Ron DeSantis Campaign Releases Economic Policy Package

DeSantis: "Taking Florida's Economy to the Next Level"

St. Petersburg, Fl 

Opinion by: E. Eugene Webb PhD 

Author: In Search of Robin, So You Want to Blog. 

DeSantis Campaign releases Economic Package.

Orlando, Fla. – The Ron DeSantis for Governor Campaign today released DeSantis’ economic policy package that lays out his vision for taking Florida’s economy to the next level, including accelerating small business growth and development, opposing tax increases and keeping Florida one of the lowest tax states in the nation, creating a business-friendly environment to expand opportunities for Floridians, keeping bureaucracy in check, and investing in Florida’s economy of tomorrow.

“With nearly 1,000 people moving to Florida every day, Florida is undoubtedly one of the most desirable destinations to live, work and raise a family,” said DeSantis. “A part of this appeal is the business environment we’ve created that allows entrepreneurs and innovators to come to Florida to build their business without burdensome regulations and heavy taxes and fees.”

Florida's economy is on a roll:

• Florida’s economy has grown to over $1 Trillion economy, the 17th largest in the world.
• We have added 1.6 million jobs in the last eight years.
• Florida has outpaced the nation in job growth.
• Florida has one of the lowest unemployment rates at 3.7%.

“As Governor, I pledge to build upon this momentum and take Florida’s economy to the next level,” said DeSantis. “In my economic policy package, I lay out my plan for Florida that includes accelerating small business growth and development, opposing tax increases and keeping Florida one of the lowest tax states in the nation, creating a business-friendly environment to expand opportunities for Floridians, keeping bureaucracy in check, and investing in Florida’s economy of tomorrow.”

DeSantis’ Economic Policy Package

Ron DeSantis will:

  1.     Accelerate Small Business Growth and Development

  2.     Oppose Tax Increases and Keep Florida One of Lowest Tax States in the Nation

  3.     Create a Business-Friendly Environment to Expand Opportunity for Floridians

  4.     Keep Florida’s Bureaucracy in Check

  5.     Invest in Florida’s Economy of Tomorrow

Accelerate Small Business Growth and Development

Small business is the heart of Florida’s economy and Florida ranks 3rd in the nation for small business growth. Small business owner optimism in Florida even recently hit a record high But, while it is a great time to own or start a small business in Florida, there is always more we can do. Florida’s small businesses still face challenges due to growth and employment needs. As Governor, Ron DeSantis will:

• Reduce Regulatory Burdens for Small Businesses.
  • Some small businesses continue to face challenges with regulations. We must have smart regulation to protect Floridians while guarding against duplicative, inconsistent and unnecessary regulations that stifle small business. As Governor, Ron DeSantis will work with the Florida Legislature to identify and eliminate over regulation of our small businesses with a goal of getting our businesses up and running faster and creating jobs quicker.
• Address Workforce Needs for Small Businesses.
  
  • As Florida’s workforce needs increase, small business employment demand will increase. The primary need for Florida’s small businesses is finding qualified employees to fill these jobs. Ron DeSantis will work with the Florida Legislature, small business leaders, CareerSource Florida, Florida’s workforce boards, and education leaders to make sure we are connecting small business with the well-trained workforce they need.
• Help Small Business Access Needed Capital to Grow.
  • One of the keys for a successful startup company is access to needed capital. Having access to capital, in the right amounts and at the right time, can mean life or death for many small businesses. As Governor, Ron DeSantis will identify and reduce barriers for small and short-term, low-interest loans and other seed capital so small businesses can access needed resources to get off the ground and continue to grow.
• Target Tax Cuts and Holidays that Help Continued Job Growth.
  • As Governor, Ron DeSantis will conduct a complete review of every tax that adds to the overall cost of doing business in the state. He will work with the Legislature to develop a comprehensive tax cut package to make Florida more competitive, grow more jobs, and lower prices for Florida’s consumers.
• Review All Fees Levied by the State.
  
  • Fees can add up on Floridians and businesses. As Governor, Ron DeSantis will issue an Executive Order directing the Governor’s Office of Policy and Budget to review all fees levied in the state of Florida and recommend fees that need to be reduced or eliminated.

Oppose Tax Increases

The success of Florida’s economy has occurred in part because of the relatively low tax rates. Florida has no personal income tax and has one of the lowest tax burdens in the United States, which is one of the many reasons people and businesses continue to move to our state. High tax states like California and New York continue to see businesses and people move to lower cost states. It is imperative that we keep taxes low so that Florida continues to be an affordable place to live, work, retire, and visit. Ron DeSantis will oppose any tax increase. As Governor, Ron DeSantis will:

• Veto any Legislation that Raises Taxes on Floridians.
  • Floridians pay enough in taxes and with Ron DeSantis as Governor, you will not pay more. Government will learn to live within its means and this begins with a commitment not to raise taxes. Tax increases stifle job growth and hinder Floridians’ opportunities to succeed. Ron DeSantis will ensure that our government responds to the many needs of the state without a bloated bureaucracy that requires more and more of taxpayers’ hard-earned money.
•  Support Amendment 5 which Requires a Supermajority to Raise Taxes or Fees.
  • Raising taxes should be a last resort and should not be an easy decision for elected officials. Ron DeSantis supports Amendment 5 to the Florida Constitution, which would require a supermajority of Florida’s Legislature to raise any tax or fee.

Keep Florida One of Lowest Tax States in the Nation

Ron DeSantis is committed to putting more money back into the pockets of Floridians because he knows they can spend their money better than government. During the last eight years, Florida has consistently cut taxes and fees. In doing so, the state has seen tremendous economic growth and created more than 1.6 million new jobs. Florida’s economy continues to grow. Unlike New York, Connecticut, and Illinois, which are high tax-and-spend states, Florida’s economy has grown by cutting taxes to increase jobs and encourage business growth. Florida is the envy of the nation as a place to work, live, retire and visit. As Governor, Ron DeSantis will ensure we never become a high tax state hurtling towards bankruptcy like states that continue to spend on the backs of their citizens. As Governor, Ron DeSantis will:

• Phase Out the Business Rent Tax
  
  • Florida is the only state in the country that taxes businesses on their rent payments. This tax hits small businesses especially hard. For us to be competitive, it is imperative that we phase out this tax to help businesses, especially small businesses, invest money back into growing their company and hiring more employees.
• Reduce the Communication Services Tax on TV, Cellphones, and Streaming Video Service. 
  
  • The tax on cell phones and cable TV, known as the Communication Services Tax, is one of the highest in the nation. Cell phone and cable bills are high enough without the state adding to them. As Governor, Ron DeSantis will work to lower this tax that hits most Floridians.
• Reduce the Corporate Income Tax.
  • Ron DeSantis know that for business to flourish and job growth to continue, we must be as competitive as possible. As Governor, Ron DeSantis will work to lower this business tax to encourage businesses to move to Florida and help Florida-based businesses continue to grow. Lowering this tax will help spur the creation of more high wage jobs.
• Target Tax Cuts that Help Continued Job Growth.
  • Taxes that target business inputs not only stifle growth, they add to the overall price Floridians pay for goods and finished products. As Governor, Ron DeSantis will conduct a complete review of every tax that adds to the overall cost of doing business in the state. He will work with the Legislature to develop a comprehensive tax cut package to make Florida more competitive, grow more jobs, and lower prices for Florida’s consumers.
• Review All Fees Levied by the State
  • Fees can add up on Floridians and businesses. As Governor, Ron DeSantis will issue an Executive Order directing the Governor’s Office of Policy and Budget to review all fees levied in the state of Florida and recommend fees that need to be reduced or eliminated.

