Mission

The Vermont Prosperity Project:    

• Promotes an economic climate conducive to business growth and preservation of the Vermont quality of life.
• Works with business representatives, regulatory and elected officials to improve the economic well-being of Vermonters by creating desirable jobs to grow existing businesses and attract new investment.
• Supports a healthy business climate by creating and supporting initiatives that encourage strong economic development programs, sound fiscal policies, an increasing tourism base, sensible environmental regulations, and a dependable transportation system.
• Endorse public policy that does not increase taxes or impose mandates.

Purpose of the Business Agenda 
The Vermont Prosperity Project recognizes the importance of working with lawmakers and government officials at both the state and federal levels in order to achieve employers' primary economic development initiatives during the immediate legislative session, as well as the ongoing policies outlined in this Business Agenda.

Economic Development and Job Creation

Adoption of the Vermont Prosperity Project's Priorities for Job Creation and Retention is of top importance. Continuous economic development is essential to Vermont's economy. The Vermont Prosperity Project supports programs and policies that allow short-term and long range planning for Vermont business, combined with consistent, reasonable tax policies, improved broadband and cell phone coverage and predictable government spending. These economic development efforts will result in vigorous business expansions, relocations and start-ups in Vermont.

Economic growth coupled with a supportive business climate can provide well-paying jobs. A supportive business climate can be achieved through sound fiscal policies that mitigate many of the high costs of doing business, such as energy, workers' compensation, health care, and education.

Economic Opportunity
Increasing Vermont's competitiveness in the national and international marketplace will result in more and better jobs for Vermonters and increased revenues to government. Therefore, the Vermont Prosperity Project supports:

• efforts to reduce the cost of doing business in Vermont by continuing the work on reforming the workers' compensation system, reducing regulations, streamlining the Act 250 and permitting processes, enacting tort reform, lowering taxes, and preventing and eliminating unfavorable mandates on businesses.
• sufficient funding for effective and efficient economic development programs coupled with benchmarks on effectiveness.
• improvements in Vermont's infrastructure such as maintaining roads and bridges, selective construction of new highways, upgrading airports, broadband telecommunication, and improving the electrical energy transmission and distribution systems.
• foreign investment in Vermont, expanded travel to the state, and the export of Vermont products and services, as well as continued state participation in the Global Trade Partnership.
• programs to aggressively and cooperatively promote the commercial, industrial, travel, agricultural and educational sectors of economy.
• market determination of wages and benefits.

Electronic Commerce
The Vermont economy, at the local, regional and state levels, is a major benefactor of the vast and varied opportunities provided by electronic commerce. However, internet-based business opportunities pose many issues such as transaction taxation, protection of intellectual property, privacy protection and general security. The Vermont Prosperity Project supports:

• strong policies for the protection of intellectual property.
• general security of internet transactions.
• equitable statewide access to the information highway and wireless communications for Vermont businesses.
• improved interaction with state government through electronic media, including on-line permitting, electronic billing and electronic payment systems.

Energy 
The Vermont Prosperity Project endorses a balanced energy policy which promotes self-sufficiency, increased development of North American resources, supply diversity and the efficient use of energy with the overall goal of lowering energy costs for Vermonters and Vermont businesses. A sensible energy policy will ensure a healthy economy, security for the state, and improve the electrical energy transmission system. The Vermont Prosperity Project supports:

• energy conservation and use of energy efficient equipment, appliances, buildings and vehicles consistent with national codes and standards.
• cost-effective, free-market, demand-side management programs.
• co-generation as part of Vermont's energy mix.
• developing environmentally sound and economically viable alternative fuels for vehicles and alternative energy sources for stationary energy uses.
• private sector fulfillment for meeting Vermont's energy needs.
• recognition that incorporating environmental externalities in energy pricing, or taxing energy sources in order to discourage energy use, may have an adverse impact on economic activity in the state and therefore the quality of life.
• recognition that petroleum-based fuels supply more than 40 percent of the Nation's energy and 90 percent of the Nation's transportation fuels. A reliable supply of such energy is important for heating, transportation and industrial uses.
• recognition of nuclear energy as a significant power source and support maximization of lowest cost source, such as Entergy.

Government Accountability 
The Vermont Prosperity Project supports the traditional concept of allowing private sector businesses to operate free of unreasonable government regulations and workplace mandates. New or expanded social programs should be funded by the general fund.

