We need your input

September 13, 2021

Our members are active in the State Chamber because they care about the future direction of Delaware. They participate on our committees and attend our events to help guide our work as we create or respond to ideas that move our state. With that in mind, I need your input on three very important topics: child care, small business credit, and public infrastructure investment of federal and state revenues.

CHILD CARE:

Why it matters? “The choices associated with child care and employment are what many experts attribute to the female labor force participation rate hitting a 33-year low at the end of 2020, after the onset of the pandemic.” That statistic comes from an article you can read in our most recent issue of Delaware Business magazine. Here is how you can help:

To better understand how accessible and quality child care impacts employers and employees, please take this five-question survey >

We are cohosting a roundtable discussion on September 22 with the Philadelphia Fed to provide an opportunity for business leaders to share their perspectives, beyond statistics and the data, about how they are navigating the pandemic and challenges related to their employees’ child care needs. The confidential conversations will inform strategy for stakeholders across Delaware to support businesses in recovery. Register to participate >

INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT:

The State of Delaware, like other states, has received over $1 billion dollars of taxpayer dollars to modernize water resources, build out broadband access, and more. Additional money could be heading this way if the Congress agrees on a major infrastructure bill later this month. Our Transportation and Infrastructure Committee has met several times and discussed investment options that could have long-term, economic multiplier effects for the state for years to come. We are collaborating with the Delaware Business Roundtable and others on long-term investment strategies. Click here to review a draft of the Committee's work. Please share your feedback with Tyler Micik >

SMALL BUSINESS CREDIT:

Owners and key financial decisionmakers of for-profit businesses, tell us about your recent experiences. Did your business seek financing such as loans or lines of credit in the last 12 months? How would you rate the financial condition of your business? What effect is the COVID-19 pandemic currently having on your business?

The Federal Reserve’s 2021 Small Business Credit Survey is open for responses, and the State Chamber is a partner on this effort. By taking the survey, you contribute to data that directly informs the Fed, federal government agencies, service providers, and others—ultimately benefitting your business and other businesses like yours. Take the 10-minute survey >

News You Can Use

Tomorrow the NFIB small business index is released with August data. The all-important consumer price index highlights August results too. On Wednesday we’ll get August industrial production figures. Thursday brings us August retail sales and September data from the Philadelphia Fed manufacturing survey. We wrap up the week on Friday with the University of Michigan consumer sentiment index with preliminary results from September.

Incyte, Oracle, Key Corp, Stanley, Black and Decker, and Ryder Systems are among the companies with conference calls today. On Tuesday, Citigroup will present at the Barclays Global Financial Services Conference on Tuesday, as will PNC. CDW and Cisco Systems are also among the companies with calls or presentations this week.

Michael J. Quaranta

President

Delaware State Chamber of Commerce

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