The new SBA 504 Debt Refinance Program allows small businesses that have conventional commercial real estate loans on their facilities that are coming due in the next several years to utilize the SBA 504 program to refinance those loans. The program is designed to assist small businesses that have seen a decline in the value of their commercial properties through no fault of their own and are unable to refinance through conventional means..
Current Guidelines include
• Loans being refinanced must be maturing on or before December 31, 2012 and for eligible 504 purposes (land, building, large equipment). At a later date SBA may extend this date as well as qualify loans that can demonstrate a strong need in other ways
• Loans being refinanced must have been current for last 12 months
• Debt must have been incurred not less than 2 years prior to the application date
• Business must be at least 2 years old at time of application
I recognize this won’t apply to most of you but those where it does apply it could be significant.
Small Business California will be monitoring the number of loans made and will be working to expand the eligibility beyond 2012.
Regulations are a big issue for small business. Small Business California has established a regulatory committee and are looking to hear about regulations that are burdensome and accomplish little or nothing.
Please let me know if you are aware of any of these. I just came across a regulation which impacts my industry.
Please see below what insurance agents and brokers are required to do if they take your driver’s license number to provide you quotes on automobile insurance. The DMV is now auditing agents and brokers for this information.
• What privacy policies has the organization established with respect to the collection, use, and retention of DMV information?
• Do you have a written information security program or policy? If yes, please provide a copy of the policy.
• Identify the locations, systems, and methods for storing, processing, transmitting, and disposing of DMV information
• Please describe your procedures in the event of a security breach.
• How are employees with access to DMV information trained in privacy protection?
• Do you maintain an Information Security Statement (DMV Form INF 1128) for each employee authorized to access DMV records (If yes, please provide us with copies of these statements).
• Do you have a list of inactive or terminated employees that had access? (If applicable, please provide us with a copy of this listing).
• How many computer terminals are capable of making inquiries? Where are they located? Are the terminals secured when unattended? Explain how they are secured.
• Your terminals that access DMV records should display a “warning banner” containing some variation of the following admonishment: “WARNING: Unauthorized access or misuse of data may result in adverse action and/or criminal prosecution.” Does this banner display?
• Do you keep a log of all inquiries made? If yes, provide log.
• Describe access controls on computer systems containing DMV information to prevent access by unauthorized staff or other individuals.
• How often are passwords required to be changed? How are password changes initiated?
The questionnaire further requires the agency to provide a copy of the agency’s Requesters Information Security Program or Policy, Information Security Statements for the past two years, a list of inactive or terminated employees, a list of current authorized users, a list of current user terminals, and an inquiry log for inquiries processed in April 2008.
I think this may be a little excessive but what do you think?
Scott Hauge
President
Small Business California
2311 Taraval Street
San Francisco, CA 94116
shauge@cal-insure.com
415-680-2188
Monday, February 28, 2011
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Federal Health Reform
Please see below information about the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Program and the Consumer Assistance Program being presented Thursday in Sacramento by Senior Administration Officials. These are important parts of the Federal Insurance reform.
Scott Hauge
President
Small Business California
2311 Taraval Street
San Francisco, CA 94116
shauge@cal-insure.com
415-680-2188
--------------------------------------
We are pleased to invite you to an informative briefing by Senior Administration Officials on the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Program (PCIP) and the Consumer Assistance Program (CAP), implemented through the Affordable Care Act and aimed to help Californians.
________________________________________
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Region IX,
The California Department of Managed Health Care
The California Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board
and the Office of the Insurance Commissioner
Thursday, February 24, 2011
1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Department of Health Care Services
East End Complex
1500 Capitol Avenue, Auditorium
Sacramento, CA 95814
featuring
Richard Popper & Eliza Bangit
Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services, &
Herb K. Schultz, Region IX Director, HHS
Janette Casillas, Executive Director of the California Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board
Cindy Ehnes, Director of California Department of Managed Health Care
Janice Rocco, Deputy Insurance Commissioner for Health Policy
________________________________________
Join Us To Learn About Two New Programs for California Residents -- The Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan and the Consumer Assistance Program
Two new federal programs—the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan and the Consumer Assistance Program—have been rolled out over the past year across the nation. Both programs are aimed at helping California residents.
The Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan is a health coverage option for people who have been locked out of the health insurance market because of a pre-existing condition. It provides people with a pre-existing condition the same coverage that a healthy person receives, and at the same price! The Consumer Assistance Program offers resources to States and Territories to educate consumers about their health coverage options and ensure their access to accurate information.
