Political Action Center
The Chamber actively engages with officials in NYC, Albany, and D.C. to shape legislation that helps businesses survive and grow. From fighting for fair taxes to demanding smarter regulations, we ensure that policymakers understand the real-world impact of their decisions on your business.
But, most importantly, they must hear from you!
When businesses can open, hire, grow, and stay—neighborhoods feel safer, jobs are stronger, streets are livelier, and opportunity spreads.
- Streets feel safe and clean, day and night
- Small businesses can survive and grow, not just “hang on”
- Rules are clear and fair, and enforcement fixes problems instead of creating them
- Hiring workers makes sense again, because costs and red tape aren’t out of control
- Tourism and foot traffic lift every neighborhood, not just the biggest landmarks
- The City delivers basic services well, like a modern organization should
Good wages depend on healthy employers and growing revenue.
If customers don’t feel comfortable walking down the block, businesses fail—and everyone loses.
When rent, insurance, fines, delays, and red tape spike, prices go up and hiring goes down.
A world-class city can’t operate on confusing permits, slow approvals, and inconsistent enforcement.
Our positions will be guided by what actually works—not what sounds good in a speech.
This section is regularly updated with policies and legislation that we either actively support or oppose in 2026. Last update: February 4, 2026. Please email info@manhattancc.org with any questions or to propose legislation that the Chamber should considering supporting to help Manhattan thrive.
POLICIES WE SUPPORT
| The Main Street Deal | Empty head((((Forthcoming - The policy agenda of the Storefront Business Coalition led by the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce. |
| Affordability Agenda for Job Creators | Empty headThe 2026 Policy Agenda of the The Five Borough Jobs Campaign, which is led by the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce and 30+ other organizations. This is a comprehensive blueprint for City and State leaders to reverse these trends, create good-paying jobs, and build vibrant communities. |
| Modernizing the Manhattan Cruise Terminal: A Critical Economic Opportunity | The Manhattan Cruise Terminal drives vital tourism spending for our local businesses, but it needs an upgrade to stay competitive. The Chamber is urging Congress to authorize these improvements immediately through the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA). This legislative window only opens every two years—we cannot afford to delay this essential investment in our waterfront and economy.
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| Establishing a Chef to Community Tax Credit | A new Chef to Community Tax Credit would deliver a dual benefit to our city: stabilizing small businesses by monetizing their excess capacity, while ensuring our most vulnerable neighbors have access to nutritious, restaurant-quality meals.
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Infrastructure Expansion Act of 2025 | Empty head((((Federal legislation (H.R. 3548) that would reduce skyrocketing insurance costs by overriding NY’s "Scaffold Law" on federally funded projects, finally bringing standard "comparative negligence" liability rules to New York to spur affordable housing and infrastructure growth. |
POLICIES WE OPPOSE
| The NY AI Act: A Risk to Innovation | We’ve issued a formal opposition to S.1169/A.8884 (in the NYS Senate & Assembly). The bill’s current framework—specifically the inclusion of private lawsuits and high-cost audits—will drive tech talent out of New York and penalize small businesses trying to modernize. We are calling on the State Legislature to fix the bill before it passes.
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| Eliminating the Tip Credit for Restaurant Wages | Eliminating the tip credit would impose an unsustainable financial burden on independent restaurants, forcing owners to cut jobs, raise prices, or close their doors at a time when the industry is still struggling to recover. (Senate Bill S.415 / Assembly Bill A.1200)
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| Banning Last-mile Delivery Models | NY City Council Intro 1396-2025 would force companies like Amazon to directly hire last-mile delivery drivers instead of using third-party contractors. This change would hurt thousands of local, minority- and family-owned logistics companies and drive up costs for New Yorkers while pushing essential jobs out of the city. |
The Manhattan Chamber of Commerce Political Action Committee (PAC) enables the Chamber to support candidates at the city and state level who understand and prioritize the needs of Manhattan businesses. The Chamber's CEO Jessica Walker is the PAC's Chair and Treasurer.
To make a PAC contribution, please:
- Pay via Credit card, Apple Pay or ACH using this link: https://app.autobooks.co/pay/manhattan-chamber-of-commerce-pac.
- Pay via Check: Make personal checks payable to "Manhattan Chamber of Commerce PAC" and mail them to our offices at: Manhattan Chamber of Commerce, 575 Fifth Avenue, 14th Floor; New York, NY 10017.
If you are a candidate for elected office at the city or state level and wish to solicit a contribution, please email the Chamber: info@manhattancc.org. We are very responsive. Thank you!