to check the Chamber blog throughout the week as we post photos and videos from the evening.

On the Business Beat, Paul Guzzi, Mike Nikitas, and Peter Howe talk about Chrysler's decision to close hundreds of dealerships nationwide and 32 in New England. They also discuss a first of its kind settlement involving Goldman Sachs and a new wind turbine testing facility that will be built in Charlestown.

In the Briefing Room, Paul Connolly, first vice president and COO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, talks about efforts to retain talented college students for the region's job market.