LAke Houston Area Chamber of Commerce Membership
1,100 Members Approx. 94% Small Business
Territory
Boundaries inclued the City of Humble and a portion of northeast Harris County and south Montgomery County from New Caney to the north, Huffman to the east, Aldine Westfield Road to the west and Beltway 8 to the south.
Funding
Self-funded by membership sales and special events
Staff
Seven full-time and one part-time employee
Mission
The Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerce is a cooperative effort of business people to attract new business, support and strenghen the business environment, serve the needs of the members and cooperate with civic leaders and other interested parties to promote community growth.
Strategic goals of the Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerce
1. Provide opportunities for involvement and information that will build the business development focus of the Chamber. 2. Serve as a unifying voice and advocate to local, state and federal governments regarding issues that affect member businesses. 3. Increase the membership growth and retention and participation of members through the development of chamber business solutions for our members. 4. Increase Chamber programming focus on serving the needs of small, minority and women-owned business. 5. Provide Chamber/Community events to engage members in the Lake Houston Area. 6. Implement the Economic Development Strategic Plan for the Lake Houston Area.
Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerce
113
th
Congress
Federal Legislative Priorities
Contact Information:
Charlie Dromgoole, President & CEO 110 W. Main Street, Humble, TX 77338 P: 281-446-2128 F: 281-446-7483 LakeHouston.org cdromgoole@lakehouston.org
Presenting Sponsor:
Federal Legislative Priorities Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerce TAX REFORM
Tax reform in as issue of great significance to our member businesses. The LHA Chamber is not only concerned with taxes being too high for businesses, but also the complexity of the tax code which leads to an excessive amount of administrative costs businesses spend to calculate their taxes. The Lake Houston Area Chamber supports a streamlined tax system that increases the predictability and attractiveness of the American market.
HEALTHCARE
The LHA Chamber supports healthcare reform that addresses the irrepressible costs of our healthcare system and improves the quality of healthcare and expands coverage to the uninsured. We feel it is necessary to continue to evaluate reform options that decrease the current strain on our nation’s job creators while also enabling our healthcare providers to provide innovative, high-quality care.
EDUCATION
As our very own Lone Star College System is the fastest-growing community college in the nation and a major contributor to the local and regional economy, the LHA Chamber supports policies to increase college access and success, affordability and transparency. We support legislation to ensure student loans are affordable and simplifying the federal student aid application. The Lake Houston Area Chamber supports the government giving flexibility to local school districts to allocate federal funds to the areas of greatest need. We support an increase in Title 1 Funding and additional funding for special education (IDEA) grants. We support an exception from “maintenance of effort” for school districts that demonstrate efficiencies in lowering costs while maintaining all required programs.
ENERGY
Lake Houston Area is a vital part of the Greater Houston Region which is one of the largest producers of oil and gas in the world. As oil and gas is the major driver in job creation and economic growth for our region, the Lake Houston Area Chamber supports a regulatory framework that encourages responsible development of newly, discovered energy resources and keeping industry taxes fair and conducive to economic expansion and growth. We support streamlining the permitting process for energy infrastructure projects, and resisting regulations that burden the economy and threaten the reliability of our energy supply.
Lake Houston Area Overview Location
Located in the northeast quadrant of the Houston metropolitan area, the Lake Houston Area includes Atascocita, Fall Creek, Humble, Kingwood (City of Houston), and Summerwood.
