March 5, 2010

MCAA Presses for Inclusion of Building Star in Senate Jobs Bill

Representing MCAA and the Rebuilding America Coalition, MCAA President Lonnie Coleman met with Senator Sherrod Brown's (D-OH) staff last week to press for inclusion of the Coalition's Building STAR program in the upcoing Senate jobs bill.  Building STAR would provide commercial, institutional and multi-family building owners with tax incentives and direct rebates for energy-saving retrofit systems and materials, a cash-for-clunkers type proram.  The Senate bill currently does not address commercial, institutional and multi-family buildings.  MCAA is also active in another coalition that is pressing for inclusion of the Fire Sprinkler Tax Incentive Act in the job bill.  Reducing the amortization period for fire sprinkler retrofits in commercial and residential facilities will provide an economic stimulus for domestic manufacture of those systems as well as for their installation.