Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/280096
March 2014 | Construction Equipment Distribution | www.cedmag.com | 53 Want A Good Reason to Come to the AED Washington Fly-In? I'll Give You Four You have everything to gain by attending this unique event, and lots to lose if you don't. AED's 2014 Washington Fly-In on April 2 and 3 is shaping up to again be the year's premiere public policy gathering for equipment distributors. If you're on the fence about whether to attend, here are four good reasons you should: Unprecedented risk for equip- ment markets, dealer CODB. In the almost two decades I've been working for the equipment industry in Washington, I've never seen so much political risk for distributors. For starters, the federal highway program is on the verge of collapse. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) says that the underfunded Highway Trust Fund (HTF) won't be able to support any new road, bridge, or transit spending in FY 2015, putting $40 billion worth of highway investment, $2.4 billion in related equip- ment market activity, and 4,000 dealer- ship jobs at risk. The HTF's long-term prospects are equally dim. Just keeping highway funding flat for the next six years is going to require lawmakers to come up with more than $100 billion in new HTF revenues (gas tax, etc.) or equivalent general fund transfers. That'll be a heavy lift at a time when the government is bleeding red ink. Not all AED members sell equip- ment to highway contractors, but road construction leads to additional development activity (housing, utility, commercial building), so it's likely that one way or another you'll be affected if the highway program collapses. Dealers also face enormous risk on the tax front. Most AED members would lose big under the tax reform plan unveiled by the Senate Finance Committee in November. Among the proposals: much longer cost recovery periods for equipment and other busi- ness expenditures and the repeal of last-in, first-out (LIFO) accounting and like-kind exchange (LKE). Aside from playing defense, AED is also working to reinstate higher Sec. 179 small busi- ness expensing and bonus depre- ciation and trying to get Congress to hold equipment rental revenue harmless from the new 3.8 percent Obamacare tax on passive income. There are other issues for dealers to worry about, including the National Labor Relations Board's proposed ambush election rule, the Environmental Protection Agency's ongoing abuse of the permitting process to shut down coal mines and development activity, the Obama administration's foot-drag- ging on the Keystone XL pipeline, and the risk that misguided regulations or legislation could disrupt the booming shale energy sector. Helping AED move the ball forward. If you care about any – or all – of those issues, the AED Fly-In is your best opportunity to impact the outcome. Lawmakers want and need to hear how their decisions affect employers like you "back home." That's why a full day of the Fly-In is reserved for your Capitol Hill meetings. Don't worry if you're a political novice: The first day of the meeting is packed full of briefings to help you understand the issues better and AED has staff standing by to help you make your Hill appoint- ments if you've never done it before. Gathering political intelli- gence to guide business decision- making. If you accept the premise that events in Washington, D.C., have ripple effects for your company, then you'll want to know what's likely to happen in the coming year so you can plan accordingly. The Fly-In is a way to break through the noise and hear directly from policy experts and lawmakers about issues, outcomes, and consequences for your company. Will uncertainty surrounding federal construction programs create vola- tility in equipment markets? Will tax changes affect your bottom line and customer purchasing decisions? Come to D.C. to find out, and give yourself an edge over the competition. Networking with industry leaders. The Fly-In consistently attracts the equipment industry's big thinkers – people who understand what happens locally is affected by federal govern- ment decisions. That makes the Fly-In a top-notch networking opportunity. We've included plenty of time on the agenda – breaks, meals, and receptions – for you to mix and mingle with the best and brightest from leading AED member companies from around the country. We're confident you'll make valuable new contacts, reconnect with old friends, and learn something from your peers. We Hope You'll Be There Those are just four good reasons to join us in April. There are many more. Come to the Fly-In and find out for yourself. More information is at aednet. org/fly-in. If you're one of our regular attendees, we're looking forward to seeing you again – maybe you'll invite someone else from your state to join you this year. If you've never been before, we hope you'll give us a try. BY CHRISTIAN KLEIN CHRISTIAN KLEIN (caklein@aednet.org) AED's vice president of Government Affairs and Washington counsel. He can be reached at 703-739-9513. Washington Insider