SACRAMENTO – Following Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr.’s proposal of a three-part California Jobs First plan this morning, business leaders expressed overwhelming support for his plan to put Californians to work.
Biocom
“The package proposed by the Governor will make California more competitive with other states and provide a foundation upon which we can rebuild California’s job base,” said Joe Panetta, President and CEO, BIOCOM, “Governor Brown is to be commended for putting the strength of his office into these efforts.”
Boeing
“As a company with several major manufacturing sites in this state, Boeing applauds the governor’s initiative to support manufacturing in California,” said Jeff Sweet, Director of California Government Relations for The Boeing Company. “He understands the need for consistency and certainty to spur investment and job growth, and is seeking solutions that will help accomplish that goal.”
California Healthcare Institute
“CHI, representing the biomedical industry in the state, supports Gov. Brown’s effort to incentivize investment in innovation and job growth in California,” said David L. Gollaher, Ph.D., California Healthcare Institute’s president and CEO. “The biomedical industry is one of the strongest sectors in California’s hard-hit economy and has been a catalyst for innovation, job growth and revenue that could help lead the state to economic recovery. The governor’s jobs package will provide valuable incentives to promote continued growth for California’s innovator industries.”
Genentech
“This plan creates valuable new incentives for businesses to increase manufacturing in California and hire new workers,” said Andrea Jackson, Director of State Government Affairs at Genentech. “Genentech is pleased that Governor Brown is taking action to restore confidence in California’s economy and to provide more stability and predictability for California businesses.”
SunPower
“The governor has shown great leadership in supporting job growth in the solar industry,” said Tom Werner, SunPower CEO. “With the kinds of policies proposed today, SunPower has expanded to more than 1000 direct jobs, including manufacturing jobs in Silicon Valley. In addition, thousands more solar jobs have been created at our dealers and partners who install the world’s highest efficiency solar systems across the state on homes, businesses, schools and power plants.”
Valley Industry and Commerce Association
“The Governor’s tax package addresses several important reforms needed in the state’s tax law,” said VICA President Stuart Waldman. “Expanding and increasing job-creation tax credits and reducing taxes for manufacturers are exactly the kinds of things government should be doing to help revitalize our economy. Single sales factor apportionment is a matter of tax fairness. If we want to keep businesses in the state we have to takes steps to put local firms on equal footing with their competitors, not give advantages to companies that are based outside our state.”
Representatives from the following companies joined the Governor at this morning’s news conference: Abbott Labs, Bay Bio, Biocom, Boeing, California Healthcare Institute, California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce, Genentech, Solyndra, SunPower, California Teamsters Public Affairs Council and Tesla. The news conference can be viewed in its entirety here.