New Castle County Chamber of Commerce releases State Legislative Program and Priorities
New Castle County Chamber of Commerce President Mark Kleinschmidt released the state government portion of the Chamber’s 2011-2012 Legislative Program today. The document, outlines the Chamber’s positions on a wide variety of policy issues affecting its members and the business community at-large. The Chamber is also highlighting several priorities for the rest of the legislative session.
Legislative Priorities
In reviewing the governor’s recent “Building Delaware’s Future Now” proposal, Chamber President Kleinschmidt said, “The investments contained in the governor’s proposal address many issues that we identified in our Legislative Program and that is why the Chamber supports Governor Markell’s proposal. There are several other key legislative and policy areas that need additional attention, particularly increased support for start-up businesses and entrepreneurial activity.”
Specific legislative priorities include:
• Approve the FY 2012 budget with limited new permanent spending.
• Increase the availability of state funding to support entrepreneurial activity, particularly business incubation.
• Enact tax credit for investment in start-up companies.
• Seek legislation to provide statutory guidelines for municipalities engaging in tax and fee audits and to establish important protections for Delaware employers subject to those audits.
• Make use of surplus funds to finance the Building Delaware’s Future Fund in the FY 2012 Budget.
• Enact the gross receipts, public utility and personal income tax cuts and financial investments proposed by Governor Markell.
• Pass Representative Bryon Short’s regulatory flexibility legislation, House Bill 54.
• When creating the health benefits exchange mandated under the Affordable Care Act, consider and accommodate the needs of Delaware small businesses.
“The focus of the remaining days of the General Assembly should focus on jobs and economic growth” remarked Kleinschmidt. “As the economy improves, it is critical that Delaware be positioned for recovery and prosperity. Cutting taxes, eliminating burdensome regulation and improving government approval process will send a message that Delaware is committed to economic growth and is ready to facilitate job creation.
Legislative Program
Each year the Chamber prepares an overall Legislative Program which serves as the guiding principle for the Chamber as it advocates for the interests of it’s member businesses. The Chamber’s Legislative Program focuses on five key policy areas: economic development and job creation, fiscal policy, government, Delaware’s legal and regulatory environment, and land use and infrastructure.
In the area of economic development and job creation, Delaware no longer competes against other states, but rather against other countries. A favorable business climate is crucial to maintaining Delaware’s long-term economic health and critical to preparing for the future. In recognition of these facts, the New Castle County Chamber of Commerce calls for increased support for entrepreneurship and the creation of a state tax credit for investment in start-up businesses.
Where fiscal policy is concerned, the Chamber continues to call for the lowest sustainable tax rate consistent with financial prudence and the effective delivery of key government services. Our philosophy is sound and straightforward: economic growth = companies + jobs + paychecks. Lower tax rates ultimately lead to more companies, more jobs, a broader tax base and more tax revenue.
Concerning government and our state’s educational, legal and regulatory environment, the Chamber calls on policymakers at all levels of government to aid in positioning our state for economic recovery. We are still emerging from the most difficult economic period in the post World War II era. A good relationship between state government and companies operating in Delaware is a key component for economic success.
In order to position Delaware for economic success, there is much to be done. Key educational reforms must be carried out to fruition, intergovernmental coordination on promoting sustainable growth must be improved, capital infrastructure investment must be increased, the Department of Transportation must be restructured under new leadership with the authority to carry out organizational change and agencies must rethink their approach to small businesses to allow for much needed regulatory flexibility.
Regarding Delaware’s responsibilities under the recently enacted federal health care reform law, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the Chamber urges policymakers to take into account the unique nature of Delaware’s small group market and the needs of the small business community in our State when implementing the law.
The entire text of the Chamber’s legislative program can be found online at http://bit.ly/lQa2iQ
- Download a Free Business App for your Phone, iPod touch, and iPad
- Have Breakfast with Governor Markell