Advocacy Report

September 2015

To lead, connect and advocate as the voice of business.

EconomicCompetitiveness

InfrastructureInvestment

BusinessOpportunities

Priorities:

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• ‘Augustine Commission’ Bills (Restructured DBED, Apprenticeship Program, Impact on Small Business, Tech Transfer, Customer Service Training)

• Preserved numerous business and R&D tax credits for strategic enterprises

• Opposed Combined Reporting and a rollback of recoupled estate tax

• Supported Economic Development Reorganization in Montgomery County

Wins! in 2014-2015

EconomicCompetitiveness

• Recouple MD estate tax with federal rate• Tax credits for R&D, biotech, stem cell

research fund• Hotel/motel tax exemption for corporate

training facilities• Defeat combined reporting• Defeated internet taxes, parking space tax

(2003)• Commission on Business Climate which

influenced the creation of the Maryland Economic Development and Business Climate Commission

Previous Wins!

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Wins! in 2014-2015

Infrastructure Investment

• Transportation Commission: Gas Tax and Constitutional Amendment to secure funds

• Inter County Connector (ICC)• Master Plans such as White Flint, White Oak

Science Gateway, Great Seneca Science Corridor• Expansions at Montgomery College (Rockville,

Germantown), USG, MCPS, Hospitals, Johns Hopkins

• Broadband for schools• Infrastructure investments – WSSC, Washington

Gas, Pepco• Capital funding for Strathmore, Glen Echo,

North Bethesda Conference Center• Securing Federal assets in Montgomery County

– HHS, FDA, NOAA, NCCoE

Previous Wins!• Retained Motor Fuel Tax to invest in transportation

• Purple Line Moves Forward

• Secured funding for WMATA, 8-Car Trains on Metro, and study of use by Maryland riders

• Improved SHA access permits process

• Testified on Aspen Hill Minor Master Plan Amendment and Subdivision Regulation Amendment 15-01

• Participated in Benchmarking Work Groups to implement new legislation effectively

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Wins! in 2014-2015

Business Opportunities

• Small Business Reserve Programs at County and State• Tax Credit for Security Clearance Expenses at Sensitive

Compartmented Information Facilities (SCIFs) • Invest Maryland• Public Private Partnership Legislation• STRIDE II• Established Green Certified Business program with MC

DEP and Montgomery College

Previous Wins!

At the Federal level:• Dramatic reduction in the rate of insourcing in government

projects• Mentor protégé program for women, SDVOSB’s, and Hub

Zone Companies included in the Small Business Jobs Bill• Language for parity in SBA set-aside programs included in

Small Business Act • Pushed for Maryland’s regional competitiveness in GSA

Leasing

• Increased Veteran Owned Business participation in State procurement

• Modified proposed legislation on hiring (Ban the Box) and paid leave (Earned Sick and Safe Leave)

• Made the case for the need to reduce the local energy tax that disproportionately impacts business

• Expanded the Montgomery County Green Certified Business program to include four national organizations

• Obtained County, State, Federal funding for MCCCF National Center for Veteran Institute for Procurement (VIP)

• Secured extended time for businesses to comment on ‘game changing’ US SBA rules

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MCCC Influential Inputon Key Decisions in 2014-2015

County Planning Board • Conducted interviews of applicants for Chair and of applicants for Commissioner• County Council adhered to Chamber recommendations on Planning Board appointments

Board of Education• Provided input on qualities of superintendent as part of search process

County Government • Provided input on qualities of MC Department of Transportation Director• Provided input on approach to MC Department of Economic Development reorganization

2014 Election• Candidate questionnaire to Governor, State General Assembly, County Executive, County Council• Congratulations letters to Governor, Cabinet, General Assembly, County Executive, County Council

2014-2015 MCCC Letters of Support • Suburban Hospital Certificate of Need• Comcast Time Warner Merger• Pepco Exelon Merger

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• Purple Line Advocacy– Letters to the Governor and Secretary of Transportation– Participation in numerous events to make the case for the Purple Line

• Prince George’s Chamber of Commerce– FBI in Maryland

• Frederick County Chamber of Commerce– I-270

• Greater Washington Board of Trade– Metro Momentum and 8 Car Train Coalition– WMATA funding

• Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP)Government Contracting and Small Business

– Proposed rule changes on subcontracting– Proposed rule changes on mentor protégé program

MCCC Collaborationon Regional Issues in 2014-2015

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Economic Development

• Montgomery County Business Development Corporation (MBDC)

• Comprehensive Strategic Economic Development Advisory Group

• Maryland Competitiveness Coalition• Committee for Montgomery• Montgomery Moving Forward• Montgomery County Department of Economic

Development• Maryland Department of Business and Economic

Development

Members of the MCCC Leadership Team strategically serve on numerous boards and working groups and partner with business organizations to amplify the voice of business and shape the business climate.

Transportation

• Purple Line Now• Coalition for the Corridor Cities Transitway• Suburban Maryland Transportation Alliance

(SMTA)• WMATA Momentum Champions• Montgomery County Transit Task Force• Coalition to Protect the Transportation Trust Fund

Other

• Maryland Chamber of Commerce• Local chambers• Maryland Builders Industry Association (MBIA)• Apartment and Office Building Association (AOBA)• Montgomery County Year of the Veteran• MCBRE

MCCC Community Partnerships

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• Business Awards Dinner– Public Sector Partner of the Year

awarded to Mauricio Vera, Director, Office of Small & Disadvantaged Business Utilization, USAID

– Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection sponsored an award

– Montgomery County Department of Economic Development sponsored an award

• Annapolis Legislative Reception– Attended by members of the

Montgomery County Delegation to the Maryland General Assembly

• Public Safety Awards – Program included:

• Senator Barbara Mikulski• Congressman Chris Van Hollen• Congressman John Delaney• Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett• Montgomery County Council President George

Leventhal

• GovConNet Procurement Conference– Honorary Chair Congressman Chris Van Hollen (MD 8) – Keynote speaker: Maryland Secretary of Commerce,

Mike Gill

• Annual Dinner – Legislator of the Year awarded to Senator Ben Cardin– Keynote remarks by Lieutenant General Boyd K.

Rutherford

MCCC Connecting Business to Governmentat 2014-2015 Signature Events

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Business Roundtable Discussions• John Delaney, Congressman, Maryland 6th District• Mike Gill, Secretary, Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development• Peter Rahn, Secretary, Maryland Department of Transportation• Ken Ullman, County Executive, Howard County

Board of Directors Speakers• Todd Marks, CEO, Mindgrub Technologies• Alexander J. Triantis, Dean, Smith School of Business, University of Maryland

Individual Meetings with Elected Officials• Ike Leggett, County Executive, Montgomery County• Councilmembers George Leventhal, Nancy Floreen, Roger Berliner, Sidney Katz, Nancy Navarro, Hans

Riemer, Tom Hucker• Senators Nancy King, Brian Feldman, Jamie Raskin, Rich Madaleno, Karen Montgomery• Delegates Shane Robinson, Anne Kaiser, Shelia Hixson, Kirill Reznik, Bill Frick, Marc Korman, Andrew Platt,

Marice Morales, David Moon

MCCC Strategic Access to Thought Leaders in 2014-2015

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Economic Development• Steve Silverman, Director, Montgomery County

Department of Economic DevelopmentWhite Oak Life Science Center

• Ron Kaese, Director, Federal Programs, Maryland Technology Development Corporation, TEDCO

Turning Research into Revenue• Senator Nancy King, Delegate Anne Kaiser,

Montgomery County Delegation LeadershipLegislative Priorities

• Dan Hoffman, Chief Innovation Officer, Montgomery County MoCo Innovation Program

• Kelly Groff, President and CEO, Visit MontgomeryBusiness Opportunities through County Hospitality and Events

• Lily Qi, Special Projects, Office of the County ExecutiveEconomic Development in Montgomery County

• Peter Franchot, Comptroller, State of MarylandMaryland's fiscal climate, tax revenue impact, and economic opportunities

Infrastructure and Land Use• Jerry Johnson, General Manager, WSSC• Casey Anderson, Chair, Planning Board

Montgomery County Planning Board Updates• Michelle Vigen, Senior Energy Planner, Department of

