The U.S. 小红帽直播app of Commerce and the Arizona 小红帽直播app of Commerce & Industry on Tuesday night convened a statewide tele-townhall about why the groups are urging Sen. Kyrsten Sinema , D-Ariz., to oppose the massive social spending bill known as Build Back Better.

Arizona 小红帽直播app President and CEO Danny Seiden and U.S. 小红帽直播app of Commerce Chief Policy Officer Neil Bradley discussed the bill鈥檚 negative effects on inflation, the tax environment and federal budget deficits. 

Seiden said Arizona鈥檚 economy was one of the fastest states in the country to recover the jobs it lost during the pandemic-induced downturn and he noted the consistent rate at which the state is attracting new jobs. 

The reconciliation bill, warned Seiden, could hurt the state鈥檚 positive growth trajectory, and his chamber is urging Sen. Sinema and her colleague Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., to reject the legislation. 

Seiden said the bill is too expensive and that it will make the 鈥渁lready Jimmy-Carter-level inflation rates even worse.鈥� 

Bradley, a public policy veteran, said that the bill was one of the worst pieces of legislation he has seen in some 25 years of tracking Congress鈥� work. 

Bradley also noted that Arizona鈥檚 economic growth can be hindered by policy crafted in Washington, D.C.

鈥淎rizona is what we want the nation鈥檚 economy to be: dynamic, vibrant, growing 鈥�  that’s the definition of what we want to emulate,鈥� Bradley said. 鈥淭he problem is that sometimes Washington can throw a wet blanket on all that growth and at the same time raise prices for everyday families and businesses.鈥�

Bradley said that last weekend around 1,880 pages of the bill were received by lawmakers on Capitol Hill containing 鈥渢axes, new powers for the Internal Revenue Service, and [new] ways of regulating businesses.鈥� 

Sixty-three percent of small businesses across the U.S. have had to raise their prices due to inflationary pressures, and Bradley said he鈥檚 certain that the bill will add to these pressures partly because of the amount of money that it requires, which will 鈥渉ave to be borrowed, in this case from mainly overseas creditors, and paid back by higher taxes later.鈥�

Seiden said he鈥檚 concerned with the penalties that the bill would enforce on Arizona鈥檚 economy, pointing to a portion of the legislation that offers a more generous tax credit for electric vehicle purchases if the car was assembled in a unionized factory.

Seiden said the provision conflicts with , which enshrines the state鈥檚 鈥渞ight to work” (RTW) status and makes labor union membership voluntary. He argued that Arizona鈥檚 growing electric vehicle manufacturing sector is thanks in part to Arizona鈥檚 status as an RTW state, which the bill would undermine.

鈥淭his provision would punish non-union companies to choose between operating at either a competitive disadvantage or protecting their employees,鈥� Seiden said. 

Both Bradley and Seiden called for the bill to be scrapped and that Congress should start over. They both expressed appreciation for Sinema’s work to improve the bill, but that their chambers are urging her not to support it and instead back pro-economic-growth policies. 

鈥淎rizona鈥檚 小红帽直播app and the U.S. 小红帽直播app are working together on an advocacy campaign here in the state thanking Sen. Sinema for so far standing up to the big tax and spend agenda in Washington and urging her to not let up, to keep fighting back against policies that will drive up costs more than they already are,鈥� Seiden said.

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Bipartisan agreement is not common in Washington today, especially regarding big-dollar and hot-topic issues such as public infrastructure. That鈥檚 why last week鈥檚 breakthrough on a $550 billion infrastructure package is a big deal.

Months ago, President Joe Biden proposed a more-than-$2 trillion infrastructure package that spanned everything from traditional infrastructure (roads, bridges, rail, etc.) to what has been dubbed 鈥渉uman infrastructure鈥� (childcare, welfare spending, and more). Republicans quickly drew their line in the sand: yes on traditional infrastructure, no on anything else.

A bipartisan agreement between Republicans and Democrats in the Senate seems to have struck a balance. The Senate will take up a bill  on physical infrastructure investment, but 鈥渉uman infrastructure鈥� can come in another bill. 

Republicans also opposed raising taxes to finance new spending. The negotiated version of this bill seems to have relieved their concerns: it pays for these new investments by utilizing unused COVID relief cash, funds leftover from states that refused an extension of enhanced federal unemployment insurance supplement payments, and several other sources.

After months of negotiating, Republicans and Democrats seem to have come to a filibuster-proof consensus on a more than 2,700-page infrastructure bill.

Bipartisan infrastructure team

Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema and Ohio Sen. Rob Portman were the lead negotiators of the package that eventually garnered support from both Democrats and Republicans in the Senate.

The bill鈥檚 basic contours are as follows:

• $110 billion for roads and bridges
• $39 billion for public transit
• $66 billion for rail
• $55 billion for water and wastewater infrastructure
• Billions for 鈥渁irports, ports, broadband internet and electric vehicle charging stations鈥�

Should this bill pass, the 50-50 Senate will have overcome partisanship in a deeply polarized political environment and agreed on big-dollar spending amid deeply entrenched partisan warfare.

