San Gabriel Valley Business Owners Salute Senator Huff

SACRAMENTO: Business owners with the San Gabriel Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce recognized and paid tribute to the achievements of Senator Bob Huff (R-San Dimas), for his work to promote business and new job creation while serving in the State Legislature. Senator Huff was presented with a special Lifetime Achievement Award during a special ceremony held at the Hurst Ranch in West Covina and recognized for the measures that he either authored or supported for the business community.

“An award such as this is very important to me,” said Senator Huff during the ceremony. “Leading the fight to make California more friendly to business and new job creation has not been an easy task in Sacramento. I often find myself competing against the interests of others in the State Legislature or the Governor himself. I’m pleased that I represented business and job creators the best way I could in my role as a State Senator, but more needs to be done.”

Senator Huff was recognized for his efforts to promote targeted tax breaks for industries that have a big impact in the Southern California region. These include the Film and Television Tax Credit and the Aerospace Manufacturing Tax Credit approved by the Legislature in 2014.

The $330 million Film and Television Tax Credit has helped California reclaim the title of the top production center in the world. 19 out of 109 film projects have been shot in California since the Legislature approved this credit, bringing an estimated $720 million in total production spending to the state. A new study released this month found that seven of these projects were made here thanks to the tax credit program, including “Straight Outta Compton” with a $4.8 million tax credit on a $50 million budget.

The $420 million aerospace tax break package, which Senator Huff also supported, is credited with landing an $80 billion U. S. Air Force contract to build a new generation long-range stealth bomber at the Northrop Grumman plant in Palmdale.

“This tax credit has also benefitted defense-related firms in Orange County,” said Senator Huff during the Hurst Ranch ceremony. “In fiscal year 2016 alone, 17 Orange County companies received $10 million in tax breaks. Five companies earned at least $1 million, and several small businesses got less than $80,000 each.”

“The Regional Chamber of Commerce San Gabriel Valley will be losing a strong supporter for business owners and the overall business community in the State Legislature when Senator Huff leaves office due to term limits this November,” said Anthony Duarte, CEO of the Regional Chamber.