The MBA educates lawmakers on issues important to small and medium-sized businesses. The MBA educates members on government and encourages engagement in multiple ways.
The MBA’s Government Affairs Division is uniquely positioned to provide members access to those who make decisions that directly affect business. Through this exclusive group, MBA members have opportunities available to meet lawmakers who share MBA’s pro-growth, pro-business stance and who are players in making policy to improve the Commonwealth’s business environment.
Read on for 2024 examples.
Legislative Reception – The MBA partnered with Washington County Chamber and Pittsburgh Business Exchange for the Fourth Annual Western PA Legislative Reception.
It was a chance to learn and speak with lawmakers. PA House Floor Leader Representative Bryan Cutler, Representative Tim O’Neal, PA Senator Dan Laughlin and Senator Patrick Stefano served on a panel and shared insights on several issues and opened the floor to questions and answers.
Visited Companies with Lawmakers – Visits included a facility tour with Representative Arvind Venkat at Abram’s Nation and a PA House Mfg. Caucus Tour of Butler Technologies. Meetings with Congressman Mike Kelly were held with Barnhart Transportation and Nightingale Nursing.
Member Andy Renkey, Harmony Casting, and MBA staff held a call with Senator Gene Yaw’s office to reinforce the need for natural gas during the transition to alternative fuels. Yaw is the chair of the Senate’s Environmental Resources & Energy Committee.
Communications – Policy meetings and publications were available to educate on issues and government. Readers benefited from News You Can Use, the Hill Report, and the Business Magazine’s, On the Hill information.
Hosted Events with Lawmakers and Key Figures – These included luncheons with PA Senator Dan Laughlin, Pittsburgh Works Together and National Fuel, and a breakfast with Ben Kirschner of the Pennsylvania Office of Opportunity & Transformation.
Maintained Relationships with Lawmakers– Since it was an election year, lawmakers were out and about!
The MBA was represented at numerous events hosted by the Greater Pittsburgh Chamber, Butler County Chamber, Americans for Prosperity panel on energy, Lincoln Day Dinner, and Meet the Candidates, as well as numerous political events in the Erie area.
The MBA also was represented (by Jezree Friend) at the PA Society in New York City and participated in an Americans for Prosperity panel at Hartman Independent.
Attended Hearings and Roundtables – These included a PA House Transportation Hearing, North Hills Business Roundtable with Representative Rob Mercuri, and Butler Chamber of Commerce roundtable with the PA Secretary of Transportation.
Buchanan, Ingersoll and Rooney roundtables included PA Senator Tracy Pennycuik, Representatives Robie Matzie and Jim Marshall, and Representatives Tim O’Neal and Dan Miller.
Agenda and Legislation – The MBA lobbied on members’ priority issues including health- care costs, workforce, taxes, regulations, energy, permitting and transportation.
Factors driving the Association’s agenda pertain to PA’s demographic trends and how they impact workforce now and future projections. The Commonwealth’s demographic outlook is grim. An estimated 30 percent of the workforce will age-out over the next decade.
- Corporate Net Income Tax (CNIT) – The CNIT will reduce from 8.49 percent to 7.99 percent in 2025.
- Net Operating Loss – The deduction threshold increased from 40 percent of taxable income for tax year 2024 to 80 percent by tax year 2028.
- Permitting – Improvements to permitting processes were made that will reduce delays in business expansion projects.
- Transportation – Electric vehicles (EVs) will pay annual fees to make up for lost gas taxes.
- Workforce – The MBA helped pass several of the PA Senate’s GROW PA bills. The bills address workforce via post-secondary education, career preparation planning and financially incentivize in-state and out-of-state students to live and work in PA.
Coalitions – The MBA participated in coalitions and sign-on letters such as Compete PA and the PA Power Jobs Alliance. The Association supported several federal coalitions, for example, to oppose the Corporate Transparency Act.
In the News – The MBA Government Affairs Division continues to make headlines:
- “Manufacturer & Business Association questions Biden’s liquefied natural gas permit pause,” Jezree Friend, Erie Times-News, September 6, 2024.
- Friend also was interviewed on the “Talk Erie” radio program periodically to break down primary and general election results, etc.
- Eileen Anderson was named a Who’s Who in Government Relations, City & State, 2024.
Rest assured that The MBA continues to fight for you in 2025!
Jezree Friend is vice president at The MBA and can reached at 814/833-3200, 800/815-2660 or jfriend@mbausa.org.
Eileen Anderson is the director of Government Relations at The MBA and can be reached at 412/805-5707 or eileenanderson@mbausa.org.
