Alexis de Tocqueville once said about the power of associations like ours:
“From then on, they are no longer isolated men (and women), but a power one sees from afar, whose actions serve as an example; a power that speaks, and to which one listens.”
This is how we are so effective in Annapolis, working to protect and promote the CPA license and businesses in Maryland. This is also why we need you to join us at CPA Day in Annapolis on Jan. 24 at the Governor Calvert House. (Register here.)
As we finished up our town hall meetings in December, more than 1,000 members helped us prioritize our legislative agenda for 2019. Here are the priorities they identified:
Offense:
- Pass CPA firm license mobility: This also helps minimize deregulatory risk.
Defense:
- Stop sales taxes on professional services — high risk.
- Minimize the impact of complex tax issues (i.e. the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act / Wayfair).
- Stop liability risk: Comparative fault — high risk.
- Stop state deregulatory risk: State Board and CPA license — new.
- Stop excessive data protection and privacy legislation.
- Stop onerous employment issues and laws.
These were also prioritized in a managing partner call in November and agreed to by our Legislative Executive Committee and Board of Directors. Watch this brief overview of the issues and why we need you at CPA Day.
The bottom line is this: This year, there is a lot more at stake as more than 3,000 bills will be heard by the 188 legislators in 90 days. With the election turnover from November, we need to introduce ourselves to 58 new legislators. That’s more than 31 percent of the entire General Assembly.
If not you, who will help us protect our profession and your license? And if not now, when will you make time for your profession and the license that you worked so hard to earn?
Can we count on you to join us? Register at MACPA.org/CPADay
For further details, listen to my recent “Future-Proof” podcast interview with Bill Sheridan about this year’s MACPA legislative priorities:
Read more about the upcoming General Assembly session here:
- Meet the freshman class of the Maryland General Assembly (Washington Post)
- Hogan, Democratic leaders at odds as General Assembly begins (Baltimore Business Journal)
- Comptroller: Tax refunds not delayed in Maryland this year (Patch Maryland)
- New faces, new roles bring change to General Assembly (Daily Record)
- Fresh faces of power in Annapolis (Baltimore Sun)
- Here’s what to watch for as lawmakers return to Annapolis (Herald-Mail Media)
- 9 key issues that Maryland lawmakers will address during the 2019 General Assembly session (Baltimore Sun)
- Minimum wage, health care top issues in 2019 Maryland legislature (Washington Post)