Environmental ProtectionEnergy Benchmarking

• Charlie Scott, Government Relations, WMATAWMATA Update

• Hans Riemer, Councilmember, At-LargeMontgomery County's Digital Infrastructure

• Roger Berliner, Councilmember, District 1Montgomery County Transportation

• Bruce Crispell, MCPS & Pam Dunn, Planning DepartmentEnrollment Trends and School Planning

• Peter Rahn, Secretary, Department of TransportationMaryland Transportation

• Chuck Bean, Executive Director, and Bob Griffiths, Director, Technical Services, Council of Governments

• Diane Schwartz Jones, Director, Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services

• Al Roshdieh, Acting Director, Montgomery County Department of Transportation

Member Exchange Meetings 2014-2015:Access to Information and Experts

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Legislative Affairs• John Stierhoff, Partner, Venable

Primary Election Results Review• Senator Brian Feldman

Regional Issues and Maryland's Role in the Region• Melanie Wenger, Director, Office of Intergovernmental Relations

2015 General Assembly Legislative Session Priorities• Senator Nancy King, Delegate Anne Kaiser, Montgomery County

Delegation LeadershipLegislative Priorities

• George Leventhal, Montgomery County CouncilCounty Council Priorities

• Roger Berliner, Councilmember, District 1Montgomery County Transportation

• John Stierhoff, Partner, Venable and Marta Harding Updates from Annapolis - 2015 Legislative Session

• Senator Nancy King and Delegate Shane Robinson Session Recap• Sidney Katz, Councilmember, Montgomery County Council (District

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Small Business• Jay Fahrer, Associate Director Compliance & Communications,

Independent Benefit ServicesPatient Protection and Affordable Care Act

• Lisa Firestone, President and CEO, Managed Care AdvisorsCEO Lessons Learned

• Judy Stephenson, Small Business Navigator, Montgomery County Department of Economic Development

• Jon Williams, Pilliero MazzaCyber Security Best Practices and Requirements

• Mike Neary, Lerch, Early, BrewerEmployment Law in the County and State

• Jim McClelland, Emergency Management Specialist, Montgomery County Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security Joe Corona, Outreach Coordinator, Montgomery County Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security

Emergency Preparedness• Angela Beemer, Montgomery College and Wendelin Donahue,

USGInternship Programs for Your Business

Member Exchange Meetings 2014-2015:Access to Information and Experts

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Government Contracting Network (GovConNet)• Brian Friel, Government Contracts Analyst, Bloomberg LP

Procurement Opportunities: Where the Money Is• Nichole DeVries Atallah, Associate, Labor and Employment Law and Litigation, PilieroMazza PLLC and Kevin McCoy, Partner,

Ford & Harrison LLPStaying Competitive in a Challenging Labor Compliance Environment – New HR Regulations for Federal Contractors Guest Speaker

• Jon Williams, Partner, PilieroMazza PLLCCyber Security Best Practices and Requirements

• Pamela J. Mazza, Managing Partner; PilieroMazza PLLCSBA Proposed Rule on Subcontracting Reforms

• Martin Feeney, Vice President, Government Relations, Madison Services Group, Inc.How to Find Program Dollars in the New Federal Budget

• Pasquale (Pat) DeSanto Jr., Supplier Diversity Lead, Information Services and Global Solutions (IS&GS), Lockheed Martin Corporation

Lockheed Martin - Opening Doors to Small Enterprises• John F. Long, Manager, Supplier Diversity Programs, Northrop Grumman Information Systems

Navigating your way through a Prime Contractor

Member Exchange Meetings 2014-2015:Access to Information and Experts

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MCCC In the News in 2014-2015

• Op-Ed in “The Washington Post” with Prince George’s Chamber on the FBI relocation

• Frequent guest on “Montgomery Week in Review”• Transportation 4 America press event• Comcast Newsmakers features elected officials at MCCC

signature events and an interview with Georgette “Gigi” Godwin, MCCC President & CEO

• Numerous media citations in local publications

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MCCC Membership At A Glance

Approximately 80% of MCCC Members are headquartered in Maryland

Over 70% of MCCC Members have 50 or fewer employees

MCCC works with other Chambers and industry groups to amplify the voice of business