Advocacy

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What Is Advocacy? 

Greater Mankato Growth serves as the voice of the business community, working tirelessly to advocate for our members and raise the visibility of our regional marketplace among policymakers. We are one of the largest chambers of commerce in state of Minnesota, representing nearly 1,000 members. Our advocacy efforts are highly regarded throughout the state among lawmakers, business, nonprofits, and other industry trade groups. Advocacy and public policy are different than politics. Rather, we work on behalf of our members to influence legislation, regulations, and policies at all levels of government to help promote the vitality of our region. 

Importance for Members 

One of our strategic areas of focus is advocacy of the marketplace. We believe our advocacy work is critical for our members and is one of the best benefits of chamber membership. Our elected officials have the power to make decisions about critical issues impacting the success of our members and vitality of our regional marketplace. Greater Mankato Growth works to influence and create awareness among its members, the community, and elected officials about public policy matters affecting the Greater Mankato region. GMG ensures that members remain up-to-date on key public policy matters and are able to have input and impact on that policy. 

Become an Advocacy Champion or Supporter

New in 2025, Greater Mankato Growth members have an opportunity to stay up-to-date with GMG’s advocacy efforts throughout the year. Become an Advocacy Champion or Advocacy Supporter and promote your business as you attend all our advocacy events and receive regular state and federal legislative updates. To learn more, reach out to Andy Wilke.

2026 Policy Priorities

Cost of Doing Business

Minnesota is one of the most heavily taxed states in the nation with a reputation as a state with a challenging business climate. New workplace mandates, additional taxes, and increased regulatory burden all add up, resulting in increased cost for businesses. Lawmakers should adopt policies that improve affordability and business growth, including full conformity with the 2025 federal tax bill and reductions in tax rates to move Minnesota out of the top ten highest-tax states in the nation.

Workforce Development

A strong talent pipeline is essential to sustaining economic growth in Greater Mankato and across Minnesota. To remain competitive, we must invest in education and workforce training, modernize state licensure requirements to reduce barriers to employment, and allow employers the flexibility to tailor workplace policies and benefits to their unique needs. Additionally, reforms that streamline immigration for foreign-born students and workers are critical to meeting workforce demands and driving long-term prosperity to our region.

Health Care

Health insurance is a critical workplace benefit, yet Minnesota employers and workers face high health care costs, with the state ranking third highest nationally in median family health care spending in 2022. We support policies that ensure access to quality, affordable health care and minimize the cost burden by reducing health care taxes and mandates. GMG supports the continuation of the reinsurance program to stabilize the insurance marketplace.

Housing

Adequate housing supply is the biggest obstacle to hiring a needed workforce, according to GMG members. The current housing marketplace does not meet the needs of our region or greater Minnesota. Resources should be deployed to promote an increase in housing supply at all levels. Policies should be enacted to reduce regulation, maintain local decision-making, streamline the permitting process, and lower the cost of developing new housing units.

Childcare

Access to affordable childcare is a major barrier to filling our economy’s workforce needs. Families throughout Minnesota rely heavily on childcare as a key factor in workforce participation. Investments are urgently needed to increase the number of available slots, promote childcare as a sustainable business, remove barriers for new providers, update regulations, and create incentives for businesses to support new childcare facilities and operations.

Economic Development

As a result of Minnesota’s difficult tax environment, it is increasingly important for our state to maintain critical programs such as TIF and make available incentives and other economic development programs that help drive investment.

Regulations

Excessive and inefficient regulation constrains the economic growth of our state. We support reforms that provide better certainty and streamline inefficient processes at all levels of government while also maintaining adequate guardrails to keep workers, consumers, and our environment safe and healthy.

Capital Investments

Capital investments are critical to the economic vitality of the greater Mankato region. The Minnesota Legislature should invest at least 50% of state bond funds in greater Minnesota, focusing on the preferred infrastructure needs at the local level.

GreenSeam

GreenSeam works to elevate our region in southern Minnesota as a world-class and agribusiness epicenter with focus areas of business retention and attraction, talent development, and regional awareness. The Minnesota Legislature should support policies and regulations that support and protect the agribusiness ecosystem.

Common Ground

The success of our state relies on community and political leaders coming together to find common ground on issues that impact the daily lives of residents and businesses. When partisanship gets in the way of progress, everybody loses. We encourage public officials at all levels to work to overcome partisanship in order to pass effective legislation that helps support and promote the economic vitality of greater Mankato.

Partner Organizations

Greater Minnesota Partnership
Minnesota Tourism Association
Minnesota Chamber of Commerce Federation
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
AgriGrowth

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