The Fight for Jobs and Economic Growth

Voice of Reason

March 7, 2017

Today marks the start of the 2017 Legislative Session, and the fight to secure Florida’s future is more important than ever. That’s because jobs, and the future of economic growth in Florida, are under attack.

At the Florida Chamber of Commerce, we’re on the front lines and fighting for job creators. We’re carrying your message to #MakeFLMoreCompetitive through jobs and economic growth to lawmakers. In fact, the Florida Chamber’s 2017 Competitiveness Agenda provides a step-by-step legislative roadmap – focusing resources and expertise to advance jobs, competitiveness and economic opportunity for Floridians.

The road to securing Florida’s future won’t be easy. In fact, this week, the Florida House of Representatives will vote to end economic diversification efforts and eliminate Florida’s economic development toolkit, international programs, marketing and small business assistance programs (HB 7005). Worse yet, the Florida House is also fully prepared to gut VISIT Florida and withdraw investments originally intended for tourism marketing (HB 9).

At the Florida Chamber, we believe that our state must continue to invest in initiatives that support diversifying the economy and attracting visitors and businesses to our state. And we’re not alone in our fight.

“We have to keep diversifying our economy and investing in programs that actually help businesses grow jobs here in Florida,” GOVERNOR RICK SCOTT said today during his State of the State address which also expanded on his continuing efforts to never stop fighting for Florida families.

Throughout the next 60 day Legislative Session, the Florida Legislature can take additional steps to help ensure a stronger business climate that will grow jobs and the economy now and into the future. Chief among the Florida Chamber’s recommendations to #MakeFLMoreCompetitive are:

• Fixing Florida’s broken workers’ comp system, and stopping the $1.5 billion jobs tax,
  Improving Florida’s Bottom 10 legal climate, which creates a $3,400 tax for a family of four each year,
• Resolving Florida’s increasing Homeowners Fraud Tax that results from Assignment of Benefits abuse, which increases homeowners insurance premiums for families,
• Protecting Florida’s family-friendly brand from expanded Las Vegas-style casino gambling,
• Insuring Florida continues to attract and retain jobs, and
• Preparing Florida’s workforce through continued improvements to our K-12 system, increasing educational opportunities in higher education and 21st century vocational trades – all to help ensure a talented workforce is Florida’s best long-term economic development strategy.

While there’s an awful lot of good going on in Florida, the truth is that things are fragile, and the Florida Legislature has the opportunity this session to ensure we #MakeFLMoreCompetitive for families and job creators. After all, people matter and jobs matter.

Free enterprise works, but it is never free. If you believe in business, support us. When we win, you win. When you win, Florida wins.

We look forward to working with Governor Rick Scott, the Florida Cabinet, Senate President Joe Negron, House Speaker Richard Corcoran and the entire Florida Legislature to continue making sure the right things happen in Florida.

Get Involved

• Learn more about the Florida Chamber’s 2017 Competitiveness Agenda.
• Sign our Economic Development Resolution and help save Florida jobs.
• Help us Fix Florida’s Workers’ Comp System.