SCHAUMBURG – As the midterm election nears, Technology & Manufacturing Association based in Schaumburg Illinois released the first of three radio ads calling on voters to support pro-manufacturing candidates. Manufacturing is now enjoying a boost as national emphasis returns to “Made in America.”
The first radio ad playing on Chicago area stations features Nicole Wolter of HM Manufacturing in Wauconda, IL. Wolter serves on TMA’s Board of Directors while directing the business founded by her father.
The ads are playing at AM and PM radio drive-time on WIND, WBBM (as of next week), throughout Illinois and southern Wisconsin on The Michael Koolidge Show.
TMA’s 2018 Legislative Scorecard will be available soon.
The organization’s 2017 tally of lawmakers’ voting positions on key manufacturing issues is available online HERE.
TMA PUBLIC POLICY AGENDA
Taxation
In a globally competitive environment, job-creating manufacturers bid for jobs and work against both national and international competition. The level of taxes a business is forced to pay affects winning bids and risks good-paying jobs and economic benefits that result from manufacturing activity. TMA seeks to:
- Gradually phase out the Cook County property tax classification system and put manufacturers on an even-footing with all property tax payers.
- Cap property tax growth until Illinois’ rate is at least “average” in the US.
- Reduce cumulative taxation (e.g. income, sales, unemployment, etc.), which negatively impacts competitiveness.
Regulation
The regulatory burden imposed on job-creating manufacturers results in outlays that must be incorporated in the cost of production. Imposing regulations on the employee/employer relationship results in smaller workforce and non-productive citizens. Similarly, zoning or code requirements that obligate manufacturers to adhere to property standards that relate better to residential neighborhoods increase costs that can cause them to lose competitive bids. TMA seeks to:
- Repeal local government regulations of the employee/employer relationship.
- Require independent review and publication of the cost of new state and local regulations.
- Implement simple appeal and bypass procedures for existing regulations.
- Require local governments to confer with local manufacturers and other employers.
Education
Illinois operates an extensive and expensive public education system that is funded by some of the highest property taxes in the nation. Despite this investment, job-creating manufacturers report significant frustration with the readiness of graduating students to meet basic job requirements.
Additionally, many school leaders lack a realistic understanding of the state’s job market and the importance of manufacturing to the region. The expanding “skills-gap” in manufacturing has been identified as one of the most critical threats to our country’s economic future. TMA seeks to:
- Engage, encourage, and elect officials who understand and advocate for manufacturing.
- Hold college and school officials accountable for their students’ job readiness and competency.
- Tie future funding of education – at all levels – to demonstrated progress toward goals that provide students with a high quality and useful education.
- Encourage education leaders to meet with employers to understand their needs and perspectives.