The committee has been successful in bringing speakers on various parish and state issues to the table to provide information for discussion and making recommendations to the board on resolutions of support or opposition.

Both our parish and our Chamber have seen an evolution. During the 2025 Board Planning Retreat, it became clear that the consensus of our leadership—based on input from member surveys and focus groups—is to spend more of our resources on advocacy, promoting and educating about the benefits of business growth and economic development, educating our membership on important issues such as taxes, and making formal statements to government bodies.

Our staff and board leadership are working with businesses and community partners in the areas of smart growth planning, transportation infrastructure, insurance issues, property taxes, workforce development, and affordable housing. We will continue to facilitate discussions and open avenues for collaboration among elected, civic, and business leaders to impact opportunities within reach. We utilize resources and events to reach a broader audience through communications shared across our various social media platforms, including videos, presentations, and partnerships with other business and civic groups. Issues-based task forces have begun to gather to focus on key impediments to the growth of St. Tammany, including our imbalanced property tax structure, the use of moratoriums, the lack of affordable housing, and the impacts of potential changes to the parish Home Rule Charter.

The Advocacy and Public Policy Committee now gathers quarterly to hear from speakers, review issues, and continue making recommendations to the board.