THE SYCAMORE CHAMBER’S ECONOMIC POSITION STATEMENT

The Sycamore Chamber of Commerce believes that for Sycamore to continue its momentum of progress and sustained economic vitality, it is essential to our business community as well as our entire community that the City Council continues to implement and follow the proposed Comprehensive Plan. This Plan provides healthy residential growth, allowing necessary business expansion in our community.

The Sycamore Chamber will continue to be an active partner offering input in the information gathering and decision making process on how Sycamore should zone and plan the use of the land within our borders to increase local business revenues and enhance our local tax base.

The Sycamore Chamber will continue collaborating with all economic development entities to encourage and foster aggressive business growth that is essential for a healthy and vibrant Sycamore area community.

PRINCIPLES IN SUPPORT OF THIS STATEMENT

• By encouraging businesses to locate and thrive in our community, we strengthen the area’s economy, ensure diversified career opportunities, and increase the tax base for funding services.
• Recognizing that a healthy business environment requires efficient and responsive governmental system, we encourage cooperation and consolidation, to reduce costs, delays and uncertainties in permitting, approvals, inspections and licensing.
• The business community should not be disproportionately burdened with taxes, fees, assessments or licensing requirements.
• The impact on local business should be considered when making land use decisions, and ensure such decisions are appropriate to location and are in keeping with the parallel goal of ensuring sustainable business growth and economic vitality.

Recent Community Advocacy Issues

October 15, 2020 ~ Letter of support for Sycamore Park District’s ITEP grant application.  This is the second Phase of the project. We believe trail connections are very important to our residents and to enhancing our community’s recreational opportunities, provide safe routes to schools, and alternate transportation options to parks, and to our business districts, particularly access to sidewalks leading to our downtown shopping district.

Click here to view ITEP grant support letter

2018 – Letter in support of Kishwaukee College’s 50th Anniversary.  Click here to view Kishwaukee-college- 50th

2017 – Letter supporting the Sycamore Park District’s Grant Application to the Illinois Department of Transportation for their Trail Project. Click here to view Park District Letter  2017

2016 – The Sycamore Chamber wrote a letter supporting the Sycamore Park District’s Grant Application to the Illinois Department of Transportation for their Trail Project. Park District Letter of Support 2016

2014 – The Sycamore Chamber encourages voters to study the Park District’s Vision 2020 proposal in order to make an informed and educated decision regarding the vote on November 4.  We sent a letter in support of a healthy Park District to our local media venues and our members.

The Sycamore Chamber believes that a strong park district is not only invaluable to the community but also imperative to the growth and sustainability of a thriving business culture. Therefore, it is in the Chamber’s best interest to inform our members of the park district’s efforts to maintain and expand opportunities for our residents.
On behalf of our almost 500 member businesses, organizations and non-profits we commend the Sycamore Park District’s leadership for their thoughtful and prudent approach addressing expansion needs. We encourage members of the community to educate themselves and view the Park Board video on the Vision 2020 plan. The video is an informative piece on the history of how this measure came to be on the ballot.

2014  – Supported DeKalb County Community Foundations Advancing DeKalb County Initiative

2014  – Wrote a letter of support for Kishwaukee College for the TriO Student Support Services Program

2013 –  On behalf of the Board of Directors and the Sycamore Chamber of Commerce, representing over 500 businesses from our community, we would like to offer a letter of support for Greater Elgin Family Care Center (GEFCC) New Access Point application to secure HRSA/BPHC funding to develop a Community Health Center in DeKalb County.