Nearly 150 participated in RMI’s Town Hall Talks on October 27th
Senate President Mike Miller and Senator Klausmeier announced legislation dubbed” Kathy’s bill” to support manufacturing. ACTION ITEM: RMI will work directly with the Senators to pass this and other bills to help manufacturing during the 2012 legislative session.
Senator Klausmeier and Senator Kittleman, both RMI Board members, will meet with Drew and Mike to discuss a bill to reduce corporate taxes. ACTION ITEM: RMI will meet with the Senators to develop a draft bill.
Comptroller Peter Franchot called for eliminating business taxes until the economy improves as a way to spur job creation. ACTION ITEM: RMI will coordinate with the Comptroller’s office to assist manufacturers with problems and issues they may have that can be eliminated with support from the Comptroller’s office.
Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz announced at $225,000 grant to RMI to implement energy conservation at six Baltimore County manufacturing facilities. ACTION ITEM: RMI will report results online via the RMI website and host in June 2012 a forum to showcase the company successes and ways others may benefit.
Key organizational leaders publically pledged support to work more collaboratively with RMI to advance Maryland manufacturing. These included MEDA, Economic Alliance of Greater Baltimore, TEDCO. ACTION ITEM: RMI will develop more effective ties with these and other key business associations to assist manufacturers.
Dick Story, MEDA, surveyed County/City Economic Development leaders statewide and reported that the majority view manufacturing as important to their counties/city. ACTION ITEM: RMI will post results and follow up with respondents.
Key barriers were identified:It is very expensive for a Maryland manufacturer to compete, especially if the company has multi-state or international operations. Attracting individual workers to the state of Maryland is expensive due to the high costs of transferring assets such as vehicles, purchasing and settling a home, and incurring the Maryland two-tiered piggy-back tax. Competing against other states for new companies has always been a challenge due to aggressive credits and incentives offered by neighboring states. Competing globally is challenging as profits earned overseas cannot be repatriated without incurring an additional layer of federal tax. In addition, taxes paid in foreign jurisdictions may not always be fully credited against US taxes. ACTION ITEM: RMI will promote solutions to these barriers with state and local government officials and to stakeholder groups.
Manufacturers in the room pledge to offer free support to each other to build capacity. Susan Ganz of Lion Brothers offers “Branding services” ACTION ITEM: RMI will promote connections between companies.
Key audience suggestions:
Get legislators out to visit companies. ACTION ITEM: RMI will set up Talk and Tours for legislators and plan an event in Annapolis during the General Assembly.
Need to improve manufacturing image to attract talent. Image of manufacturing is tied to workforce attraction. Big shortage of workers will occur due to retirements. ACTION ITEM: RMI will promote manufacturing success stories, increase news sources to media and showcase Maryland made Products online.
Manufacturers need to work together. ACTION ITEM: RMI will create more opportunities for manufacturers to connect with each other. RMI will host a manufacturer’s dinner to begin attracting more members.
Rapid Technologies represent the new technological face of manufacturing. ACTION ITEM: RMI will host a 1 day conference (Spring 2012) in cooperation with industry and educational leaders.
