Chamber Business Package For the third session in a row, the Chamber has introduced a business package that focuses on spurring economic development, investing in Hawaii’s future and addressing the cost of doing business, in support of various industries in Hawaii.

1. The 2016 legislative session is off to a strong start;
the Chamber has been actively testifying on over
100 bills to support a positive business climate in
Hawaii and opposing many harmful bills that would
increase costs or impose harsher regulations
Several bills are being tracked that would raise the
GET and income tax, and mandate paid sick leave.
Projected tax increases being considered this year
would raise taxes by over $1.2 billion, including the
following bills:
• SB 2454 - increases income taxes
• SB 2599 & SB 2586 - raise GET by 1% to provide
funds for DOE
• SB 2478 - raises the GET by .5% to fund a
state-run long-term care program
Businesses and consumers cannot afford an additional
$1 billion+ increase in taxes, including bills that do
not guarantee that these funds will only be directed
to the intended programs. If these bills pass, the
GET could be 6% on Oahu and 5.5% on the neighbor
islands. Business owners are encouraged to contact
their legislators to express their concerns through
the Chamber’s Action Alert System. To sign up for
Action Alerts, go to cochawaii.org/action-alerts.
Over the past few decades, the Chamber utilized a
membership software program to manage our products
and services, as well as member information. As
technology evolves, so does the Chamber, particularly
in this fast-paced environment and with the need
to be forward-thinking to provide the best value to
our members
In that light, we are pleased to announce a new,
more advanced and interactive membership software,
Chamber Master (CM), the market leader in Chamber
software. We launched Chamber Master earlier
this month and many of our members are already
proactively using this new tool.
One of the initiatives included in our 2016
strategic plan was to leverage online tools to help
members promote their businesses. This tool gives
members exclusive access to valuable resources and
the opportunity to showcase their businesses on the
Chamber’s website, by providing each member
with a member information center. Features include:
• Personalized, secure log-ins
• Member Information Center where members can:
• Update their company profile or
employee information
• Create a mini website by adding photos, videos,
map and social media links, for example, to their
online member directory listing
• Promote job openings, discount offers, events
• Expanded functionality of events registration process
• Expanded reporting features, including utilization
and marketing reports
• Mobile application
With CM, members are able to access their account
from anywhere online. To learn more about this
opportunity to further engage with the Chamber
and promote your business, go to cochawaii.org. Or
for member login information and other questions,
email support@cochawaii.org.
In other news, the Chamber’s Young Professionals
(YP) program for individuals ages 21-39, continues
to thrive with increased number of sponsors and
members, and heightened visibility. We encourage
our members and/or their employees to get involved.
For more information about this dynamic program,
please contact Bianca Mordasini, Director of
Communications and Marketing and YP Executive
Director, at bmordasini@cochawaii.org.
LEVERAGING TECHNOLOGY TO HELP
MEMBERS PROMOTE THEIR BUSINESS
LEGISLATURE MOVES BILLS TO RAISE
GE TAX TO 6%
Welcome New Members
WelcomeNewYoungProfessionalMembers
Proudly sponsored by:
 Aloha Overstock
 Corporation
 Bloomingdale’s
 Breakout Waikiki
 JPG Hawaii
 Kai Lani Loa
 La Tour Bakehouse
 Christina Armstrong,
Kapolei High School,
Department of Education
 Liz Cawrey,
Servco Pacific Inc.
 Aaron Dooley,
Liberty Mutual
 Branden Gedeon,
JPG Hawaii
 Jean-Paul Gedeon,
JPG Hawaii
 Joe Gedeon,
JPG Hawaii
 Chase Huntley,
YMCA of Honolulu
 Courtney Jones,
Dale CarnegieTraining,
Hawaii & Guam
 Iniki Leialoha,
Surf HNL
 Katrina Richardson,
Wine and Canvas Hawaii
 Lauren Sayson,
Wyndham Vacation
Ownership
 Randall Sebastian,
University of Phoenix
 Francesca Weems,
Communications Pacific
 Jerry Yu,
Keller Williams
SERVING
HAWAII’S
BUSINESSES FOR
MORE THAN
110 YEARS.
Clean, reliable gas energy
hawaiigas.com
Sherry Menor-McNamara, President & CEO
February 19, issue of Chamber Voice, PBN www.cochawaii.org
VOICEVOICEO F B U S I N E S S
Chamber Voice Sponsor
PAID ADVERTISEMENT
UPCOMING EVENTS
CHAMBER EVENTS
February 22 - Young Professionals
Development Class
February 25 - Business After Hours
at Honolulu Club
March 12 - Mad About March H-O-R-S-E
Basketball Tournament
March 31 - 2016 Health Summit: The
Future of Health in the Workplace
For more information on all events,
to register or to join the Chamber, visit
cochawaii.org or call 808-545-4300
MEMBER EVENTS
February 20 »
DBEDT & Leeward Community College
2016 Spring Hawaii Small Business Fair
February 20 »
ES&A Supervisor Saturdays for Supervisors
and Managers
February 25 »
HVCA 16th Annual Awards Gala
March 8 »
AFCEA Hawaii March 2016 Luncheon
Members bring their collective voice of business to policy makers during the Walk Around at the Capitol as part of the
Chamber’s annual Chamber Week to engage members and the business community in the legislative process.
Chamber Business Package
For the third session in a row, the Chamber has
introduced a business package that focuses
on spurring economic development, investing
in Hawaii’s future and addressing the cost of
doing business, in support of various industries
in Hawaii:
• HB 1716 and HB 2266, which support early
learning programs
• HB 1847 and SB 2216, which support sports
tourism and entertainment
• HB 2027, which supports an infrastructure
revolving fund
• HB 2049 and SB 2372, which seek a solution
to neglected private roads in use by the public
• HB 2199, which supports Transit Oriented
Development
• HB 2209, which seeks to rectify the ruling in
the case of Adams v. CDM
• HB 2262, HB 2264, HB 2288, HB 2550, HB
2668, SB 2791, SB 2792, SB 3011, which
support the state’s manufacturing, high
technology and innovation industries by
supporting successful programs with
renewed funding
To get involved and help build a better
business climate in Hawaii , contact Jenny Lee,
Business Advocacy Coordinator,
at jlee@cochawaii.org.