The House Republican Policy Committee recently held a hearing to explore and advance pro-business, pro-jobs, and pro-family policies.
Testifiers spoke about the rising costs of doing business in Pennsylvania and ways to achieve prosperity such as an affordable cost of living, economic opportunities, and public-private partnerships. They also spoke about bureaucracy being an obstacle to opportunity.
“Operating expenses driven up by regulatory burdens and outdated policies make it difficult for companies to grow and invest in their workforce,” Aaron Riggleman, at the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry manager of government affairs, said. “When businesses allocate more resources to rising costs they have less flexibility to offer competitive wages or to create new jobs. If we want Pennsylvania to be a place where businesses thrive and families flourish we must work to reduce these costs and foster an environment where employers can do what they are eager to do – and that’s reinvest in their people, their businesses, and their communities.”
Other testifiers included Mark Blanchard, Cumberland Valley School District superintendent; Ryan Heishman, Allen Distribution CEO; and David Samella, Vitro Architectural Glass plant manager.
Heishman testified that Pennsylvania’s business climate is robust, but it is overshadowed by cumbersome agencies and processes.