Chamber’s top priorities include reforms in tax, tort and regulatory arenas
PHOENIX – The Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry today released its 2012 Business Agenda at the organization’s annual Legislative Forecast Luncheon at the Phoenix Convention Center in downtown Phoenix before a record crowd of over 950 attendees.
The Business Agenda outlines the top legislative priorities for Arizona’s business community. The Agenda, in addition to highlighting the Chamber’s priorities at the Legislature, outlines the short and long-term goals for the Arizona Manufacturers Council and the Chamber’s policy issue committees.
The Chamber’s 2012 legislative priorities are to:
- Continue regulatory reform.
- Ensure fairness and accountability for fee setting authority.
- Encourage tax competiveness.
- Support further tort reform.
- Develop the Greater Phoenix area into the commercial hub for the Southwest United States.
- Reduce health care costs for business.
- Plan for the implementation of a state insurance exchange.
- Eliminate public financing for the Clean Elections system.
“Thanks to the pro-jobs leadership provided by Gov. Jan Brewer and the Legislature in 2011, Arizona adopted a truly once-in-a-generation economic competitiveness package that puts our state in an excellent position to win back the 300,000 jobs we lost in the Great Recession,” Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry president and CEO Glenn Hamer said. “But the competition to attract and retain top employers never stops. In 2012 we look forward to working with the governor and Legislature to further establish a tax environment that encourages new investment and start-up ventures, a legal environment that makes our state more attractive to manufacturers and regulatory policies grounded in transparency and oversight.”
Today’s luncheon featured comments by Gov. Brewer, Senate President-elect Steve Pierce, Speaker of the House Andy Tobin, Senate Minority Leader David Schapira, and House Minority Leader Chad Campbell.
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