The Vermont Prosperity Project also supports:

• holding legislators accountable for their voting records by implementing an electronic voting system in the State House and Senate.
• an ongoing evaluation of existing regulations and programs, and their administration, to determine their ultimate economic impact, utility, and efficiency in regards to both the consumer and the business community.
• preparing risk assessments and cost-benefit analyses for new major laws, mandates or regulations, to demonstrate that the benefits outweigh the costs.
• holding regulators accountable for the costs, scope, burden and effectiveness of regulations issued by state and federal agencies.

International Trade 
Maintaining and promoting international free trade is a critical issue to member firms of the Vermont Prosperity Project. International border issues, import/export procedures, international trade policy, including free trade agreements and economic sanctions, are all of prominent concern to Vermont Prosperity Project. The Vermont Prosperity Project believes the success of international trade will benefit the private sector through increased production and sales; and benefit government through increased revenue. In addition, international trade is the mechanism to promote worldwide economic development, and the knowledge and understanding of other cultures.

The Vermont Prosperity Project supports: 

• a unified international free trade policy that will enhance the capabilities of the Vermont business community to engage in international commerce.
• continued investment in the international trade programs and infrastructure that assist Vermont companies.
• the promotion of Vermont's close proximity to Montreal, the largest port in eastern North America.
• working cooperatively with the Vermont business community and governmental entities to increase intellectual property protections around the world.
• advocating for additional free trade agreements.
• timely and predictable border crossings and customs clearance for commercial and tourism traffic via road, rail, sea and air without hindering Homeland Security efforts.
• continued investment in Vermont's transportation infrastructure including air, rail and highways to promote the flow of goods and services.

Education and Training

An educated citizenry is the foundation of a successful, healthy and productive society. One major component for business success is the availability of a well educated and well trained workforce developed through a statewide system of education and training.

Education
The Vermont Prosperity Project supports an educational policy that assures every child will become a competent, productive, responsible citizen. This can be accomplished in part by supporting and maintaining an educational system that encourages every child and adult to participate in lifelong learning.

In addition, the Vermont Prosperity Project supports: 

• an ongoing analysis of ways to improve educational quality, structure and governance to assure cost-effectiveness of deliver systems, focusing on overall results of the current K-12 public education system.
• increased funding for post-secondary education so that all Vermonters, both traditional and non-traditional students are ensured access to affordable post-secondary education, recognizing that higher education is an important economic engine for Vermont.
• standardized assessment tools for student performance, which are recognized and utilized locally and nationally and incorporate applied performance.
• offering the citizens of Vermont greater opportunities for school choice and charter schools, which create competition, thus improving quality and reducing costs.
• retaining high standards for teachers.
• flexibility to address issues of performance based compensation and alternative certification procedures.
• initiatives to create safe learning environments.
• we believe there is a significant need for improvement with how K-through post secondary students are prepared for work.

Workforce Training
A well-educated and trained workforce is the key to economic success for the state's businesses and workers.

The Vermont Prosperity Project supports: 

• and recognizes the importance of technical and vocational training to the economic future of Vermont.
• industry skill standards linked to national skill standards system.
• the practice of businesses reviewing high school transcripts to demonstrate a link between education and job skills.
• continue creating and funding technology centers in Vermont to serve as magnets for high technology business.
• continue funding for federal and state programs to train and re-train Vermonters for jobs for the future.
• career pathways to address the critical needs of businesses and employees.

Environment and Regulation

Predictable, reasonable and cost-effective government policies and regulations are critical for business planning, particularly in the rapidly changing global marketplace in which Vermont businesses must compete. The Vermont Prosperity Project recognizes the need to protect and conserve natural resources to maintain Vermont's unique environment. This need should be balanced with a fair, timely and predictable environmental permitting process, which recognizes the necessity for economic growth and development.

Permit Process
The Vermont Prosperity Project supports a balanced environmental permitting policy which:

• streamlines permitting processes so that all regulators will coordinate efforts resulting in greater government efficiency and shorter time frames for permit applicants by eliminating multiple presentations and duplicate hearings.
• is fair, timely and predictable and recognizes the necessity for economic growth and development.
• provides for a fair prime ag mitigation policy, which balances the need to protect prime ag lands with the need for economic development and housing.
• a rational and predictable state stormwater permit process.