By Bob Howell – WSFA 12 News Anchor, Montgomery, AL.

Governor Riley’s “Jumpstarting Jobs” plan endorsed by the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce.  Here’s the Governor’s Office release:

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HUNTSVILLE – The Huntsville-Madison County Chamber of Commerce on Monday announced its endorsement of Governor Bob Riley’s “Jumpstarting Jobs” plan, which is currently before the Legislature.

Governor Riley met with Chamber members in Huntsville to discuss the details of his plan for expediting economic growth in Alabama.

“Alabama needs jobs now, not one year or two years from now, but right now,” said Governor Riley.  “Despite years of record growth, Alabama’s economy has not been immune from the world-wide recession.  Unemployment has risen and many Alabama families are finding it hard to make ends meet. Nothing is more important right now than building and sustaining economic growth in Alabama.

“That’s why jumpstarting job growth in Alabama and putting our state back to work must be the Legislature’s top priority in this session.  I call on legislative leaders to take action on these bills.  They shouldn’t sit on their hands and do nothing when Alabamians need help right now,” said Governor Riley.

Much of the Legislature’s attention so far this session has been focused on a plan to spend $1 billion in government money to try to stimulate job growth in the road building industry. But unlike the Governor’s tax incentive proposals, that $1 billion plan won’t create a single new job for at least a year. That’s because it won’t happen unless and until a constitutional amendment is approved by a vote of the people.

“There is a better way to create new jobs in Alabama and that’s to provide Alabama companies with incentives to hire,” said Governor Riley.

Don Nalley, Chairman of the Huntsville-Madison County Chamber of Commerce, said the chamber’s board of directors met and voted to endorse Governor Riley’s Jumpstarting Jobs plan.

“We greatly appreciate Governor Riley’s support for the economic growth of the state and our region and we are certain that even better days are coming,” Nalley said.
The “Jumpstarting Jobs” plan is made up of three proposals:

• A Back to Work Tax Credit, to offer tax incentives to Alabama companies for hiring unemployed workers.
• Targeted Job Creation Tax Credits, which provide a tax credit to businesses for every new job created in the 25 Alabama counties with the highest unemployment rates
• Small Business Tax Incentives for Health Insurance, which would allow both small business owners and their employees to deduct 200 percent of the amount they pay for health coverage from their state income taxes.

Filed under: Legislature