Create a Business-Friendly Environment to Expand Opportunity for Floridians

Florida is a great place to start, grow, and relocate a business. The state has a low tax burden, smart regulatory policies, and a beautiful environment. Florida’s economy has seen unprecedented growth cementing our place as an international business destination on our way to a $1 trillion economy. 
To continue this trend we must maintain a business friendly environment that leverages all the benefits Florida has to offer in order to grow local businesses and attract new ones. Tourism, agriculture, and construction will always be foundational to Florida, but we can build so much more on that foundation. Cutting-edge research at our universities can attract vibrant life sciences and biomedical clusters. Technology companies serving the space and defense industries and shaping the leading edge of artificial intelligence should call Florida home. And Florida can become an even more significant financial services hub for the hemisphere. Ron DeSantis will ensure that Florida remains on the right path and continues creating high paying jobs for Floridians. As Governor, Ron DeSantis will:

• Invest in our Environment. 
  
  • Florida’s environment is the backbone of our economy. Ron DeSantis is a “Teddy Roosevelt Republican,” who recognizes the need protect our environment, not just so our kids and grandkids can enjoy this state, but also to continue the economic growth of our state. Our environment and our economic success are intertwined and as Governor, Ron DeSantis will make protecting our state’s natural resources a top priority.
• Support Efforts to Diversify our Economy. 
  
  • As Governor, Ron DeSantis is committed to bring higher-paying jobs to Florida and diversifying our economy is the key. We must continue to grow traditional sectors of tourism, construction and agriculture, while building opportunity in other business sectors. Financial services, biomedical research, and aerospace industries bring many high paying jobs and spur local economic growth. As Governor, Ron DeSantis will focus on efforts that create a Florida business environment where companies want to move and grow.
• Work to Bring in More High Paying Manufacturing Jobs to Florida.
  • Continued growth in Florida’s manufacturing sector is a key for Florida’s success. Manufacturing jobs are high paying and offer great benefits. The recent increase in Florida’s manufacturing sector is a text book example of growth through reduction of tax burden. In eliminating the sales tax on manufacturing equipment, Florida created thousands of new manufacturing jobs that provide high wages and quality benefits for our citizens. But, we can do even better. Most importantly, we can do more to help with site selection and skills training and help ensure there is more regulatory and permitting predictability. Both will help make sure more manufacturing businesses open and thrive in Florida. Simply put, Florida should be on the short list of every major new plant being considered anywhere in this hemisphere, and small mom-and-pops should feel confident that they can build and grow from a base in Florida. Large or small, businesses that make things should be excited to say that their products are Made in Florida.
• Reduce Lawsuit Abuse.
  • Regulations are designed to protect the health, safety and welfare of Floridians, not to keep out competition, make it harder for a small business to start up, or for a Floridian to get started up in a profession for which he or she is trained and ready. As Governor, Ron DeSantis will ensure that any rules that come from Tallahassee make common sense and serve the health, safety, and welfare of Floridians.
• Support the Continued Growth of our Tourism Industry.
  • Florida is known for our beaches, award winning state parks, great weather, and world-class theme parks. Florida welcomed 116.5 million visitors last year with direct tourism spending by out of state visitors at over $112 billion in 2016. As Governor, Ron DeSantis will work with the Florida Legislature and tourism industry leaders to ensure that this upward trend in tourism growth and spending continues.
• Support our Space Industry.
  • Work with industry leaders, Space Florida, the Department of Transportation, and the Department of Economic Opportunity to identify new opportunities to support and grow Florida's aerospace industry.

