News
No Publication - January 30, 2008MANUFACTURERS TAKE PRIORITIES TO CAPITOL
Some forty Florida manufacturers and supporters spent January 22-23, 2008 at the State Capitol visiting with legislators and displaying their products. Organized by the Manufacturers Association of Florida, manufacturers from all corners of the state came together to talk about their top legislative issues for 2008. After an informative briefing by a team of lobbyists from Manufacturers Association of Florida, Enterprise Florida, and Associated Industries of Florida, and their colleagues, manufacturers were armed with up to date information on their priorities and hot topics of interest being discussed in the halls of the Capitol.
The top issues for manufacturers this session are:
• Maintaining manufacturing sales tax exemptions
• Balancing environmental gains with societal costs in energy policies
• Increasing (or maintaining) Incumbent Worker Training funds
• Increasing (or maintaining) Quick Response Training funds
• $5 million in funding for Employ Florida Banner Centers ($500,000 for Banner Center for Manufacturing)
• Funding SUCCEED manufacturing grants
• Reconstituting practical arts as an optional high school elective requirement
• Consideration of employee benefits for economic development grant eligibility
• Adequate funding for transportation projects
Manufacturers met with Governor Crist, Senate President Pruitt, House Speaker Rubio, Workforce FL President Hart and more than 25 legislators over the course of two days. Other participants staffed booths in the Rotunda to educate legislators, staff and the public about the diversity of manufacturing in Florida. At the conclusion of the events, MAF held its quarterly Board of Directors meeting where new Board Member, Lockheed Martin was welcomed.
Manufacturers Association of Florida was formed in 2006 to improve the business climate for manufacturers in Florida. There are some 16,500 manufacturers in Florida employing 394,800 people. Key manufacturing sectors include: aerospace/aviation, marine, food, medical devices, chemical, mining, electronics, defense, forest products and more.
