Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Here is my reasning for the repeal of each law:
1.
Northeast Regional Economic Policy and Improvement Act of 2013 - I want to repeal this law because I believe that it's function is served adequately by the Bank of the Northeast, which provides loans. Setting up another separate program for that purpose is a wastes taxpayer funds and creates unnecessary bureaucracy. This program does have another function, in that it allows municipalities to apply for aid for projects deemed necessary for economic growth. Not only do we already have programs that strategically invest in infrastructure developments with the purpose of creating growth (namely the
BUILD Act of 2012) but this also allows municipalities to transfer the tax burden of funding local infrastructure from municipal citizens to regional citizens, at no cost to then.
2.
Quick-Action Closing Fund Act of 2013 - First of all, it appears this law was defunded by default, because the funding for it was never renewed (or at least it wasn't renewed in the last regional budget). The law creates a board within the regional Department of Commerce that is mainly tasked with "negotiating for workforce training, capital investments, and other projects to help collaborate with businesses and manufacturers interested in locating or relocating their facilities in the Northeast Region (Section 2, clause 2)." It seems unclear what this means, or what chips this board would using to bargain with. The board also has the authority to create grants and incentives for recently located/relocated businesses. The law implies (though it is not entirely clear on this) that the funding for these incentives will come from the BNE. However, if the BNE has the authority to do this (which, based on my reading of the law that chartered the BNE, seems somewhat dubious) presumably it could so itself without a middleman like the board created by this law.
3.
Job Creation and Infrastructure Renewal Act of 2012 - Either this law has not been enforced at all, or it automatically repealed itself a while ago. If someone can provide the necessary regional unemployment statistics to show that the latter should have occurred, I will just edit the Statute page on the wiki to denote that. Otherwise, we might as well just repeal it ourselves.
4.
Sbane Windfarm Act of 2012 - I don't really care about the first two sections, my main issue with this law are that I doubt its necessity and take issue with some its blatantly corporatist aspects. I see no reason for the regional government to involve itself in wind energy startups by initiating takeovers of 49% of wind farm projects. If a project is sound, it will succeed. I see no reason for us to start running corporate projects and acting as if the regional government were itself a for-profit corporation. Furthermore, I see no reason for the regional government to expend taxpayer funds to subsidize utilities. Is there evidence that utilities require taxpayer assistance to construct energy transmission lines? Again, this is another area where I see no reason for the regional government to involve itself in what should be a private corporate affair. Finally, since we axed energy subsidies in the last budget, this was
de facto defunded (although it is possible that, at least in regard to the subsidized construction of energy transmission lines, the law's purpose was already completed).
5.
Northeast Small Business Incentive Act of 2010 - This law provides a two-part incentive to small business. It allows to pay employees $7.00 per hour (a violation of federal wage laws) and it grants them a two-year
4% tax rebate (which is pointless now, as their is no regional corporate tax). This law is simply obsolete.
6.
Northeastern Green Jobs Act of 2009 - This law sets ridiculous standards. It requires to constantly create "green jobs" until the unemployment rate drops below 5%. This has definitely not been adhered to, and would be ridiculous if it was. The government is simply not capable of creating jobs on such a scale.
7.
Northeastern Revitalization Proposal of 2006 - This creates a committee (which is supposed to consist of the Governor and Lieutenant Governor) to allocate money (which has not been specifically allocated to this committee in quite some time). If anyone knows if the Assembly voted against the continuation of this law, just show me so i can denote that on the Statute. Otherwise, we might as well repeal this.