Please join us for a meeting to learn more about both of these exciting new programs! Attached is a flyer with information about the event to post or forward to your network.
We appreciate your time and participation, and hope you will RSVP to Eric Alborg at eric.alborg@hhs.gov or call (415) 437-8500.
Scott Hauge
President
Small Business California
2311 Taraval Street
San Francisco, CA 94116
shauge@cal-insure.com
415-680-2188
--------------------------------------
We are pleased to invite you to an informative briefing by Senior Administration Officials on the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Program (PCIP) and the Consumer Assistance Program (CAP), implemented through the Affordable Care Act and aimed to help Californians.
________________________________________
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Region IX,
The California Department of Managed Health Care
The California Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board
and the Office of the Insurance Commissioner
Thursday, February 24, 2011
1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Department of Health Care Services
East End Complex
1500 Capitol Avenue, Auditorium
Sacramento, CA 95814
featuring
Richard Popper & Eliza Bangit
Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services, &
Herb K. Schultz, Region IX Director, HHS
Janette Casillas, Executive Director of the California Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board
Cindy Ehnes, Director of California Department of Managed Health Care
Janice Rocco, Deputy Insurance Commissioner for Health Policy
________________________________________
Join Us To Learn About Two New Programs for California Residents -- The Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan and the Consumer Assistance Program
Two new federal programs—the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan and the Consumer Assistance Program—have been rolled out over the past year across the nation. Both programs are aimed at helping California residents.
The Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan is a health coverage option for people who have been locked out of the health insurance market because of a pre-existing condition. It provides people with a pre-existing condition the same coverage that a healthy person receives, and at the same price! The Consumer Assistance Program offers resources to States and Territories to educate consumers about their health coverage options and ensure their access to accurate information.
Please join us for a meeting to learn more about both of these exciting new programs! Attached is a flyer with information about the event to post or forward to your network.
We appreciate your time and participation, and hope you will RSVP to Eric Alborg at eric.alborg@hhs.gov or call (415) 437-8500.
Enterprise Zone
Small Business California has been asked to take positions on the Governors proposal to take away funding from the Enterprise Zones and the Redevelopment Agency.
I would like to know your thoughts on these issues.
Are you aware of these programs?
Do either effect your business. Are you in an Enterprise Zone and have you used the program.
If you are in an Enterprise Zone did it have an effect on your hiring of employees?
Did you pay a consultant to file for the Enterprise Zone Credit?
What percentage of the credit did the consultant receive.
Scott Hauge
President
Small Business California
2311 Taraval Street
San Francisco, CA 94116
shauge@cal-insure.com
415-680-2188
I would like to know your thoughts on these issues.
Are you aware of these programs?
Do either effect your business. Are you in an Enterprise Zone and have you used the program.
If you are in an Enterprise Zone did it have an effect on your hiring of employees?
Did you pay a consultant to file for the Enterprise Zone Credit?
What percentage of the credit did the consultant receive.
Scott Hauge
President
Small Business California
2311 Taraval Street
San Francisco, CA 94116
shauge@cal-insure.com
415-680-2188
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
1099 Update/ Survey Closing Today/ SF Supervisors Event/ Regulations
Yesterday I got word from Congressman Lungren's office that HR 4 repealing the 1099 requirement in the health bill will be marked up February 17th in the Ways and Means Committee.
It is expected that Chairman Camp[R] will introduce an amendment to add an offset. The offset will be future overpayments in subsidies under the health law. It is not clear how the Democratic House members will respond to this.
We will be closing our small business survey after today. If you haven’t completed it please go to www.smallbusinesscalifornia.org
For those of you in San Francisco there will be a reception for the new Supervisors February 17th at the Old Mint at 5th and Mission.
This event will be from 6PM to 8PM and it is expected that Supervisors Farrell,Kim.Wiener and Cohen will be in attendance.
The event will be co hosted by the SF Small Business Network, Council of District Merchants and the Small Business Advocates.
To RSVP go to execdirector@sfsbn.org. There is no cost to attend.
Please see below an email I received from a small business owner . There is something wrong when a fine for a violation which results in death is less than some minor violations.
Hi Scott:
Since you deal with so many people in leadership positions, I thought I would pass this along to you.
I saw in the paper two days ago that the San Francisco zoo was fined $1,875 by the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture for having a sub-standard tiger enclosure that resulted in the mauling death of one person and injuries to two others.
