Public Policy
As the voice of business, it is imperative for RAMAC to weigh in on issues important to the business community and the community as a whole. RAMAC’s Public Policy Committee meets regularly to review and discuss a broad range of topics and issues. RAMAC assists businesses of all sizes when dealing with government – from state and federal legislative issues to assistance at the local level.
What are the Public Policy Committee objectives?
Public Policy Highlight
March 2025
As the greater Racine area’s chamber of commerce, RAMAC serves as the voice for business. Working to be that ‘voice’, RAMAC’s Public Policy Committee meets regularly to review and discuss a broad range of topics and issues with the purpose of advocating for policies that promote a pro-business local environment and supporting effective and efficient government. The Public Policy Committee is dedicated to focusing on issues that directly impact the success of businesses of all sizes, regardless of who’s in office.
The Public Policy Committee’s responsibilities include:
1) Stay abreast of local, county, and statewide elections as well as local, county, and state policies.
2) Host candidate forums or other meetings that will allow RAMAC members access to candidates who may represent them.
3) Communicate the committee’s actions to RAMAC membership. You can read articles such as this in the RAMAC Voice magazine as well as keep an eye on our web page.
RAMAC is committed to advocating for local business and to this end, the Public Policy Committee will work to keep you not only informed but represented on the local and state level, as we are Racine’s Business Champion.
Annual Event
Government Breakfast – Annual breakfast event with government leaders addressing the state of the greater Racine area and current political issues.
SAVE THE DATE: DECEMBER 11, 2025
Public Policy Committee Members
- Heather Berlinski, SC Johnson
- Dominic Cariello, All Integrated Solutions
- Torben Christensen, Wiscon Products
- Jody Muniz, Family Strong Wellness
- Dan Pettit, DeMark, Kolbe & Brodek
- Aaron Spitzner, Kowal Investment Group
- John Warren, Warren Eye Care – Committee Chair
- Brian Weaver, CNH Industrial
Archived Issues
2023
- 7/2023 – RAMAC adds their name to the Coalition to Protect America’s Regional Airports (CPARA). Regional airports are critical for connecting communities, creating jobs, and supporting local economies. Read more about CPARA here.
- 3/2023 – RAMAC, through their Good Government Council PAC, endorses Village of Mount Pleasant candidates Dave Degroot, John Hewitt, Nancy Washburn, and Ram Bhatia.
- 3/2023 – RAMAC signed onto a letter through Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce (WMC) supporting Wisconsin’s R&D credit to incentivize high-tech, good-paying jobs in Wisconsin.
2022
- 6/2022 – RAMAC hosted a candidate breakfast, by invite only, for Rebecca Kleefisch and Will Martin running for Governor and Lt. Governor.
- 1/2022 – The Public Policy committee reviews the WMC Foundation’s Future Wisconsin Project “Wisconsin 2035” report detailing the challenges facing Wisconsin’s business community. The report proposes potential solutions for long-term economic growth. Review the Wisconsin 2035 report here.
2021
- 5/2021 – RAMAC signed onto a letter to Governor Evers through the Wisconsin Chamber of Commerce Executives (WCCE) urging lawmakers to end federal pandemic-related unemployment benefit programs that are contributing to the state’s dire workforce shortage.
- 3/2021 – RAMAC endorses School Board candidates Ally Docksey, District 5, and Carmella Venturini, District 6, through the Good Government Council. In addition, RAMAC supports Mike Rosenbaum for Sturtevant President.
- 2/2021 – RAMAC joined the Stop the COVID Spread! Coalition, a statewide coalition to combat the spread of COVID-19.
- 1/2021 – RAMAC signed onto a letter urging the governor and legislature to enact COVID-19 Liability Protections for businesses.
2020
- 11/2020 – RAMAC supports strategic opening with an op-ed in the Journal Times highlighting concerns about socioeconomic impact not only for students but the parents who also need to work which in turn impacts businesses.
- 10/2020 – Gov. Evers Administration plans to release the names of businesses who have had at least two employees test positive for Covid-19. WMC files a complaint, and RAMAC is part of an amicus brief being filed to stop this from happening.
- 6/2020 – To call for the removal of police officers from schools will not solve the problem of school safety, and may, in fact, make it worse. RAMAC provides a commentary on this issue with an op-ed in the Journal Times.
- 4/2020 – RAMAC, along with Racine County Executive Jonathan Delagrave, released the final report of the Rebound Racine County Task Force, which studied how to reopen local businesses in the wake of COVID-19.
2019
- 5/2019 – One way to help grow the business community in southeastern Wisconsin is to improve performance on the Hiawatha passenger service rail line. RAMAC strongly supports increasing the Hiawatha Service Milwaukee-Chicago Amtrak to ten round-trips daily.
- 3/2019 – School Board Races – RAMAC supports Hoover and Cimbalnick.