Connecticut Association of Smaller Manufacturers 2013 Legislative Agenda

Category: Legislative
Author: Jamison Scott
Date: 01/08/2013

Connecticut Association of Smaller Manufacturers 2013 Legislative Agenda

Connecticut Association of Smaller Manufacturers(CASM) is comprised of the Smaller Manufacturer’s Association of Connecticut (SMA), the New Haven Manufacturer’s Association (NHMA) and Manufacturers Education and Training Alliance (METAL) of Bridgeport and collectively represents over 300 companies and more than 10,000 employees. 

Connecticut and its Manufacturing community continue to face numerous challenges in our state, our nation and around the globe.  Connecticut manufacturers are adapting to these changing and trying times and our manufacturers are competing in markets around the world.  In order for our manufacturers to continue to stay not only viable but to grow, as a state we must encourage and support that growth. 

TheConnecticut Association of Smaller Manufacturers encourages you to work with us to:

1.      EDUCATION - Continue to improve education for career ready opportunities which equals JOBS creation.  Manufacturers continue to work with students and educators k-12, Vo-Tech, the CTCC system and beyond to support programs such as STEM, Dream It, Do It and other programs which prepare students for career ready opportunities.

  • Support of earlier experiential learning and advocate the use of industry advisory committees in secondary education such as those successfully utilized by the existing Vocational Technical High School (Trade Technology Advisory Committees) and Agri-Science and Technology Programs.

2.      FISCAL POLICY - Reduce the cost of doing business by NOT increasing taxes or adding unfunded mandates, especially on Health Care which has a negative effect on job creation.

  • Support tax credits for:
  • S-corps for apprenticeship programs which equals JOB creation.
  • R & D which equals business growth and JOB creation.
  • Protect Manufacturing Tax Exemption which equals JOB security.
  • Promote MRA (Manufacturing Reinvestment Account) for manufacturing growth, training and expansion.

3.      ENERGY/ENVIRONMENT/REGULATION - Reduce the cost of doing business by streamlining the environmental permitting process and reducing the cost of energy. 

  • Maintain the funding to the CT Energy Efficiency Fund
  • Support expanded natural gas statewide.
  • Support promotion of current PILOT programs.
  • CDEEP be mandated to substantially increase it coaching, counseling, training and educational outreach to industry, especially in the administrative sector of its regulations and to post a moratorium on new regulation creation.

4.      Government PARTNERSHIP:

  • Support Manufacturing Caucus
  • Support National Governors Association (NGA) Report
  • Support Connecticut Institute for the 21st Century Report on Connecticut’s Fiscal Future.
  • Support CONNSTEP and Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology (CCAT) and expansion of support beyond aerospace.
  • Support continual process to streamline government to all state agencies modeling the successes with implementing lean in DEEP.