Dear Members:
The Elmhurst Chamber of Commerce and Industry has been recognized by the United States Census Bureau as an “invaluable” member of the 2020 Census Community Partnership and Engagement Program for our Chamber’s support of the City of Elmhurst Complete Count Committee’s Everyone Counts, Elmhurst! campaign. Elmhurst was among 2,015 Complete Count Committees to collaborate with more than 50,550 partners, ECCI among them.
Mandated by the U.S. Constitution for every 10 years, the Decennial Census provides the federal government with population data used to appropriate some $700 billion annually in state, county and local funding for public education, transportation infrastructure and healthcare programs—worth an estimated $180 per resident to Elmhurst.
In addition, the number of seats proportioned to Illinois’ delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives is dependent on these census figures. With a population of approximately 12.63 million (200,000 less than in 2010), Illinois will be forfeiting one of 18 Congressional seats and now stands only 126,000 above the threshold for losing another Representative.
The 12-state Midwest Region—which includes the five-state East North Central Division of Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio—reported the highest self-response rate of all four Regions at 69.8 percent, exceeding the National Self-Response Rate of 67 percent. As of the October 15 self-response deadline, 84.3 percent of Elmhurst households self-responded (a higher rate than in 2010), as compared to 80.8 percent across DuPage County and 71.4 percent statewide.
The Census Bureau reported a 99.9 percent completion of households that required physical enumeration.
Federal COVID-19 Relief Package
The U.S. House of Representatives in the early morning hours of February 27 passed President Joseph R. Biden’s $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, a COVID-19 relief package that includes $25 billion in targeted grants for food and beverage establishments, $7.25B in additional PPP funding for small businesses, expanded and extended of unemployment benefits, and a third round of individual taxpayer stimulus checks up to $1.4K each.
‘Build by the Fourth of July’ Campaign
With the ECCI among more than 300 supporting signatories (as of February 22), the United States Chamber of Commerce and Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) today launched the “Build by the Fourth of July” campaign, urging members of U.S. Congress to enact a fiscally and environmentally responsible infrastructure package by the Fourth of July 2021.
COVID-19 Liability Protection
With the ECCI among 580 supporting signatories, the U.S. Chamber’s Institute for Legal Reform (ILR) on February 2 sent a coalition letter to U.S. Congress members urging them to consider including targeted and temporary liability protections in the next COVID-19 relief package.
Metra Train Station Open House
The City of Elmhurst received 1,300 comments from residents on the $25M Metra Train Station new construction project in downtown Elmhurst in the week following its February 18 Virtual Open House, which our Chamber promoted via member e-mail, website home page and Facebook and Twitter social media. Construction, which includes a new pedestrian tunnel and heated shelters, is projected to begin in 2023.
The new facility will also house ECCI’s interactive Civic Hall of Fame public memorial, thanks to funding from the ECCI Centennial Celebration NFP, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization which has already raised more than $10K towards a sustaining goal of $50K. Contact our Chamber office to make your tax-deductible donations to the Civic HOF project.
19th Annual Economic Outlook – ECCI and co-host Westmont Chamber of Commerce and Visitor & Tourism Bureau are among 26 chambers of commerce participating in the 19th Annual Economic Outlook event via Zoom video conferencing on Wednesday, March 3, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. The costs to participate are $10 per member and $35 per non-member. Online registration closes today (March 1) at 5 p.m.
Anna Paulson, Executive Vice President and Director of Research at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, is the Keynote Speaker. She first joined the Chicago Fed in 2001 as an Economist.
Also, the Chicago Fed is seeking ECCI member participation in its Survey of Midwest Business Conditions 2020 Review and 2021 Outlook—the results of which Fed policymakers will use to make better-informed decisions on federal monetary policies.
Shop and Dine Hometown
Even with the February 3 return of Restore Illinois Phase 4 indoor dining in Region 8 (including DuPage County), our Chamber’s “Dine Out” From Home website page will continue to promote some 90 Elmhurst restaurants and bars (members and non-members alike) that provide their patrons with walk-in takeout, curbside pick-up, drive-thru and/or delivery services.
Ranked as the No. 1 most visited website page since going online last March, “Dine Out” From Home features the name, address, phone number, hours of operation, both menu and online ordering (if an option) hyperlinks, and service delivery options for each restaurant and bar.
Happy Anniversary
Seven members are celebrating Chamber anniversaries in March as follows: 55 years—Pauli’s Service; 50 years—Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago; 30 years—American Gardens; 15 years—Elmhurst Elks Lodge #1531 and National Federation of Independent Business; 10 years—Pazzi di Pizza; and 5 years—Guac N Tacos.
New Members
Our Chamber welcomed two new members in January as follows: Arguss Law Firm LLC and The Katris Law Group.
Dropped Members
The Chamber said goodbye to the following seven members in February: AXA Advisors, BioLife Plasma Services, Bonheur White Glove Staffing Service, Comfort Keepers, Frankie’s Deli, Give Back Biz LLC and Signature Bank.