Colorado
Banks Step Up to Help Real Estate Industry
Several large banks in Colorado are considering a loan fund to rescue commercial real estate developers unable to secure long-term financing because of the economic downturn. Under the proposed program, participating banks would refinance current borrowers for another five years, long enough, they hope, to allow for commercial mortgage markets to recover. Banks with less exposure in commercial real estate might also take on new loans by refinancing projects funded by other lenders. Banks including JPMorgan Chase, FirstBank, Compass Bank, US Bank and VectraBank support the proposal.
Source: The Denver Post

Hawaii
Small Businesses Drive State's Economy
Hawaii's economic recovery depends on small businesses, according to the Small Business Administration. A total of some 25,883 small businesses in Hawaii employed more than half of the state's private-sector employment in 2006, according to the most recent data released by the SBA's Office of Advocacy. In addition, Hawaii's small businesses created 58% of the state's net new jobs from 2004 to 2005, the latest year for which data is available.
Source: Honolulu Star Bulletin

Iowa
Regulators Could Deny Permits Due to Pollution
The state may be forced to deny air permits for new companies that would contribute to its growing pollution problem. Iowa has so much soot in the air—from cars, boilers, power plants and the like—that its pollution level is close to violating federal air-quality limits set in 2006, according to state environmental regulators. In addition, state lawmakers are expected to discuss vehicle emissions limits similar to those proposed in California.
Source: The Des Moines Register

Maryland
Program Cuts Would Affect Business
Gov. Martin O'Malley's (D) budget proposal, unveiled last week, closes a roughly $2 billion gap anticipated for fiscal 2010, in part by suspending some mandated expenditures on state programs that benefit business. Programs supporting tourism, agriculture, and the arts would face reductions.
Source: The Gazette

Pennsylvania
State Warns Businesses Over Smoking Ban
Five months into the state's law banning smoking in most public places, the state Department of Health has received more than 300 complaints about locations violating the law. For now, instead of investigating the complaints and issuing fines of up to $1,000, the department is sending letters to all of those businesses where a complaint has been filed to urge them to review their compliance with the law.
Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette