Fresh Approach to Funding Infrastructure Needed
By Thomas J. Donohue, President and CEO, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Increasingly congested highways harm our quality of life, hinder business productivity and growth, and pose a threat to human safety and the environment.
We need a new vision for transportation in the 21st century. It is imperative that we build and maintain a modern and interconnected transportation system capable of meeting growing demand. That requires careful thought, planning, and-importantly-money.
NORTHEASTMarylandGovernor Revives Living Wage DebateGov. Martin O'Malley deviated from the text of his State of the State speech last week and promised to back "living wage" legislation, a proposal that would force companies doing business with the state to pay workers upward of $11 an hour. Democratic lawmakers have pursued the measure before, but former Republican Gov. Robert Ehrlich vetoed the bill.Source: The Baltimore Sun
A recent Harris Poll found that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is among the most well recognized and trusted organizations in Washington, DC. Of 2,429 people sampled, 78% said they are familiar with the Chamber and 71% said they trust it. These figures are higher than in 2005, when 76% said they were familiar with the Chamber and 70% said they trusted it.
NORTHEASTConnecticutLawmakers Vote to Link State Business Aid to Retirement Benefits
Are You Making the Most of Yours?Your Chamber membership can be one of your greatest assets. Now that you've made the investment, it's time to take full advantage of your membership. The Chamber offers much more than just its lobbying strength in Washington. It provides a wide variety of exclusive member benefits and opportunities to help you stay informed on small business issues and save you time and money.
NORTHEASTNew JerseyState Paid Leave Bill Advances
Dr. Martin RegaliaThe economy closed 2006 with solid, if not spectacular, growth, improving employment, and slowing inflation-not bad for an economy that, according to the media, was supposed to be slipping into a recession.
OhioEntrepreneurs Get BoostEleven nonprofit organizations and three communities will receive $760,000 in grants to assist low-to-moderate income Ohioans seeking to establish, improve, or expand a business. The funds will be used to provide training, technical assistance, and small business development loans.Source: Ohio Department of Development
The U.S. Chamber is supporting a $1.3 billion tax relief bill in the House that extends for one year the more generous Section 179 annual expensing limits for small businesses and the work opportunity tax credit. The bill is expected to be paired with minimum wage legislation—opposed by the Chamber—and passed by the full House later this week.While larger, the Chamber opposed a Senate tax relief measure to accompany the minimum wage increase because the tax breaks were temporary while the revenue raisers were permanent.
It's important to prepare your tax return properly, not only to protect yourself from audits and penalties but to ensure that you're not paying more than your fair share. But take heart-as a U.S. Chamber member, you can find help in the Chamber's online Small Business Tax Tool Kit.