Speaking on the Senate floor, Sen. Sinema said, 鈥淚 know it has been difficult. I know it has been long鈥� that is what our forefathers intended.鈥� Her comments come days after protestors were outside of her Senate office during a protest of her stance against eliminating the Senate filibuster. Sinema鈥檚 office responded to calls for doing away with the filibuster in a statement: 鈥淭he filibuster helps protect the country from wild swings between opposing policy poles.鈥� 

U.S. falling behind the pack in infrastructure

The American Society of Civil Engineers gives America鈥檚 infrastructure a C- . They note that there is a water main breakage on average every two minutes in the United States, that 鈥�43% of our public roadways are in poor or mediocre condition, a number that has remained stagnant over the past several years,鈥� and that 鈥渁n estimated one in five school aged children lacked the high-speed internet connection.鈥�

Infrastructure investment has garnered bipartisan support for years, but until now no large-scale compromise has been reached on the matter. 

In 2016 and 2020, then-candidate and then-President Donald Trump campaigned on even greater investments in American infrastructure. President Biden has done the same. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton campaigned on similar investments in 2016.

The U.S. 小红帽直播app of Commerce has helped lead the business community鈥檚  encouragement of bipartisan infrastructure investment. The 小红帽直播app led a coalition of more than 300 organizations that called for similar action on Independence Day 2021. 

As the package nears completion, the 小红帽直播app-led coalition released a : 鈥淲e applaud the bipartisan group of Senators 鈥� led by Senators Portman and Sinema 鈥� who worked tirelessly to achieve agreement on this much-needed infrastructure proposal鈥� America鈥檚 productivity, global competitiveness and quality of life depend on all Members of Congress to make a durable commitment and outline a clear strategy that will invest in and modernize our crumbling roads, bridges, transit, rail, water and energy infrastructure, access to broadband, and more.鈥�

While the jury is still out on whether this bipartisan infrastructure package can make it to the president鈥檚 desk, this is the best chance Congress has had in recent memory to unite both parties around momentous investments in public infrastructure.

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In a glimmer of hope for American businesses, President Joe Biden鈥檚 administration appears to be steering away from hardline Democrats who want to impose the highest corporate income tax in the industrial world 鈥� 28 percent. 

Now, White House officials said that Biden is willing to bend on his tax proposal to gain GOP support for a substantial infrastructure bill.

“He is personally leaning in, willing to compromise, spending time with senators — Democrat and Republican — to find out what is the art of the possible,” Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo . “The only thing he won’t accept is inaction. It has to be big and bold, $1 trillion or more.”

Bipartisan groups in both houses also indicated Wednesday that they are working to find alternatives to tax increases to pay for the package. 

That doesn鈥檛 mean the threat of a harmful tax increase is going away anytime soon, said Erik Paulsen, a former U.S. congressman who now is a consultant with political consulting firm , which is headquartered in Washington, D.C. and has in Arizona.  

鈥淚t’s good that the new administration is floating new ideas as alternatives rather than just a straight increase to 28 percent, which is what many Democrats in the House and Senate would still like to see,鈥� said Paulsen, a former leading member of the chief tax writing House Ways and Means Committee. 鈥淚t鈥檚 important to really view these proposals with a lot of caution because the devil is in the details. There鈥檚 lots of fine print.鈥�

Compromise possible?  

Biden is backing off of his original request for $2.2 trillion for the infrastructure package, which would be financed by relying heavily on tax increases on corporations and the wealthy. The current corporate income tax rate is 21 percent.

With little support from the GOP, Biden is now calling for at least $1 trillion for the package.

鈥淚f anything, it鈥檚 pretty safe to assume that Democrats want a rate increase,鈥� Paulsen said. 鈥淎nd they want it badly. Some say 28 percent. Some are saying 25 percent is an acceptable level.鈥�

Congress needs to act with care in considering changes to the current tax code, which came out of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 and has fueled jobs, innovation and tax revenues in Arizona, he said. 

鈥淭here is the potential that you would be giving up some very real economic incentives that are in the tax code right now and those could go away. These are incentives like research and development or clean energy for instance.鈥�

Bipartisan groups in both houses seeking to avoid tax hikes 

After negotiations with Republicans failed this week, in both houses are working to find consensus on an infrastructure package.    

On Wednesday, a member of the Senate group, which includes Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D), told that it is taking tax hikes off the table as they try to reach consensus on how to pay for the plan after White House negotiations with GOP leaders failed. 

“That’s my understanding. I think there’s ways to do that; hopefully it won’t be smoke and mirrors. Bottom line, this is probably the hardest part from my perspective, is how you get it paid for,” Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., said.

The group is expected to produce a $900-billion plan. 

Meanwhile, in the House on Wednesday, the bipartisan released a $1.25 trillion infrastructure plan. It also indicated it is avoiding tax increases right now as they enter into discussions about how to pay for it. Among the proposals being set forth are increased tax enforcement, reducing inheritance tax breaks for the wealthy, and using unspent Covid-19 relief funds. 

Increase would punish more than 1 million small businesses

Pro-business groups, trade associations and chambers of commerce including the Arizona 小红帽直播app of Commerce & Industry are calling on Capitol Hill to tread lightly when it comes to raising taxes on companies right now, particularly small businesses.

About 1.4 million small businesses that are organized as C-Corporations will pay the higher rate, according to an by Curtis Dubay, senior economist for the U.S 小红帽直播app, the world鈥檚 largest business organization. 

鈥淭here is a false assumption that only big businesses will pay a higher rate. In fact, over a million small businesses鈥� 鈥楳om-and-Pop鈥� retailers, small manufacturers, and professional services firms that often suffered the worst during the pandemic鈥攚ould also see their tax bills increase significantly,鈥� Dubay said. 

These small businesses employ almost 13 million American workers across various sectors. Most are small businesses and many are very small: over 84 percent have fewer than 20 employees. 

鈥淗ardest hit would be the sort of skilled jobs that politicians love to praise, but often in practice, do too little to support,鈥� Dubay said. 

They include manufacturing small business C-Corps which employ the most workers, about 1.8 million; professional, scientific, and technical services are next with 1.3 million employees, followed by retail with about 1.2 million workers. 

Report shows more than half of small businesses need time to recover 

Many of these small businesses are just now beginning to return to normalcy, surveys show. According to the latest , 59 percent of small businesses believe it will take more than six months to return to normal.

That should be reason enough to hold off on a punishing tax hike right now, Paulsen said. 

鈥淲e鈥檙e coming out of a significant economic crisis coming out of the pandemic and we don鈥檛 want to see that stall out 鈥攁nd it is stalling out right now. Unfortunately, despite the rebound, it鈥檚 not coming back out as robustly as it should be.鈥�

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Recently a video appeared on social media that showed the time lapsed construction of a tunnel underneath an interstate in the Netherlands. Impressively, the tunnel was completely constructed in one weekend, and within days the road sitting atop the tunnel was once again carrying passengers to and from their destinations. This sort of sight is quite foreign to the United States, where 鈥渋nfrastructure week鈥� is considered a year-round affair.

Despite boasting the world鈥檚 largest economy and famous for its developments in infrastructure throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, the United States has fallen behind the pack. According to a Statista from 2019, the U.S. ranks behind 12 other nations ranging from the Netherlands, to Singapore, to Spain, to the United Kingdom on the general quality of public infrastructure.

In 2020, the United States was a 鈥淐-鈥� rating for its public infrastructure. Among the reasons listed for the lackluster rating included some surprising statistics: around 6 billion gallons of water are lost every day in the nation due to water main breaks, 43% of America鈥檚 public roads are 鈥渋n poor and mediocre condition,鈥� and one in five American children lacked access to 鈥渉igh-speed internet connection.鈥�

The issue of infrastructure has been a pivot point in American politics for decades, but in recent years it has taken center stage. Then-candidate Donald Trump in 2016 to spend $500,000,000,000 on infrastructure investments; President Joe Biden   Congress for nearly $2,000,000,000,000.

Investment

According to OECD (the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) , the United States spends a comparable amount of its public funds on government investment in relation to other developed nations. When comparing national government spending as a percentage of GFCF (gross fixed capital formation), the United States is not that far off from other nations with better infrastructure.

Investment by sector with regards to government spending includes research and development, 鈥渕ilitary weapons systems, transport infrastructure and public buildings such as schools and hospitals.鈥�

Larry Summers, former Vice President of Development Economics and Chief Economist at the World Bank as well as President Obama鈥檚 director of the National Economic Council, theorizes that the modern economy is suffering from 鈥渟ecular stagnation.鈥� This phenomena is said to consist of low interest rates, low inflation, slow projected economic growth, and stagnant unemployment. A solution to this problem, , is to 鈥渋nvest more and deploy infrastructure more wisely, procure it more efficiently, and site it more quickly.鈥�

Ed Glaeser, an economist and professor at Harvard University, concurs with Summers that further infrastructure investments should be made. He , however, insofar as Summers views infrastructure investment as a solution to recessionary pressures. Glaeser says that 鈥渨e should see it as a sensible investment for the future of this country.鈥� Glaesar 鈥渒eenly believe[s] that there is no area in which it is easier to waste tens of billions of dollars than infrastructure, which makes doing projects for the wrong reasons phenomenally costly.鈥�

Glaeser and Summers agree that infrastructure investment is vital to American prosperity, particularly for lower-income communities that have disproportionately faced the brunt of the Coronavirus-induced recession. But Glaesar urges caution. 鈥淎 strategy that says we know exactly what to do鈥攚rite bigger checks鈥攊s likely to be the last thing in the world that we need.鈥� For the Harvard economist, there is reason to spend more, but the spending should be targeted and pinpointed so as to get the best returns on taxpayer dollars possible.

Innovation

A large part of the infrastructure investment equation includes the capacity to innovate. America has long been known as a global hub for innovation, in no small part due to the nation鈥檚 large immigrant population and booming international university scene. Innovation allows taxpayer dollars, as well as private investors, to get higher returns on investment than they might otherwise generate.

The U.S. 小红帽直播app Foundation has that 鈥渋nnovation drives economic growth,鈥� and that 鈥淎merica鈥檚 genius for innovation and entrepreneurial drive鈥� puts the nation in a prime position for sustained, long-term economic expansion.

The 小红帽直播app goes further: 鈥淚n the final analysis, state policies and programs that most effectively promote entrepreneurship, innovation, technology development, and job creation are rooted in market reality. This means building on the existing core industries and technological advantages of a state while having the foresight and wherewithal for pursuing opportunities in growing and emerging sectors.鈥�

Arizona in particular has seen the advantage of such an approach. Under Gov. Doug Ducey, the state capitalized on its low tax, low regulatory-burden atmosphere. The Arizona Commerce Authority, established under Gov. Jan Brewer, as well as a litany of other public and private organizations, . The state now one of the most vibrant jobs markets in the nation, as businesses and people migrate to the state from across the nation and the world.

The growth that Arizona has sustained has grown the public treasury, allowing Gov. Doug Ducey and the state Legislature to expand infrastructure investment even as the COVID-19 pandemic lingers. Recently, the governor $230 million in new infrastructure spending.

Burdens on infrastructure development

While Arizona continues to expand its prospects, infrastructure cannot be solved on the state level alone. A bipartisan consensus exists in Washington to expand infrastructure spending, but some are concerned that simply throwing money at the problem will do little to fix the structural problems present.

Glaeser that the expansion of regulatory burdens, including a large federal bureaucracy that often delays projects for years, contributes mightily to the malaise facing American infrastructure. The emergence of local interests opposing new developments also slows projects. 鈥淟arge-scale undertakings [need to] painstakingly…avoid inconveniencing anybody, dramatically raising costs and delays,鈥� Glaeser says.

Under the Trump Administration, the president several executive orders rolling back some of the red tape that many economists believe hinders infrastructure development. Under President Trump, the executive branch made a to 鈥渆xpedite the federal permitting process for infrastructure projects, including new mines, highways, pipelines and other projects.鈥� , America ranked 15th out of 33 OECD nations for ease of permitting in 2017.

The Trump era of infrastructure development deregulation was primarily spurred by an impetus to accelerate American economic growth.

Public sector unionization could also pose a potential roadblock to American infrastructure development. In a regarding public sector unions and their ability to 鈥渕anipulate both supply and demand,鈥� California public sector unions lobbied for policies that expanded the state鈥檚 prison population, and thus membership opportunities for the unions representing prison guards.

The California Policy Center has that a similar dynamic occurs between public sector unionization and infrastructure development. Using environmental concerns as the basis for increased spending on infrastructure and expanded regulation thereof, the union causes an over-investment in infrastructure in order to 鈥渋ncreas[e] pay and benefits鈥︹�� They describe this process as self-reinforcing. 鈥淎s the cost-of-living inevitably rises through artificial constraints on the supply of land and energy, the unionized government workers negotiate even higher pay and benefits to compensate, and the corporate monopolies that control existing supplies of land and energy get more revenue and profit,鈥� according to the Center.

Consensus
While many disagree on the means by which America will commit to further infrastructure development, there is that the government should do more to address the issue. It will be up to policymakers, lawmakers, and powerbrokers to decide whether or not the federal government takes an approach more akin to Summers鈥� or to Glaeser鈥檚.

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The CEO of the largest business advocacy group in America, the United States 小红帽直播app of Commerce, outlined a plan to help the nation鈥檚 economy fully recover from the pandemic during his 2021 annual Address in Washington, D.C. 

First and foremost, businesses and the U.S. Congress must work to heal a divided nation and get the public vaccinated, said Thomas Donohue, the CEO of the 小红帽直播app, who made the virtual address this month to about 10,000 attendees worldwide. 

鈥淚t鈥檚 true that, at home and abroad, we are operating at a time when people don鈥檛 always have a lot of faith in institutions. There鈥檚 mistrust in government, questions about the credibility of our democratic systems, contempt for capitalism. For different reasons, these factors have helped drive rising support for nationalism or socialism and other divisions,鈥� Donohue said. 鈥淪ome even ask if these are signals of national decline.

鈥淲ell, to that I say: no one has ever bet against America and won. We have it within us to make this a pivot point in our history.鈥�

Call on nation to 鈥渞ally for recovery鈥澛�

In his speech, Donohue urged both industry and national policymakers to 鈥渞ally for recovery鈥� through infrastructure, immigration reform, workforce reskilling, and global competitiveness. 

With 10 million American jobs lost in the last year, and small business disproportionately impacted 鈥� particularly minority 鈥� and women-owned businesses, many of which have closed 鈥� the 小红帽直播app is calling on policymakers to focus on a 鈥渂road-based鈥� economic recovery. 

鈥淪ome industries, businesses, and segments of the workforce have thrived,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 a very different story for those who have been negatively impacted by the pandemic. Entire industries have been decimated because people aren鈥檛 traveling, gathering, shopping, or going out like they used to.鈥� 

To help achieve that, Donohue laid out the 小红帽直播app鈥檚 priorities this year:   

Continued economic relief for those hardest hit 

Donohue said the 小红帽直播app will work with the incoming Congress and President Joe Biden鈥檚 administration to ensure industries, businesses and workers make it through the end of the pandemic-induced economic crisis. With continued stimulus relief from Congress, growth could return to pre-pandemic levels by the third quarter of this year, he said. 

Long-overdue infrastructure package 

In what has become an annual tradition, Donohue called for national lawmakers to finally pass a 鈥渇iscally and environmentally responsible鈥� infrastructure package. 

One way to raise productivity, create jobs, and drive up incomes in a hurry is through a package to modernize infrastructure including roads and bridges and critical networks and to upgrade and expand technology like broadband to deal with the new digital economy where millions of Americans are now working remotely, he said. 

鈥淓ven in a 50-50 Senate and a House divided by 5 votes, this can be done鈥攁nd it might build some goodwill for bipartisan progress on other priorities,鈥� Donohue said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e been working on this for more than 20 years. Let鈥檚 find a way to pay for it, and let鈥檚 get moving. This year, there can be no excuses for failure.鈥�

Reskilling an 鈥渋nclusive鈥� American workforce to meet job demand 

Reskilling workers with an emphasis on women and people of color will foster economic growth, Donohue said. The chamber will be pressing Congress for rapid training programs to connect the unemployed with jobs in new sectors. Employer-led initiatives should lead the way to align industry needs and in-demand skills.

鈥淪ome of the best-paying sectors鈥攕uch as health care or financial and professional services鈥攈ave more job openings than available workers. If we do this right and do it quickly, we will improve the living standard for millions of Americans and get our economy growing even faster,鈥� he said.

Tackle racial inequality and advance immigration reform  

In addition to job reskilling, Donohue stressed that policymakers need to tackle race-based systemic inequality in education, entrepreneurship, and the criminal justice system 鈥� as outlined in the 小红帽直播app鈥檚 鈥� and immigration reforms to ensure the American workforce is highly skilled. 

Pro-business policies 

As a new government prepares to take the reins, it must not return to excessive regulation or anti-competitive taxes, Donohue warned, citing the positive effects of regulatory relief and pro-business policies on the economy before the pandemic. 

鈥淣ow is exactly the wrong time to further test the resiliency of businesses by hiking taxes or heaping on new regulations that do more harm than good,鈥� he said.  

Global engagement to reach 95 percent of consumers 

Finally, Donohue spoke of the need for America to 鈥渞eengage with the world鈥� through a trade agenda that is focused on selling products to the 95 percent of consumers who live beyond U.S. borders. 

In recent years, the nation鈥檚 resilience has been tested through trade wars and tariffs, he said. 

鈥淵es, let鈥檚 make more products in America, but let鈥檚 also sell them to the rest of the world. We must extend our reach to the 95 percent of the world鈥檚 customers who live beyond our borders. We must catch up to the countries that are inking new trade deals left and right. And we must lift the tariffs that have hurt American manufacturers and farmers and have been paid by American companies and their customers.鈥�

Donohue also called for the U.S. to reaffirm American leadership in multilateral organizations like the and the .

Engage strategically with fastest growing market: China 

China is the biggest global challenge the nation faces, Donohue said. It鈥檚 also the biggest market. 

鈥淲e must work to stabilize the relationship through strength and cooperation. At the same time we also have to confront the unfair trade and industrial policies that China uses against U.S. companies,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e must work with our allies to stand up to China, while also pursuing new negotiations with Beijing to protect our intellectual property.鈥�

Growth is fastest path to shrink 鈥渆xtraordinary鈥� expenditures of 2020 

The pandemic is far from over, but if Congress sufficiently supports the economy with the relief it needs, the nation should recover more quickly and be better able to pay down the nation鈥檚 $27 trillion debt.

Arizona 小红帽直播app voices optimism as new president enters office 

As President Biden entered office Wednesday, the Arizona 小红帽直播app of Commerce and Industry voiced its optimism in working toward common . Many of its priorities align directly with the U.S. 小红帽直播app鈥檚 include tariff-free trade, an infrastructure package that includes water infrastructure and updated ports of entry, and immigration reform to help employers and workers including providing a path to citizenship for recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival Program (DACA). 

鈥淲e鈥檙e encouraged that President Biden is going to make immigration reform a top priority of the early days of his administration,鈥� said Glenn Hamer, president and CEO at the Arizona 小红帽直播app of Commerce & Industry. 鈥淲e will strongly support a plan that puts DACA recipients and Dreamers on a path to citizenship, which we are confident will receive broad, bipartisan support.鈥� 

The business community also looks forward to working with the Biden administration in reforming the country鈥檚 鈥渂yzantine visa system,鈥� Hamer said. 

鈥淭oo many jobs across the economy are going unfulfilled, but a better visa policy can help. We can also build on the promise of the TN visa class and make it easier for professionals in our USMCA partner countries Canada and Mexico to bring their talents here. We also want to work with the new administration on a plan to safely and responsibly ease pandemic-related border travel restrictions.鈥�

To read a complete list of the U.S. 小红帽直播app鈥檚 goals for this year, go to .

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American voters came out in force and elected pro-business leaders on both sides of the aisle last week, including hundreds of local and national candidates endorsed by the United States 小红帽直播app of Commerce. 

Now, the chamber is calling on those still in power and those about to take power to immediately move forward on two top priorities to help America fully recover from the pandemic. 

鈥淭his is a pivotal time for our country, our economy, and for generations of Americans. We not only face the tremendous burden of overcoming a pandemic and recession, but also a historic moment to unleash a new era of inclusive growth, widespread opportunity, and boundless innovation,鈥� 小红帽直播app CEO Thomas Donohue said Monday. 

小红帽直播app congratulates president-elect Biden, calls for quick action

After the results of the presidential election became apparent, CEO Donohue quickly congratulated Democrat and President-elect Joe Biden and Vice-President-elect Kamala Harris. 

Now, is the time to move forward quickly together, he said. 

鈥淭he U.S. 小红帽直播app stands ready to work鈥痺ith鈥痶he Biden administration鈥痑nd leaders on both sides of the aisle to restore public health, revitalize our economy, and help rebuild American lives and communities,鈥� Donohue said.

Top priorities for American businesses and workers in 2021    

Now that the election is winding down, national lawmakers, regardless of whether they were reelected, must end the gridlock and act to help businesses and workers still struggling from the pandemic, chamber officials said. 

On Monday, the 小红帽直播app listed two it is advocating for at the national level:

1. Pandemic relief for workers and businesses

The first order of business will be pandemic relief for workers and businesses still hurting from COVID-19 setbacks.

The nation still has than it did before the pandemic. The number of long-term unemployed Americans鈥攖hose unemployed for 27 weeks or longer鈥� continues to rise, hitting 2.6 million last week. Unemployment insurance will expire at the end of the year if Congress fails to act.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, have closed. Almost 60 percent, or 100,000, report being permanently closed.

