AMC Policy Agenda

Arizona Manufacturers Council
2009 Business Agenda
 
 
Principles
 
• Support a taxation system that promotes capital investments and keeps the manufacturing sector globally competitive.

• Ensure that Arizona provides a globally competitive environment for the manufacturing sector that promotes innovation and furthers investment in research and development.

• Improve employers’ access to highly skilled employees.  Support strong accountability measures, innovative management techniques, enhanced academic rigor and efficient use of resources to improve education throughout Arizona

• Advance Arizona’s workers’ compensation system so it improves employees’ care and ensures the most cost efficient use of employer dollars.

• Support the development of a multi-modal transportation system that facilitates the movement of goods and services.

• Create an economical and understandable regulatory and legal environment that facilitates manufacturing operations.

• Support a market-driven health care system that makes it easier for employers to provide health insurance benefits to their employees.
 
 
Short-Term Goals:
 
Permanently Repeal the State Equalization Rate: Prevent one of the largest tax increases in Arizona history due to be enacted in 2009 by permanently eliminating the state equalization rate.  This repeal would provide property tax relief as well as create incentives for new investment in manufacturing.
 
Protect Employee Privacy Rights in Unionization Votes: Oppose efforts at the state and federal levels to eliminate an employee’s right to a secret ballot when employees are deciding whether to unionize.

Protect Against Greenhouse Gas Regulations that Limit Arizona’s Competitiveness:  Support policies that enhance reliable and secure energy supplies for Arizona manufacturers at affordable and stable costs. Ensure that any policies related to climate change and/or greenhouse gases are not structured in a way that would transfer wealth out of Arizona or otherwise harm the economy or artificially increase costs for manufacturers. Encourage incentives rather than mandates for regulating the management of greenhouse gas emissions. Advocate for policies that enhance energy efficiency and conservation.

Continue to Improve Arizona’s Workers’ Compensation System:  Continue working with other business organizations on a workers’ compensation modernization package. Support reforms that reduce the cost of coverage in order to keep Arizona’s workers’ compensation system competitive for manufacturers.
 
Promote Interest in Careers in Manufacturing: Support the implementation of the “Dream It! Do It!” campaign that inspires and educates young people about the rewarding nature of careers in manufacturing.
 
Reform Arizona’s Budgeting Practices: Support efforts to reform to the state’s budgeting practices and improve the efficiency of government operations without net increased taxes on business and without increased state debt so that Arizona can come out of the current budget deficit and resume healthy economic growth. 
 
Ensure the Future of Arizona’s Military and Public Airports: Support cooperation between the Governor, legislature, municipal governments, and private entities on compatible land use planning and zoning in areas surrounding airports. Public and military airports are key economic drivers in the state. The employment of thousands of Arizonans depends on the ability of these facilities to serve their intended missions. Arizona’s rapid population growth has led to residential encroachment around airports, which has resulted in restricted hours of operation and strict limitations on aircraft arrivals and departures. Efforts to prevent unbridled encroachment will help to ensure the future of the aviation industry and related jobs in Arizona.
 
Oppose Health Care Mandates: Oppose legislation that decreases or restricts the flexibility employers have in developing health care plans and coverage options for their employees. Mandates often drive up the cost of health insurance and make it more difficult for employers to provide health care benefits.
 
Prohibit the Use of Public Nuisance Statutes in Environmental Liability and Product Liability Cases: Support legislation to prohibit from the inappropriate use of public nuisance statutes to create new causes of action against businesses when environmental  or product liability claims are otherwise invalid. 
 

Long-Term Goals:
 
Support Enhanced Air Transportation Options in Metro-Phoenix: Promote the Arizona Direct Project, an effort to build Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport into an international cargo hub.  Work with policymakers to remove barriers to its growth.  Create a dialogue with business customers, policymakers and transporters to create the needed infrastructure to make the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway a true cargo port for Arizona.
 
Advocate for Affordable and Accessible Healthcare: Develop solutions to reduce the large number of uninsured Arizonans and reduce cost-shifting to the private sector. Make private coverage more affordable by encouraging the development of individual health insurance tax credits that are useable in the workplace.  Encourage the use of Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and Health Reimbursement Accounts (HRAs).  Allow the rollover of unused Flexible Spending Account (FSA) funds.  
 
Require Sound Science in Both the Regulatory Environment and the Courtroom: Increase the standards by which scientific testimony is allowed into court. Require the courts to consider objective factors before admitting evidence or expert testimony.  Require regulatory agencies to base all rule making proceedings on objective scientific standards in the adoption and application of administrative rules and hearings.
 
Improve High School Math and Science Education: Support reforms to effectively implement the recent requirement that Arizona high school students complete at least three years of science and four years of mathematics to graduate. Support market- and performance-based pay, alternative certification methods, and training incentives as means of recruiting and maintaining a qualified teaching workforce.
 
Promote the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP): Maintain the long-term viability of the Manufacturing Extension Program (MEP), a federal program managed and funded through the Department of Commerce to provide technical education and training to manufacturers.