Public Education Humble ISD Spring ISD (portion) Aldine ISD (portion) Lone Star College-Kingwood
Income
Median Household Income......................$71,911 Ave. Household Income…........................$91,571 Per Capita Income…………....................$30,993
Population - 2013
Lake Houston Area ...................................235,414 Atascocita (77346).......................................56,147 Fall Creek Area (77396)..............................44,851 Humble (77338)...........................................35,431 Kingwood (77339 & 77345).......................66,626 Summerwood Area (77044)........................32,359 2018 Projected Poulation ..........................260,165
TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING
LHA Chamber supports providing long term transportation investments based on regional priorities to facilitate economic growth. The LHA Chamber is supportive of programs that result in adequate federal investments in the nation’s transportation systems that are sustainable, predictable and dedicated funding mechanisms and encourages public/ private partnerships. The LHA Chamber supports transportation programs that enhance the movement of goods and US economic competitiveness. Programs that facilitate economic development and increase access to jobs and markets should be prioritized for funding. Ongoing investment in the improvement of the Houston Ship Channel is critical to ensure this region continues to capture its share of economic prosperity delivered because of maritime commerce.
REGULATORY REFORM
The LHA Chamber supports regulatory structures that are consistent and open, and allow businesses to adequately plan. We oppose expanding the authority of federal agencies to intervene in local and state business affairs, particularly where such authority is duplicative or inconsistent with current regulations. We feel policy makers should focus on reducing excessive regulations in order to promote economic growth and job creation.
INTERNATIONAL TRADE
We support the reauthorization of the Export-Import (Ex-Im) Bank of the United States, and a simultaneous increase in its lending cap. We support agreements which help small and large businesses reach new customers by opening foreign markets.
Data for all businesses in the lake houston area
Total Businesses: 7,347 Total Employees: 65,592 Total Residential Population: 260,491 Employee/Residential Population Ratio: 0.24 Labor Force: Civilian Population 16+: 130,671 Employed Civilian Population 16+: 121,038 Unemployed Population 16+: 9,633 2010 Unemployment Rate: 7%
Top ten Employers
Company # Employees 1. Humble ISD 1,910 2. Kingwood Medical Center 1,300 3. Insperity 1,200 4. Wal-Mart 1,144 5. Memorial Hermann Northeast 933 6. Bush Intercontinental Airport 750 7. Lynchner State Jail 727 8. Randall Reed’s Planet Ford 589 9. Harris County 550 10. Kroger 539
Federal Legislative Priorities Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerce TAX REFORM
Tax reform in as issue of great significance to our member businesses. The LHA Chamber is not only concerned with taxes being too high for businesses, but also the complexity of the tax code which leads to an excessive amount of administrative costs businesses spend to calculate their taxes. The Lake Houston Area Chamber supports a streamlined tax system that increases the predictability and attractiveness of the American market.
HEALTHCARE
The LHA Chamber supports healthcare reform that addresses the irrepressible costs of our healthcare system and improves the quality of healthcare and expands coverage to the uninsured. We feel it is necessary to continue to evaluate reform options that decrease the current strain on our nation’s job creators while also enabling our healthcare providers to provide innovative, high-quality care.
EDUCATION
As our very own Lone Star College System is the fastest-growing community college in the nation and a major contributor to the local and regional economy, the LHA Chamber supports policies to increase college access and success, affordability and transparency. We support legislation to ensure student loans are affordable and simplifying the federal student aid application. The Lake Houston Area Chamber supports the government giving flexibility to local school districts to allocate federal funds to the areas of greatest need. We support an increase in Title 1 Funding and additional funding for special education (IDEA) grants. We support an exception from “maintenance of effort” for school districts that demonstrate efficiencies in lowering costs while maintaining all required programs.
ENERGY
Lake Houston Area is a vital part of the Greater Houston Region which is one of the largest producers of oil and gas in the world. As oil and gas is the major driver in job creation and economic growth for our region, the Lake Houston Area Chamber supports a regulatory framework that encourages responsible development of newly, discovered energy resources and keeping industry taxes fair and conducive to economic expansion and growth. We support streamlining the permitting process for energy infrastructure projects, and resisting regulations that burden the economy and threaten the reliability of our energy supply.
Lake Houston Area Overview Location
Located in the northeast quadrant of the Houston metropolitan area, the Lake Houston Area includes Atascocita, Fall Creek, Humble, Kingwood (City of Houston), and Summerwood.
