As the state affiliate for the National Association of Manufacturers, AIF is committed to providing a member venue to discuss and advance the interests of Florida’s manufacturing community in all sectors. Florida’s manufacturing sector is the highest indirect job creator of any employment sector in the state - with three indirect jobs created for every manufacturing job. In other words, Florida’s roughly 325,000 manufacturing jobs create nearly one million additional jobs for Floridians. The state’s manufacturing sector is also a significant provider of high-wage and high value-added jobs. Florida’s need to grow manufacturing jobs is unquestionable as our state continues to diversify its economy.
Now in its sixth session, AIF’s Manufacturing, Aerospace & Defense Council (MAD) has established itself as an effective advocate for pro-manufacturing policies. In 2013, the Council was instrumental in passing the “Manufacturing Competitiveness Act”—legislation that has given Florida manufacturers the ability to effectively respond to national and world market opportunities and effectively moved Florida into a more competitive recruiting position among states seeking to reinvigorate the manufacturing sector of their economy. Additionally, this Council played a key role in passing a permanent elimination of sales tax on manufacturing equipment during last year’s session - a change that has benefited Florida’s manufacturers as they have reinvested to grow their businesses. In 2017, the MAD Council will look to build on its successes by SUPPORTING the following actions:
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