Legislative Priorities
Your GEDA Public Policy Committee has been working hard on creating a Legislative Agenda for the 2009 Georgia General Assembly. Most economic developers would agree that the 2008 Session was successful, and we are now gearing up for the 2009 Session. Of course, if you begin speaking with your Legislators in January, it is too late! The time is now to begin working with elected officials to help them understand the importance of economic development, ESPECIALLY in these tough times. Wealth creation, job creation, property tax growth & diversity: all of these concepts are fostered through economic development and are the central reasons why we go to work every day.
Below you will find a pdf file that lists the DRAFT of our 2009 Legislative Agenda. We ask that you go through this document and make comments. GEDA typically receives this feedback from you through Listening Sessions throughout the state. Those Sessions usually have poor turnout, so we would like to try this electronically. Please email your comments and feedback to GEDA at mpennington@georgia.org and/or the Public Policy Committee Chairman, Nick Masino at nmasino@gwinnettchamber.org.
You may notice a slight shift in what is typically supported by GEDA. We typically list incentives, an increase in discretionary funding, etc toward the top of our list. However, due to state budget constraints and reductions, the Public Policy Committee fears that such requests would not be welcomed, at least not in the current economic environment.
So, now it is up to you, on two fronts. First and foremost, send us your feedback! Once these are approved, is it up to each and every individual member to contact their legislators to make sure that our voice is heard.
Tagged: legislative, priorities, 2009
