Florida Chamber Endorses Five Pro-Business, Pro-Jobs Candidates for the Florida Senate

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (July 13, 2016) – The Florida Chamber of Commerce today announces five candidate endorsements in competitive races for the Florida Senate.

Today’s latest round of endorsements is part of a larger Florida Chamber effort to help elect pro-jobs, pro-business candidates that support private-sector job creation and economic growth.

“Each day, we are reminded how effective leadership that focuses on the long-term can be for our state,” said Marian Johnson, Senior Vice President of Political Operations for the Florida Chamber of Commerce. “We believe that each candidate we endorse will ensure the long-term needs of Florida’s families and small businesses are placed before short-term political fixes and special interest agendas.”

Candidates endorsed today for the Florida Senate include:

• Representative Doug Holder (R)
• Representative Edwin Narain (D)
• Representative Kathleen Passidomo (R)
• Representative Bobby Powell (D)
• Representative Ritch Workman (R)

Endorsed incumbent candidates were evaluated on numerous factors, including their historical grades on the Florida Chamber’s Legislative Report Card. Additionally, the Florida Chamber Political Institute (FCPI) has hosted candidate interview sessions across Florida – interviewing more than 100 non-incumbent candidates.

Floridians can learn more about each candidate, key election dates and polling locations by visiting www.FloridaWins.org.

Additional endorsements are forthcoming.

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Florida Chamber Endorses 14 Pro-Business, Pro-Jobs Candidates for the Florida House and Senate

TALLAHASSEE, FL (July 6, 2016) – The Florida Chamber of Commerce today announces 14 candidate endorsements in competitive races for the Florida House and Senate, and congratulates candidates elected without opposition.

Today’s latest round of endorsements is part of a larger Florida Chamber effort to help elect pro-jobs, pro-business candidates that support private-sector job creation and economic growth. Additional endorsements are forthcoming.

“Now, more than ever, Florida needs leaders in the Florida Legislature that will ensure the long-term needs of Florida’s families and small businesses are placed before short-term political fixes and special interest agendas,” said Marian Johnson, Senior Vice President of Political Operations for the Florida Chamber of Commerce.

Candidates endorsed today include:

Florida Senate:

• Senator Bill Montford
• Senator Travis Hutson
• Senator Jack Latvala
• Senator Jeff Brandes
• Senator Joe Negron
• Senator Rene Garcia
• Senator Anitere Flores
• Senator Dorothy Hukill

Florida House of Representatives:

• Representative Blaise Ingoglia
• Representative Ross Spano
• Representative Larry Ahern
• Representative Gayle Harrell
• Representative Jose Oliva
• Representative Bryan Avila

Endorsed incumbent candidates were evaluated on numerous factors, including their historical grades on the Florida Chamber’s Legislative Report Card. Additionally, the Florida Chamber Political Institute (FCPI) has hosted candidate interview sessions across Florida – interviewing more than 100 non-incumbent candidates.

Floridians can learn more about each candidate, key election dates and polling locations by visiting www.FloridaWins.org.

The Florida Chamber also congratulates Florida Chamber-backed candidates that were recently elected without opposition:

Florida House of Representatives:

• Representative Halsey Beshears (R-HD 7)
• Representative Cyndi Stevenson (R-HD 17)
• Representative Clovis Watson (D-HD 20)
• Representative Larry Metz (R-HD 32)
• Representative Richard Corcoran (R-HD 37)
• Representative Danny Burgess (R-HD 38)
• Representative Cary Pigman (R-HD 55)
• Representative Jake Raburn (R-HD 57)
• Representative James Grant (R-HD 64)
• Representative Dane Eagle (R-HD 77)
• Representative Larry Lee, Jr. (D-HD 84)
• Representative Bill Hager (R-HD 89)
• Representative Jim Boyd (R-HD 71)
• Senator Joseph Abruzzo (D-HD 81)
• Representative Bobby DuBose (D-HD 94)

Florida Senate:

• Senator Aaron Bean (R-SD 4)
• Senator David Simmons (R-SD 9)
• Senator Wilton Simpson (R-SD10)
• Senator Tom Lee (R-SD 20)
• Senator Bill Galvano (R-SD 21)
• Senator Denise Grimsley (R-SD 26)

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Urge Key Legislators to Support Florida’s Economic Development Programs

“Your opinion matters…it’s important your elected officials hear from you now, more than ever.”

–  David Hart, Florida Chamber Executive Vice President

The Florida Legislature is poised to start finalizing the budget as early as tomorrow morning. Contact these six key legislators to advocate your support for Florida’s economic development programs. This includes fully funding the economic development toolkit, funding $20 million to market Florida’s business climate across the country, and $1 million for international business start-up programs.

