A chamber of commerce is a business association dedicated to protecting the interests of its business members. It is a staunch defender of the free enterprise system.

In representing the business community, we talk to our elected officials about business concerns. We examine legislative proposals and, when we believe the issue will impact, either positively or negatively, our business members, we will support or oppose this proposal.

On Ohio's November ballot are issues to be decided by the voters. As stated in the previous Chamber Viewpoint column, the chamber has argued against ballot initiatives, believing that it puts the making of laws in the hands of special interest groups. In the past few years national groups, unable to impact federal law, are going state by state to change policies. Huge sums of money are spent and a battle rages between special interest groups, including pro-business associations.

The chamber does not favor the initiated constitutional amendment process, yet we must continue to participate in the process to protect the interests of our members, the business community. While we seek ways to ensure that the legislative process represent the best interests of all Ohioans, we will continue to speak out in support or in opposition to ballot issues that we feel impact our business community and Ohio's economy.

The chamber's board of directors supports two issues on this November's ballot. First, we recommend a "yes" vote on Issue 2 which will create a Livestock Care Standards Board to monitor and regulate the treatment of livestock in Ohio. The board will include family farmers, food safety experts, veterinarians, and consumers. The purpose of Issue 2 is to preempt an effort by an out-of-state group to make raising livestock in Ohio nearly impossible. Agriculture is a large part of Ohio's economy and we believe Ohioans are in the best position to regulate our own industries. Among the organizations urging a "yes" vote are: Ohio Farm Bureau, Ohio Corn Growers, Ohio Dairy Producers, Ohio Livestock Coalition, Ohio Cattlemen's Association, Ohio Poultry Breeders, Ohio Pork Producers Council and many more. It has support from both Democrats and Republicans.

The Marietta chamber recognizes the importance of agriculture. It is the No. 1 contributor to Ohio's economy with over 75,000 farms, about half of which have livestock. We recognize that Ohio's farmers have cared for their flocks and herds for generations and provide Ohioans with safe, quality, affordable food. The creation of the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board will ensure that decisions about Ohio farming and food are made by Ohio experts. We believe that this proposal will sustain Ohio's family livestock and poultry farms for generations to come.

A well-educated and skilled workforce is a key component in economic development and in our economic future. The chamber board of directors urges a "yes" vote on the Marietta City Schools levy. Providing our children with a good education which includes appropriate facilities is consistent with our mission of creating resources for business development.

Our Marietta City school buildings do not meet the educational needs of students today, the buildings are old and energy-inefficient, and the multiple buildings result in higher operating expenses. Given the financial assistance from the state, this is an opportune time to upgrade our facilities. The burden to the taxpayer is also reduced by the projected operational savings.

Charlotte Keim is president of the Marietta Area Chamber of Commerce, The Riverview Building, 100 Front Street, Suite 200, Marietta. Chamber Viewpoint appears every other Monday on the Opinion page.