Peter Schorsch
The Florida Chamber of Commerce released its 2022 Jobs and Competitiveness Agenda, outlining the top priorities for the business community in the 2022 Legislative Session.
The Florida Chamber releases its “Where We Stand” business agenda each year ahead of the Legislative Session. As in past editions, the 2022 agenda focuses on policies that the Chamber believes will help Florida’s economy become one of the 10 largest in the world by 2030.
That does include several priorities that directly benefit businesses, such as efforts to curb litigation in the insurance market, reduce the state’s communications services tax and prevent or offset the scheduled sunset of last year’s cut to the state corporate income tax.
But the agenda also pushes for improvements that, at first glance, seem unrelated to the health of Florida’s business climate.
On education, for instance, the Chamber is signaling support for more high-quality early learning and child care opportunities for Florida children as well as initiatives that will boost kindergarten readiness from 57% today to 100% by 2030.
It also supports targeting resources at school districts that educate a disproportionate amount of children who live in poverty — Chamber research shows that 15% of the state’s ZIP codes account are home to more than half of Florida children living in poverty.
Infrastructure priorities, meanwhile, include rural broadband expansion to ensure 100% of Florida residents have access to high-speed internet by the end of the decade as well as investments in the state’s roadways, railways, airports, seaports and spaceports to accommodate growth in demand for trade, talent and visitors.
“The choices made by the Legislature matter, and the Florida Chamber is at the forefront as we prepare for Florida’s continued growth. The Florida Chamber’s Business Agenda is a set of legislative priorities that will help grow private-sector jobs, diversify our economy, and create additional economic opportunities for Floridians,” said Florida Chamber President and CEO Mark Wilson.
The full “Where We Stand” business agenda is available on the Florida Chamber’s website.