Florida’s Economic Toolkit

The economic toolkit funds all competitive incentives and is used to attract and retain businesses in Florida in several high-wage, high-skilled industries. These incentives include the Quick Action Closing Fund, the Capital Investment Tax Credit, the Brownfields Tax Credit, and others.

Why Does It Matter?

These incentives give Florida a competitive advantage when targeting businesses to our state, or preventing existing businesses from leaving our state. Now is the time to ask the Florida Legislature to fully fund Florida’s economic development toolkit to keep Florida competitive.

Marketing Florida’s Business Climate

Florida currently spends $0 telling Florida’s success story to businesses in other states, while California spends $50 million and New York is in the middle of a $200 million ad campaign. Now is the ideal time to urge key lawmakers in your region to invest $20 million to “Market Florida.”

Why Does It Matter?

Growing Florida’s economy means attracting innovate and diverse businesses to Florida- which helps create jobs and opportunities.

Enterprise Florida’s International Program

EFI’s international program helps small and medium-sized businesses enter or expand into the international market through training and grants. At the conclusion of the regular session, the Florida House had increased EFI’s international program by $1 million. The Florida Chamber needs your help to request the Florida Senate match the House’s budget.

Why Does It Matter?

Two out of three businesses in Florida are small businesses and out of the more than 60,000 Florida exporters, 95 percent are small to mid-sized businesses.

Take Action Now

Contact these key legislators and advocate your support for Florida’s economic development programs.

 

Florida’s Upcoming Special Session Offers Second Chance to Make Florida More Competitive

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Edie Ousley, 850-521-1231 or 850-251-6261
eousley@flchamber.com

 

The Florida Legislature now has until July 1 to reconvene and pass a budget.
The session could include all, none, or some combination of
the items that were in play during the regular session.

TALLAHASSEE, FL. (May 1, 2015) – The Florida Chamber of Commerce today announced that, while disappointed the 2015 regular session did not produce the anticipated results, the upcoming special legislative session will offer a second chance to make Florida more competitive.

“A special session, or several sessions, brings the hope that legislators can hit the reset button and pick up the business of making Florida more competitive,” said Mark Wilson, President and CEO of the Florida Chamber.

As media has widely reported, the Florida House and Senate remained $4.2 billion apart on their proposed budgets – primarily due to differing views on approaches to expanding healthcare coverage. As a consequence, lawmakers did not achieve their one constitutional duty of passing a balanced budget during the 60-day regular legislative session.

As a result, lawmakers will have a second chance to pass a budget during a special legislative session – which is constitutionally required before July 1. During that time, the Florida Chamber is hopeful lawmakers will make Florida more competitive by passing a budget that includes:

• Smarter Healthcare Coverage in Florida,
• Secures Florida’s water future,
• Lowers the cost of living and cost of doing business through targeted tax reforms,
• Passes meaningful lawsuit abuse reforms,
• Maintains school choice,
• Begins phasing Florida out of the Florida-only sales tax on commercial lease,
• Targeted economic development incentives,
• Florida’s broken pension reform,
• Opportunities for children with unique abilities, and
• Invests in marketing Florida.

As Winston Churchill said:  “A pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. An optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”

“The Florida Chamber encourages our state’s leaders to rally around a common bipartisan cause – and that cause is stronger and sustainable economic growth in order to expand opportunities for all Floridians,” Wilson added.

The Florida Chamber’s 2015 Legislative Summary outlines priorities from the Florida Chamber’s 2015 Competitiveness Agenda that passed during the recently completed regular legislative session, including the Florida Chamber-backed education accountability bill (signed into law by Governor Scott), a smart infrastructure bill designating freight and logistics zones, a growth leadership measure and private property rights bill.

Florida Chamber’s 2015 Competitiveness Agenda was developed based on input from Florida Chamber members, local chambers of commerce, partner associations, research, and unfinished business. The chamber’s agenda serves as a blueprint of legislative priorities that help secure Florida’s future and lead Florida to a new and sustainable economy.

 

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The Florida Chamber of Commerce is the voice of business and the state’s largest federation of employers, chambers of commerce and associations, aggressively representing small and large businesses from every industry and every region. The Florida Chamber works within all branches of government to affect those changes set forth in the annual Florida Business Agenda, and which are seen as critical to secure Florida’s future. The Florida Chamber works closely with its Political Operations and the Florida Chamber Foundation. Visit www.FloridaChamber.com for more information.