In Arizona, the unemployment rate is 6.7 percent, compared to the nation鈥檚 7.9 percent. But close to residents remain jobless, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.  

Based on input from members of all sizes across all industries as well as state and local chambers from every state and territory, the 小红帽直播app on Monday called on Congress to enact targeted and temporary measures in a phase 4 package that addresses six areas:

• COVID-19 testing and healthcare
• Liability protection against unwarranted coronavirus lawsuits
• Support for small and midsize employers
• Support for childcare and K-12 schools
• Unemployment and job training
• State and local pandemic assistance 

鈥淲e have not yet beaten the coronavirus or achieved the economic recovery we all desire. Our leaders have wasted five months already. They can鈥檛 waste another three,鈥� 小红帽直播app Executive Vice President and Chief Policy Officer Neil Bradley said Monday. 鈥淲e urge our leaders on both sides of the aisle to find common ground, finish the work they started, and pass additional relief measures during the lame-duck session to help the businesses, industries, and workers who continue to suffer.鈥�

2. A package to rebuild nation鈥檚 decaying infrastructure 

Last year, the 小红帽直播app pushed for significant new investments in roads, bridges and broadband but was unable to see the legislation reach the finish line. How to pay for such investment was the main stumbling block.

Enacting an infrastructure modernization plan will ensure the nation鈥檚 long-term economic growth and competitiveness, the chamber said. It is recommending a three-prong plan:

Roads, Bridges, and Transit

• Enact changes to ensure that there is sufficient dedicated revenue to maintain the solvency of the Highway Trust Fund
• Enact a long-term infrastructure modernization bill that addresses highways, bridges, air and sea travel, rural areas, broadband, energy, and water 
• Provide a toolkit of options for supplemental funding and financing of other critical infrastructure, including through public-private partnerships, dedicated user fees, and revolving loan programs

Permitting and Regulatory Reform 

• Continue to streamline the federal permitting process, including the use of concurrent reviews and time limits for agency decisions
• Encourage similar permitting reforms at the state and local levels
• Oppose efforts to reregulate transportation industries

Infrastructure and Transportation Workforce 

• Highlight workforce shortages in the infrastructure and transportation sectors and push for regulatory reforms and skills programs to address these shortages

The chamber is calling on citizens and businesses to contact their congressional members to act on these priorities. 

Businesses, citizens must also do their part  

U.S. 小红帽直播app President Suzanne Clark says businesses and citizens must also do their part and double down on efforts to reduce the spread of COVID-19,  

鈥淓verything that businesses can do to instill confidence in their communities鈥攖hat it鈥檚 okay to be out as long as your following these guidelines鈥� will keep our economy open, she said. 鈥淪cience is going to save us, but the role businesses have in getting us to the other side is really gigantic.鈥�

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Recently I visited the U-Haul company website to check on the cost to rent a 20-foot-truck to go from Phoenix to Los Angeles. Answer: $157. Then I checked the same trip but in the opposite direction–from Los Angeles to Phoenix–and the cost was almost nine and a half times higher-$1,483.

Why the difference?

You get a steep discount moving to Los Angeles because so many trucks from L.A. have piled up in Phoenix that you are doing the company a favor to drive a truck back where they are badly needed. Meanwhile, the demand for moving trucks is much higher in L.A., so they charge a great deal more.

When you compare the education statistics between Los Angeles County and Maricopa County, they make you wonder when the rest of L.A. might arrive in Arizona.

Stanford University has linked state academic results across the country and created a handy data tool to allow visual comparisons. Academic growth–student progress over time–is a key measure of school quality. Maricopa schools educate almost 67% of Arizona students, and Los Angeles County is likewise the giant of California.   

Below I compare Maricopa County (circle 1) with Los Angeles County (circle 2) in the context of academic growth rates for every county in the country. While I could display a repeated beatdown across multiple subgroups (White, Hispanic, Black students), we鈥檒l keep things simple and simply divide students into low-income and non-low-income.

Low-income students in Maricopa County learned at a rate 12% higher than the national average. Similar students in Los Angeles County learned at a rate 5% below the national average. A similar gap appears among non-poor students in the figure below.

Middle-to-high-income Los Angeles students fell one percent below the national average in academic progress. Similar students in Maricopa County made academic gains 16% above the national average during this period. Interestingly, both groups of students (low-income and middle-to-high-income, respectively) saw a gap of the same size, a 17% advantage for Maricopa County students.

We cannot definitively say why students learn faster in the Phoenix area than in L.A. A distinguishing feature of Arizona鈥檚 K-12 system is the prevalence of charter schools and the widespread participation of districts in open enrollment. The Brookings Institution measured the percentage of students with access to a charter school during the 2014-15 school year. California came in with a nationally respectable 45.8%. Arizona led the nation with 84%.

districts demonstrates a very dynamic system of schooling. Open-enrollment students, defined as district students attending a district school other than the school assigned by their zip code, outnumbered charter school students nearly two to one.

Arizona school districts, much to their credit, are leading the way in providing out-of-zone education options to Arizona families. In other words, despite the tenor of the debate by various advocacy organizations, the reality is that choice is being done by districts rather than to districts.

Much work remains to be done, and many Arizona K-12 policies and practices look increasingly antiquated given the very high mobility of students. Despite a majority of students attending non-zoned schools, for example, we continue to give exclusive transportation taxing authority to districts. Districts continue to primarily bus kids around within their attendance boundaries, and thus most students do not benefit from funding to which everyone contributes. Such an antiquated system looks like an 8-track cartridge in a Spotify world. Just imagine what we might accomplish with a modernized and rational system of student transport.

