The foundation to strong vibrant communities is job security and industry. I believe that the 2nd Senate District has the potential to be a national model of how merging innovative ideas, government incentives, and private industry can create economic prosperity. From early in the history of this city, Eastern North Philadelphia and nearby neighborhoods were known as the workshop of America and we should strive to recapture that spirit.
New technologies and a renewed entrepreneurial movement, which is more socially responsible, have revived the business environment in the Philadelphia region while manufacturing is making a comeback in this country and region. These new developments along with nationally acclaimed higher education and health care institutions located here in this city leave Philadelphia well positioned to lead the charge if we work at it. This type of economic growth takes innovative foresight and planning but that's what leads to the creation of middle class jobs and stable communities.
Using the City's nationally acclaimed educational and health care institutions, technological base, renewed entrepreneurial spirit and industrial past together is the basis of my economic plan.
- Encourage new entrepreneurial initiatives by providing that business start-ups not have to pay state and city related taxes for their first three years of operation, the most difficult period for new businesses.
- Creating and expanding enterprise zones in distressed communities where specialized industries, such as light manufacturing and alternative energy companies, can obtain incentives and tax subsidies/deductions/credits that are responsible and innovative.
- In cooperation with local schools, such as Community College of Philadelphia, establishing and supporting programs that train displaced workers and unskilled people in order for them to be able to obtain living wage jobs.
- Proposing legislation that will establish certifiable standards for enhanced Benefit Corporation*** status and establish Certified Benefit Corporation Enterprise Zones, providing for special State and City incentives and tax subsidies/deductions/credits that will seek to establish Philadelphia and the 2nd Senatorial District as the B Corp capital of the United States.
- Capitalize on the urban farming and green technologies movement to ensure that blight and vacancy is replaced with a viable and sustainable industry.
- Supporting small family owned businesses through tax credits targeted to improving their operations and bottom line.
- Support the renewed enthusiasm in specialty good manufacturing connecting Pennsylvania's agricultural industry to Philadelphia's emerging creative economy.
- Investing in critical infrastructural upgrades to ensure our commonwealth is not crippled by antiquated and inadequate roads, bridges, and railways.
- ** A benefit corporation is a new class of corporation that voluntarily meets higher standards of corporate purpose, accountability, and transparency.Benefit corporations: 1) have a corporate purpose to create a material positive impact on society and the environment; 2) are required to consider the impact of their decisions not only on shareholders but also on workers, community, and the environment; and 3) are required to make available to the public an annual benefit report that assesses their overall social and environmental performance against a third party standard.Becoming a benefit corporation gives entrepreneurs and investors an additional choice when determining which corporate form is most suitable to achieve their objectives.
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