Pennsylvania can be a manufacturing powerhouse again, and the major investments brought by federal clean energy tax incentives are helping us reclaim our spot as a leader, this time in the 21st century economy.
Metro
The skilled and unionized workforce of Pennsylvania — electricians, roofers, insulators, sheet metal workers and more — have not only witnessed but also driven economic progress, bringing major investments and manufacturing back to this state. Federal tax incentives paved the way for all of this, creating the well-paying, blue-collar jobs and secure futures that 100,000 Pennsylvania Construction and Building Trade Council members and the Keystone Contractors Association, rely on.
It’s concerning that some in Congress are pushing to eliminate these crucial programs.
We’ve seen over 100,700 jobs created across Pennsylvania in the clean energy industry alone. That’s not including the skilled union workers that jump from project to project, scattered throughout the state. That number can, and should, grow. But right now, market uncertainty and the threat of Congress ending vital federal incentives is already taking a toll. Working families depend on jobs like these to put food on the table and build a future for our kids.
Pennsylvania can be a manufacturing powerhouse again, and the major investments brought by federal clean energy tax incentives are helping us reclaim our spot as a leader, this time in the 21st century economy.
Companies like GE and Vitro are choosing to invest millions and create thousands of jobs here because they know that Pennsylvania makes as the world takes. That’s not just big corporations; that’s concrete being poured, steel being hoisted, and wires being laid by skilled hands. That’s work for Pennsylvania union members and major investments for Pennsylvania builders. These incentives keep us competitive, not just with other states, but on the global stage.
Consider the Tunkannock school district: federal incentives not only created jobs for Pennsylvanians, but also secured an estimated $20 million in energy savings over the next generation. This involved skilled tradesmen installing solar panels and electricians connecting them to the grid, significantly boosting the local economy. Such success stories are being replicated statewide, fueling Pennsylvania’s economic growth in recent years.
The incentives have allowed businesses across the state to buy new equipment, expand facilities, and most importantly, train the workforce for the jobs of tomorrow. Building modern homes, installing efficient HVAC systems, and building out a 21st century electric grid that’s reliable and can handle the demand of the future. Our brothers and sisters in the building and construction trades, including the Pennsylvania Construction and Building Trade Council members and the Keystone Contractors Association, are learning new skills, staying competitive, and bringing home competitive wages thanks to these opportunities.
From the suppliers who provide materials, the logistics folks who get them where they need to go, the construction contractors who put it all together, and all the local businesses that thrive when we’re busy, these incentives have made a big difference here in Pennsylvania. If Congress continues its current trajectory and these incentives disappear, it’s going to put a lot of skilled laborers and small Pennsylvania companies out of business overnight.
All the progress we’ve made towards building out a skilled 21st century labor force?
Poof. Gone.
We want to support our families with good-paying jobs, and that was possible, thanks to these incentives and investments.
So the skilled workforce and builders of Pennsylvania are on watch. We’re ready to keep building out the modernized 21st century economy that Pennsylvanians deserve. Congress shouldn’t destroy what we’ve started here.
We’ve only just begun.
Robert Bair is president of Pennsylvania State Building & Construction Trades Council. Jon O’Brien is executive director of the Keystone Contractors Association.
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Robert Bair is president of Pennsylvania State Building & Construction Trades Council. Jon O’Brien is executive director of the Keystone Contractors Association.