Public Education Humble ISD Spring ISD (portion) Aldine ISD (portion) Lone Star College-Kingwood
Income
Median Household Income......................$71,911 Ave. Household Income…........................$91,571 Per Capita Income…………....................$30,993
Population - 2013
Lake Houston Area ...................................235,414 Atascocita (77346).......................................56,147 Fall Creek Area (77396)..............................44,851 Humble (77338)...........................................35,431 Kingwood (77339 & 77345).......................66,626 Summerwood Area (77044)........................32,359 2018 Projected Poulation ..........................260,165
TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING
LHA Chamber supports providing long term transportation investments based on regional priorities to facilitate economic growth. The LHA Chamber is supportive of programs that result in adequate federal investments in the nation’s transportation systems that are sustainable, predictable and dedicated funding mechanisms and encourages public/ private partnerships. The LHA Chamber supports transportation programs that enhance the movement of goods and US economic competitiveness. Programs that facilitate economic development and increase access to jobs and markets should be prioritized for funding. Ongoing investment in the improvement of the Houston Ship Channel is critical to ensure this region continues to capture its share of economic prosperity delivered because of maritime commerce.
REGULATORY REFORM
The LHA Chamber supports regulatory structures that are consistent and open, and allow businesses to adequately plan. We oppose expanding the authority of federal agencies to intervene in local and state business affairs, particularly where such authority is duplicative or inconsistent with current regulations. We feel policy makers should focus on reducing excessive regulations in order to promote economic growth and job creation.
INTERNATIONAL TRADE
We support the reauthorization of the Export-Import (Ex-Im) Bank of the United States, and a simultaneous increase in its lending cap. We support agreements which help small and large businesses reach new customers by opening foreign markets.
Data for all businesses in the lake houston area
Total Businesses: 7,347 Total Employees: 65,592 Total Residential Population: 260,491 Employee/Residential Population Ratio: 0.24 Labor Force: Civilian Population 16+: 130,671 Employed Civilian Population 16+: 121,038 Unemployed Population 16+: 9,633 2010 Unemployment Rate: 7%
Top ten Employers
Company # Employees 1. Humble ISD 1,910 2. Kingwood Medical Center 1,300 3. Insperity 1,200 4. Wal-Mart 1,144 5. Memorial Hermann Northeast 933 6. Bush Intercontinental Airport 750 7. Lynchner State Jail 727 8. Randall Reed’s Planet Ford 589 9. Harris County 550 10. Kroger 539
LAke Houston Area Chamber of Commerce Membership
1,100 Members Approx. 94% Small Business
Territory
Boundaries inclued the City of Humble and a portion of northeast Harris County and south Montgomery County from New Caney to the north, Huffman to the east, Aldine Westfield Road to the west and Beltway 8 to the south.
Funding
Self-funded by membership sales and special events
Staff
Seven full-time and one part-time employee
Mission
The Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerce is a cooperative effort of business people to attract new business, support and strenghen the business environment, serve the needs of the members and cooperate with civic leaders and other interested parties to promote community growth.
Strategic goals of the Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerce
1. Provide opportunities for involvement and information that will build the business development focus of the Chamber. 2. Serve as a unifying voice and advocate to local, state and federal governments regarding issues that affect member businesses. 3. Increase the membership growth and retention and participation of members through the development of chamber business solutions for our members. 4. Increase Chamber programming focus on serving the needs of small, minority and women-owned business. 5. Provide Chamber/Community events to engage members in the Lake Houston Area. 6. Implement the Economic Development Strategic Plan for the Lake Houston Area.
Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerce
113
th
Congress
Federal Legislative Priorities
Contact Information:
Charlie Dromgoole, President & CEO 110 W. Main Street, Humble, TX 77338 P: 281-446-2128 F: 281-446-7483 LakeHouston.org cdromgoole@lakehouston.org
Presenting Sponsor: