Removing overly burdensome business regulations was one theme of a recent gathering of Northern Virginia leaders.
“We need to not get in the way,” County Board Chair Matt de Ferranti said at the 11th annual Northern Virginia Regional Elected Leaders Summit.
The event was held on Wednesday at Mason Square, George Mason University’s Arlington campus. Sponsored by the Arlington Chamber of Commerce and Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce, it also included participation from:
- Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins
- Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chair Jeff McKay
- Loudoun County Board of Supervisors Chair Phyllis Randall
As he had at previous events this year, de Ferranti gave a glass-half-full evaluation of local economic conditions. He said the region is overcoming the impacts of federal downsizing and their ripple effects across the broader economy.
“Arlington’s economy, and the region, is strong. We are adapting,” de Ferranti said.
Randall was among those on the panel saying governments need to get out of the way of business creation and retention.
Localities should “have as little regulation as you possibly need,” she said. “Only the absolutely required regulation.”
McKay, who leads Virginia’s most populous locality, said area governments must acknowledge business leaders’ concerns.
“They’re real,” he said, emphasizing the need for governments that deliver “reliability and predictability and adaptability.”
That includes reevaluating current practices and “reducing and streamlining regulations,” McKay said.
“We need to get out of our old boxes,” he said. “It’s not always easy. People don’t like change.”
Gaskins said her community was pressing forward with process improvements to support small businesses, and was listening to concerns being raised.
“We want to be a city where businesses feel their ideas are heard and implemented,” she said.
The city also has embarked on a review of existing taxes and fees impacting businesses and owners of commercial and retail properties.
“We recognize that impacts our competitiveness,” she said.
De Ferranti said local governments have learned to adapt to changing conditions, and would continue to do so.
“We’re going to get there,” he said of improving interactions with the business community.
Removing bureaucratic hurdles was one theme of the Aug. 4 Democratic County Board primary. De Ferranti fended off challenges from Julie Farnam and James DeVita, moving on to the Nov. 3 general election against independents Audrey Clement and David Sisson.
Bill Murray, a senior vice president at Dominion Energy, said the region as a whole was in a good position for future evolution.
“Sometimes we all take for granted how great Northern Virginia is,” he said at the forum. “Growth is a challenge — there is no shirking that — but it’s a good challenge.”
Arlington Chamber of Commerce president/CEO Kate Bates said that an annual meeting between local government leaders and those in the business community benefits both groups.
The discussion provided an opportunity to discuss “key issues shaping our region and our economy,” she said.
Cosponsors included the Alexandria and Loudoun chambers of commerce, the Northern Virginia Regional Commission and the Regional Elected Leaders Initiative, with George Mason University providing the venue.
Strengthening connections between local governments, business representatives and educational institutions makes for a community that is “more innovative and more successful for everyone,” said Mason’s Cheryl Drew, an associate dean in the Costello College of Business.
