In Greater Philadelphia, Harrisburg and Washington, D.C., the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce strives to promote public policy decisions that will bolster economic growth and improve our competitiveness nationally and globally. We urge cooperation and partnership among governments, the business and civic communities to achieve these goals.
Local Legislative Priorities
- Work with the Administration and the City Council in adopting a schedule of Business Privilege and Wage Tax reductions by 2012, or as soon as economically feasible.
- Support the Administration in addressing major cost drivers, i.e. pension reform, escalating prison and healthcare costs.
- Work with the Administration to address efficiencies in government through our continued participation on the Private Sector Outreach Board.
- Work closely with the City Council in passing sound legislation that advances the agenda of the business community and is not costly to government or taxpayers.
- Continue participation in the Zoning Code Commission as a means to enhance development while preserving neighborhoods.
- Support efforts for capacity enhancement, noise compatibility and service improvements at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL).
- Continue to support gaming as it has a direct impact on wage and property tax, convention center expansion and jobs in Philadelphia and the region.
- Continue to support the Philadelphia Re-entry Employment Plan to obtain jobs for ex-offenders and BPT tax credits for employers.
- Monitor transportation infrastructure mobility, i.e., the I-95/Turnpike connection, to enhance the viability of the region.
- Monitor waterfront development under the newly created Delaware River Waterfront Corporation, Chaired by Donn Scott.
Pennsylvania Legislative Priorities
- Advocate tax and legislative policies that strengthen Pennsylvania’s business competitiveness.
- Promote investment in the region’s infrastructure, human capital and new business development.
- Urge increased state investment in public education to improve student outcomes and prepare tomorrow’s workforce. Seek legislative support for targeted adequacy funding levels, together with increased accountability requirements and performance measures.
- Sustain efforts to improve the state tax climate through continued phase-out of the Capital Stock and Franchise Tax and modest improvements in the state’s uncompetitive Corporate Net Income Tax (increase the cap on net operating loss carryforwards and shift to a single sales factor).
- Monitor state tax revenues in the coming fiscal year and continue to discourage consideration of Mandatory Unitary Combined Reporting and other tax policy changes that target specific industry segments or threaten business expansion and attraction efforts.
- Discourage and oppose efforts at the state level to eliminate the private ballot for union organizing or require government binding arbitration, measures which threaten job creation and retention.
- Promote a state transportation investment strategy that provides adequate funding for roads, bridges and transit systems. Work to ensure that federal stimulus funds are directed to projects critical to the economic growth of the region. Urge support for re-application to toll I-80 to advance full implementation of Act 44 of 2007, Pennsylvania’s transportation funding plan. Seek passage of legislation authorizing new funding alternatives such as Public-Private Partnerships to advance capital projects and address changing regional needs.
- Support energy and environmental policies that do not exceed federal requirements and do not hinder the competitiveness of businesses in the region. Promote conservation, in addition to a regulatory climate and infrastructure system that will assure business and residential customers of plentiful, reliable and affordable energy.
- Work to stabilize health care costs so that quality medical care will remain affordable and available to Pennsylvania employers and their workers. Discourage approval of mandated benefits and taxation of health insurance policies, as well as other health system cost drivers. Monitor action on health care reform proposals to assess the impact on providers, employers and business owners.
- Urge perseverance in efforts to end lawsuit abuse and create a uniform legal standard to bring fairness and balance to Pennsylvania’s entire civil justice system.
- Work to advance legislative proposals that address needed unemployment and workers’ compensation reforms. Monitor negotiations to remedy the insolvency of the Unemployment Compensation Trust Fund.
- Monitor the implementation of legalized gaming in Pennsylvania, with particular attention to promised local property and wage tax relief.
- Advance the business community’s efforts to curb violence in Philadelphia through summer youth internships and continued support of measures that would: 1) provide a youth employment incentive tax credit; and 2) offer cities like Philadelphia the flexibility to deal with unique problems and such grave issues as escalating gun violence.
- Urge continued state investment in agencies, programs and projects critical to the economic growth of the Greater Philadelphia region.
Federal Legislative Priorities
- Sustain efforts urging opposition to the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), legislation that would unfairly change the way that union elections are conducted.
- Promote responsible health care reform that provides quality of care, affordability, and accessibility to all Americans and includes measures to cap non-economic damages in medical malpractice lawsuits without presenting additional tax burdens on individuals and employers.
- Support legislation that protects and cultivates business productivity and job growth in an effort to stem carbon emissions. The GPCC will promote environmental laws and regulations that afford regional businesses a fair and competitive position in the global marketplace.
- Advance comprehensive legal reform activities that protect the business community from excessive litigation attempts to expand its liability.
- Continue to support initiatives that strengthen our regional transportation infrastructure including AMTRAK funding and allocations to improve the tri-state region’s system of roads, bridges, ports, and mass transit.
- Seek federal corporate tax relief and governmental policies that contribute to the competitive growth and success of American business while protecting capital markets from overregulation and unfair enforcement.
- Continue to support funding for important local projects that promote the region’s competitiveness and economic development including advancement of the Delaware River Main Channel Deepening project and improvements to the Philadelphia International Airport.
- Support procurement reform initiatives that simplify the contracting process and maximize the opportunities available to the private sector in the federal market.
- Urge congressional support for trade measures which promote US competitiveness in foreign markets.