Calif. port incentive bill introduced

Calif. port incentive bill introduced    California Assemblyman Steve Bradford, D-Gardena, has introduced legislation that would create a state incentive program designed to encourage new investment in trade and environmental infrastructure at California ports and improve the use of current trade infrastructure.
   The bill, AB 2687, aims to create new construction jobs and encourage the development of longshore, trucking, warehousing, farming and manufacturing jobs in California.
   'What California needs now more than ever is steady growth in the creation of new high-wage, blue-collar jobs,' Bradford said in a statement.
   The bill would create an incentive program where only those trade infrastructure projects and California-based cargo shipments that can demonstrate that they have created a positive revenue stream to the state would receive financial incentives. The incentives would also help to pay for environmental improvements at the ports.
   'In addition to investing in infrastructure and mitigating environmental impacts, these projects will also grow our state's general fund through the tax revenues created by the economic impacts from shipping and goods movement,' Bradford said.
   The bill is based on a similar initiative recently adopted in Louisiana, which was designed to increase port investment and cargo growth.
   'Other states and countries are trying to steal jobs, investment and cargo from California,' Bradford said. 'I introduced AB 2687 to create at least one set of tools to fight back against this drain on California's workforce.'
   The bill has been sponsored by the California-based Pacific Merchant Shipping Association, which represents carriers, marine terminal operators on issues affecting international trade.