In the meantime, it looks like a continuing flow of Angelenos will continue to transport themselves to Arizona despite the steep price for moving trucks. 

 Dr. Matthew Ladner is the executive director of the Center for Student Opportunity

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Two statesmen with deep roots in Arizona are calling on voters to say 鈥渘o鈥� to Proposition 208, saying it would place Arizona up there with New York and New Jersey as one of the highest income tax states in the nation.

That would kill many small businesses, cause job losses and shrink tax revenues that support schools and government services, said former Vice President Dan Quayle and former Arizona U.S. Senator Jon Kyl at a virtual event hosted by the Arizona 小红帽直播app of Commerce and Industry. The event was sponsored by Total Spectrum, HSL Properties and the Keating Companies.

鈥淟et me be very clear: We are now recovering from a 100-year pandemic and this initiative wants to raise taxes 77.7 percent on individuals and small business? That should be the end of the discussion,鈥� said former Vice President Dan Quayle, a longtime Arizona resident who grew up here.

The initiative, which seeks to tax certain earners to help fund education, would raise Arizona鈥檚 top income tax rate from 4.5 percent to 8 percent 鈥� a 77.7 percent increase 鈥� for individuals who earn over $250,000 and households that earn over $500,000. 

Small businesses would shoulder much of the costs

What most voters do not realize is that a majority of small businesses in Arizona file under the individual tax code, not as corporate filers, said Kyl, who served as a U.S. senator from Arizona 1995 to 2013 and again in 2018.  

If the initiative is passed, those companies could nearly double the 4.9 percent tax rate that big corporations pay.

鈥淢ore than half of all small businesses pay their taxes as individual income taxes,鈥� Kyl said. 鈥淭he people who are going to suffer are all of those small business owners and their employees. We鈥檙e talking about the dry cleaners, the plumber, the electrician, the pesticide control.鈥�

Prop. 208 is wrong path for education funding聽

At the event, Quayle and Kyl urged about 100 community and business leaders in attendance to educate their constituents on why this initiative is the wrong path for education funding.

They listed a number of reasons why, including: 

1. Arizona could lose its competitive edge to surrounding states

A sharp tax increase on individuals and small businesses would put Arizona at a disadvantage when competing with nearby states with similar or no income taxes like Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah. 

鈥淲e鈥檝e had a great opportunity for people moving here because other states have messed up. They鈥檝e raised taxes. They鈥檝e made it very unfavorable for businesses and we鈥檝e benefited from that,鈥� Kyl said. 

2. Local, state tax revenues would drop聽

If residents and businesses start to fail or flee the state, there are that Arizona could lose a minimum of $2.4 billion in revenue over the next decade as a result of a reduction in business recruitment, job growth, and wages.

3. Sends wealthy taxpayers and businesses packing聽

Under the weight of this proposed tax increase, about 90,000 wealthy residents would be impacted. Many may be motivated to leave the state. Others would be less likely to move here. The same goes for new investment.  

Not only would local and state coffers suffer, so would charities and nonprofits that rely on donations from benefactors and local companies. 

4. Voter initiatives are nearly impossible to fix

If Proposition 208 passes, it will be nearly impossible to alter, even in the case of some unintended negative consequence. Once passed by voters, it takes a three-fourths vote by the state Legislature to change a voter initiative. Then, any changes made to the act must further its purpose. 

鈥淭his is permanent. It鈥檚 almost impossible to change,鈥� Quayle said. 鈥淎 small business may not earn $250,000 today, but five years from now, they鈥檇 like to.鈥�

5. Proposition 208 does not adjust for inflation

Unlike current state and federal tax rules, the proposition fails to adjust for inflation. That could sweep more small businesses into higher tax brackets year after year.聽

6. Most of the funding comes from an out-of-state group

Most of the funding for the initiative鈥檚 campaign comes from the Portland, Oregon-based Stand for Children, Inc. with over totaling more than $4 million coming from the group.聽聽

Don鈥檛 turn Arizona into a 鈥渇ly-over鈥� state

Arizona has been able to increase its funding for education over the past four years because of its fast growth and healthy economy before the pandemic, both speakers said. 

Today, Arizona has a reputation as friendly and open to business with a relatively low tax base, Quayle said. That could change overnight if the initiative passes. 

鈥淚f we go from 4.5 percent to 8 percent, Arizona is going to be known as a fly-over state. Pure  and simple.鈥� 

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State and local officials Wednesday announced the upcoming opening of the new Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway in Phoenix, adding 22 miles to the metropolitan area鈥檚 existing transportation system.

The South Mountain Freeway begins where the existing Loop 202 meets Interstate 10, with southwest Chandler to the east and the Phoenix neighborhood of Ahwatukee to the west, and travels west before turning north through Laveen and reconnecting with I-10 at 59^th Avenue.

The announcement, which took place at the new freeway bridges over the Salt River, marks the culmination of the largest single freeway project in Arizona鈥檚 history. The project was completed three years ahead of schedule and with $100 million in savings through an 鈥渋nnovative partnership,鈥� according to the Office of the Arizona Governor.

Gov. Doug Ducey was joined for the announcement by Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego; Gov. Stephen Roe Lewis of the Gila River Indian Community; John Halikowski, director of the Arizona Department of Transportation; Tempe Mayor Mark Mitchell, who also serves as chairman of the Maricopa Association of Governments; Karla Petty, Arizona division administrator for the Federal Highway Administration; Michael Bidwill, president of the Arizona Cardinals football team; and a number of other local officials, legislators and transportation stakeholders.

鈥淒ecades in the making, this opening marks a historic achievement for Arizona,鈥� Ducey said. 鈥淎rizona has benefited from the foresight and innovation of past leaders who have positioned our state as a trade and transportation hub.鈥�

This latest segment of the Loop 202 has been designated the Congressman Ed Pastor Freeway, named in honor of the first Latino elected to represent Arizona in Congress. Pastor passed away last year at 75; members of his family were present for the freeway announcement.

鈥淚t took over 30 years to make this dream a reality and a lot of people coming together,” Gallego said. “This will be a major corridor for improved transportation, housing, and high wage jobs. Investing in road infrastructure is so important and part of a regional transit plan that also brings more resources to light rail, buses, walking and biking paths, and safety measures.鈥�

鈥淎rizona has solidified its reputation as a state that is open for opportunity, and as we welcome hundreds of new residents, every day we are making sure our infrastructure remains some of the best in America,鈥� Ducey said. 鈥淭his Loop 202 opening represents a big step forward in connecting the East and West valleys, as well as prioritizing safety for drivers.鈥�

Loop 202 dates back to 1983, when the proposal for a freeway on the south side of South Mountain was first introduced; it was originally called the Southwest Loop Highway.The transportation corridor has been approved by voters twice as part of the Maricopa Association of Governments鈥� Regional Transportation Plan 鈥� through Proposition 300 in 1985 and Proposition 400 in 2004 鈥� but construction did not begin until 2016, after more than a decade of planning, coordination and study.

“This has been a long time in the making,” said Arizona State Sen. Sean Bowie, LD-18, who was born the year after the freeway was first proposed. “It’s a historic day for Ahwatukee. We’re excited to finally see this freeway open and connect the East Valley to the West Valley and, hopefully, alleviate some of the traffic that folks endure on the I-10 getting back and forth to downtown Phoenix.”

Bowie said that because the freeway project has remained on the table for so long, Ahwatukee residents who purchased their home within the past few decades have been aware of the potential new transportation corridor for a while. He said design changes were made in response to concerns from local residents, including an interchange at 32nd Street, near Desert Vista High School, that was not in the original plans.

“I got a tour of the freeway a couple weeks ago and got to drive the entire stretch of it, and I think when it’s done鈥� I think it’s a pretty nice freeway,” Bowie said. “A lot of folks, I think, are going to be happy with it.”

Bowie said his priority in the coming weeks is to work with ADOT to address lingering issues expressed by local residents.

鈥淭his new highway 鈥� the largest highway project in state history 鈥� represents Arizona鈥檚 continued commitment to 21^st century infrastructure that will enable our state鈥檚 growth for generations to come,鈥� Ducey said. 鈥淢y thanks go out to the many federal, state, local, tribal and community partners who have worked tirelessly over the past decades to help make this vision a reality.鈥�

Header photo of Loop 202 sign property of .

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The Arizona Department of Transportation was honored in Washington, D.C.,聽last聽month for its wrong-way driver detection system being tested on Interstate 17 in Phoenix.

ADOT鈥檚 project is one of seven in the United States to receive the 2019 National Roadway Safety Award from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Roadway Safety Foundation, which recognizes roadway safety achievements that move the U.S. toward zero vehicle-related deaths or serious injuries.

鈥淚鈥檓 gratified that the hard work of our team in developing this first-in-the-nation system is recognized,鈥� ADOT Director John Halikowski said.

鈥淭his award acknowledges a key part of Arizona鈥檚 aggressive, coordinated response to reduce the risk of serious crashes caused by wrong-way drivers and make our roads safer,鈥� Gov. Doug Ducey said.

The $4 million system is the first of its kind in the nation. It was installed along 15 miles of I-17 and uses 90 thermal cameras to detect and track wrong-way drivers entering off-ramps or traveling along I-17, immediately alerting ADOT and the Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS).

Wrong-way driving incidents have only been increasing in Arizona in recent years. From Jan. 1 to mid-August of this year, there were 1,175 wrong-way incidents in the state, up from 1,057 during the same time in 2018, according to from the Governor鈥檚 Office of Highway Safety.

A wrong-way driver injured two Tempe police officers , colliding with their vehicles on State Route 51 in the early morning hours of Nov. 4.

鈥淭he results have been promising as we work to reduce risks associated with often-impaired wrong-way drivers,鈥� Halikowski said.

ADOT鈥檚 system is intended to save DPS troopers valuable time responding to incidents rather than waiting for 911 calls from other motorists. The system also lets ADOT post immediate alerts to drivers on lighted signs overhead. Detection also triggers illuminated wrong-way signs with flashing red lights to try and get the wrong-way driver鈥檚 attention.

鈥淚n addition to innovative engineering that鈥檚 leading the nation, we鈥檝e increased penalties for those who drive the wrong way while impaired and invested in having more state troopers patrolling during nighttime hours, when wrong-way driving occurs most,鈥� Ducey said.

Since the system was installed in early 2018, it has detected more than 90 wrong-way driving incidents.

ADOT said it is completing an evaluation of the system to determine which elements can be used on other freeways, including Loop 202.

鈥淲e have more work to do, and improving safety for all our road users will continue to be a priority,鈥� Ducey said.

Photo by Doc Searls .

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