2023 Legislative Priorities
MISSION: To create an environment for business to prosper throughout Palm Beach County
As the voice for the business community throughout Palm Beach County, the Council identifies policy issues that impacts the business climate and collaboratively works to shape the economic and civic landscape for Palm Beach County through public policy.
The Economic Council focuses on the following critical areas:
I. Workforce and Affordable Housing: Development
a. Support of Live Local SB 102 with certain modifications to improve the effectiveness of the bill.
b. Support full funding of the Sadowski Housing Trust Funds for the SHIP (State Housing Initiatives Partnership) program and SAIL (State Apartment Incentive Loan) program without regard to prior caps (e.g. the 50% cap).
c. Support funding of the Hometown Heroes program (down payment assistance for front line workers) from General Revenues.
d. Support payment in-lieu options as part of any workforce housing program.
e. Encourage the state to offer benefits to local communities that have a dedicated funding source for the construction of new Workforce and Affordable units.
f. Support SB 540 and HB 349- Providing for prevailing party fees and costs for frivolous development order challenges.
II. Education
a. The Council supports the following K-12 initiatives:
- Support maintaining full calculation of RLE to include property reassessments and new construction instead of continuing to roll it back.
- Support increases to the Base Student Allocation (BSA) to keep pace with increasing costs.
- Reduce timeframe for re-employment of Florida Retirement System (FRS) employees to rejoin the workforce.
- Amend VPK to a high quality, full day program and fully fund.
b. Expanded investment in Higher Education options available throughout PBC.
c. Support funding for vocational and career-based training; funding programs through PBC partners.
d. Support the expansion of the public safety program to include an Emergency Response Training Center (ERTC) at Palm Beach state College to train students, municipal, county, state and federal first responders for emergencies and natural disaster relief.
e. Support Florida Atlantic University as it pursues its goal to be a Top 100 (U.S. News and World Report) Public Research University, as well as the proposed College of Dentistry.
f. Support Center for Financial Literacy program via Palm Beach Atlantic University, available to all residents within PBC.
III. Water Resources
a. Support Water Sustainability & Infrastructure projects to include Lake Worth Lagoon Initiative, Loxahatchee River Preservation District and Lake Okeechobee Restoration.
b. Supports legislation that enhances the development of alternative water supply sources.
c. Increased funding for Everglades Restoration through CERP (Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Program) and support Loxahatchee River Watershed Restoration Plan.
d. Support statewide plan for resiliency and disaster relief.
IV. Infrastructure
a. Support improvements of the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority/ Tri-Rail and efforts to enhance connectivity throughout region.
b. Ensure the State Transportation Trust Fund is used for intended purpose.
c. Support continuation of the Small County Outreach Program (SCOP) for road construction and paving.
V. Capital Resources
a. Support Pro-business and pro-growth tax policies vital to the growth of Florida economy.
b. Reduction in the Business Rent Sales Tax and Sales Tax on Leases.
VI. Economic Development
a. Support full funding for Visit Florida & Enterprise Florida.
b. Support increased funding of Florida Job Growth Grant Fund.
c. Support reauthorization of the Qualified Target Industry (QTI) Tax Refund Program.