Keep Florida’s Bureaucracy in Check

Ron DeSantis is a champion of innovation and growth. Government plays a necessary role in our lives, but that role should be limited. Florida’s state agencies must run efficiently and effectively. Ron DeSantis believes we must be sure that any rule or regulation that rolls down from Tallahassee makes common sense and serves to protect the health, safety, and welfare of Floridians. Otherwise, rules and regulations become nothing more than a tax on innovation and growth. And while rules and regulations guarantee careers for bureaucrats, they hurt real Floridians trying to make it from month to month. As Governor, Ron DeSantis will:  

• Keep Bureaucracy in Check.
  • Bureaucracy has the unique ability to run amok and grow unless it is monitored and kept in check. Government should not grow unless the needs of the state demand it. As Governor, Ron DeSantis will ensure our state government, which operates on tax dollars, is run efficiently and serves the needs of Floridians, not the interests of a bureaucrat.
• Demand Efficiency.
  • No Floridian should have to wait an unreasonable amount of time to obtain a license to start a job or profession. As Governor, Ron DeSantis will make sure Floridians are able to get started in a new profession as soon as possible.
• Eliminate Unreasonable Rules and Regulations.
  • Rules and regulations are meant to protect Floridians not provide unreasonable hurdles to a great job or start a business. As Governor, Ron DeSantis will eliminate any rules that provide unreasonable hurdles for Floridians.
• Focus on the Health, Safety and Welfare of Floridians.
  • Regulations are designed to protect the health, safety and welfare of Floridians, not to keep out competition, make it harder for a small business to start up, or for a Floridian to get started up in a profession for which he or she is trained and ready. As Governor, Ron DeSantis will ensure that any rules that come from Tallahassee make common sense and serve the health, safety, and welfare of Floridians.

Invest in Florida’s Economy of Tomorrow

Florida’s economy continues to change and evolve producing more and more high wage jobs and demanding more and more skilled workers. Economic drivers like tourism and agriculture continue to fuel our economy, but professional service and manufacturing sectors are creating more demand for a well-trained workforce. The Florida Higher Education Coordinating Council has identified that 63% of new jobs in Florida require postsecondary degrees, but only 47% of adults 25-64 have a postsecondary degree. For Florida to be successful and our economy to create good paying jobs, we must concentrate on training the workforce for tomorrow. Florida must also invest in our State University System as an engine of research and development. Ron DeSantis knows that a strong higher education system is the key to bringing Florida’s economy to the next level. As Governor, Ron DeSantis will:

• Invest in Florida’s University System as an Economic Driver. 
  
  • Florida’s university system has made tremendous strides in the last 20 years. Florida now has five universities ranked in the top 100 public universities in the country. Florida’s universities generate research and development that leads to innovations of the future and produce tomorrows entrepreneurs. It is imperative that we continue to invest in our university system as an economic engine for our economy. Ron DeSantis will make it a priority to bring the discoveries and inventions of our universities to the marketplace through a heightened emphasis on technology transfer and commercialization. The areas around our universities should be buzzing with cutting edge work that diversifies our economy and strengthens our communities.
• Fight for Florida’s Share of Research Dollars. 
  
  • Ron DeSantis will use his relationship with the Trump Administration to fight for Florida’s researchers to get our fair share of research dollars coming from Washington, DC and elsewhere. Florida is still a donor state and more of those federal tax dollars must come here to fund world-class research that will not only create jobs but solve many of the most pressing issues we face, including curing disease, creating engineering breakthroughs, and helping our agriculture industry adapt and evolve.
• Utilize Florida’s College System to Train for Workforce Needs.
  • Florida’s College System is ground zero for training our workforce of tomorrow and as a point of entry for many students who will eventually graduate from our universities. Our state colleges have the flexibility and mission to serve their local communities and can quickly adapt to Florida’s changing workforce needs. For our economy to continue growing we must invest in our state college system to serve as an engine to produce needed degrees and certifications and connect Floridians and high wage jobs. Ron DeSantis will work with our college system leaders to identify needs of today and tomorrow’s workforce.
• Partner with Industry to Identify Workforce Needs.
  • For Florida to continue its economic success we must continue to build partnerships between our higher education institutions and industries to identify needs in Florida’s workforce. As Governor, Ron DeSantis will work with our higher education and business leaders to better train our current and future workforce.

To view DeSantis' economic policy package in full, please click here.  
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Disclosures:

Contributor to: Rick Scott for US Senate , Ron DeSantis for Florida Governor

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