The ACG's Tax-Related Advocacy Efforts

Greg Opinski is a California-based project management executive who, through his role as president of OP Development, Inc., has overseen the construction of projects with budgets ranging from $200,000 to $13 million. Earlier in his career, Greg Opinski was a member of the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC). 

As the leading professional association for the construction industry, the AGC represents in excess of 26,000 firms and advocates on behalf of its members in areas such as risk management, safety and health, energy and environment, and tax. The AGC was a major proponent of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), which was passed in Congress in December 2017 and reduced tax rates for businesses engaged in the construction sector. Prior to its passing, the industry faced a 31 percent effective tax rate, which was the highest among all industries, according to a Department of the Treasury, Office of Tax Analysis' 2016 study. 

The TCJA has improved tax rates for construction firms, but some of its measures aren't permanent. For example, the 20 percent tax relief for pass-through businesses expires in 2025. The majority of construction firms qualify as pass-through entities and, as such, the AGC is advocating to make this deduction permanent. AGC is also hoping to repeal the TCJA's alternative minimum tax and estate tax.