I own a chain of franchised hair salons. I recently had a visit from the State Board of Cosmetology that resulted in a fine of $2,100 in just one location for a variety of alleged offenses including pieces of tissue on the bathroom floor, license in the wrong location etc.
$1,875 for an infraction that resulted in death and injury vs. $2,100 for borderline silly infractions.
You gotta love California bureaucrats!
Scott Hauge
President
Small Business California
2311 Taraval Street
San Francisco, CA 94116
shauge@cal-insure.com
415-680-2188
It is expected that Chairman Camp[R] will introduce an amendment to add an offset. The offset will be future overpayments in subsidies under the health law. It is not clear how the Democratic House members will respond to this.
We will be closing our small business survey after today. If you haven’t completed it please go to www.smallbusinesscalifornia.org
For those of you in San Francisco there will be a reception for the new Supervisors February 17th at the Old Mint at 5th and Mission.
This event will be from 6PM to 8PM and it is expected that Supervisors Farrell,Kim.Wiener and Cohen will be in attendance.
The event will be co hosted by the SF Small Business Network, Council of District Merchants and the Small Business Advocates.
To RSVP go to execdirector@sfsbn.org. There is no cost to attend.
Please see below an email I received from a small business owner . There is something wrong when a fine for a violation which results in death is less than some minor violations.
Hi Scott:
Since you deal with so many people in leadership positions, I thought I would pass this along to you.
I saw in the paper two days ago that the San Francisco zoo was fined $1,875 by the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture for having a sub-standard tiger enclosure that resulted in the mauling death of one person and injuries to two others.
I own a chain of franchised hair salons. I recently had a visit from the State Board of Cosmetology that resulted in a fine of $2,100 in just one location for a variety of alleged offenses including pieces of tissue on the bathroom floor, license in the wrong location etc.
$1,875 for an infraction that resulted in death and injury vs. $2,100 for borderline silly infractions.
You gotta love California bureaucrats!
Scott Hauge
President
Small Business California
2311 Taraval Street
San Francisco, CA 94116
shauge@cal-insure.com
415-680-2188
Monday, February 14, 2011
HR 3
HR 3 [Chris Smith NJ Republican] was introduced Jan 20 and would put restrictions on abortion.
Without going into the details of the bill it appears it would eliminate the tax credits under the new health law and could eliminate the deduction for employer sponsored health insurance.
In fairness to Mr Smith he says it won’t eliminate the deduction but law professors have said it was unclear.
There are 205 cosponsors and it appears it will pass in the House but will have problems in the Senate and certainly would be vetoed by the President.
If you want to learn more about the bill and whether your Congressman is a cosponsor go to www.thomas.gov
Once a year I ask small business people to give me the names of people in government that have helped small businesses. This can be an elected official or a government employee. If you send me their names and what they have done I will send a thank you letter from Small Business California. I will include your name in the thank you.
Wednesday will be the last day of Small Business California’s survey. We have over 1300 responses so far. If you haven’t completed the survey go to www.smallbusinesscalifornia.org
Thank you to all that have completed. The results will be on our website the end of the week.
Scott Hauge
President
Small Business California
2311 Taraval Street
San Francisco, CA 94116
shauge@cal-insure.com
415-680-2188
Without going into the details of the bill it appears it would eliminate the tax credits under the new health law and could eliminate the deduction for employer sponsored health insurance.
In fairness to Mr Smith he says it won’t eliminate the deduction but law professors have said it was unclear.
There are 205 cosponsors and it appears it will pass in the House but will have problems in the Senate and certainly would be vetoed by the President.
If you want to learn more about the bill and whether your Congressman is a cosponsor go to www.thomas.gov
Once a year I ask small business people to give me the names of people in government that have helped small businesses. This can be an elected official or a government employee. If you send me their names and what they have done I will send a thank you letter from Small Business California. I will include your name in the thank you.
Wednesday will be the last day of Small Business California’s survey. We have over 1300 responses so far. If you haven’t completed the survey go to www.smallbusinesscalifornia.org
Thank you to all that have completed. The results will be on our website the end of the week.
Scott Hauge
President
Small Business California
2311 Taraval Street
San Francisco, CA 94116
shauge@cal-insure.com
415-680-2188
Friday, February 11, 2011
Rollout of Small Business Lending in the United States, 2009-2010
I received this email from Winslow yesterday. As you all will recall Small Business California requested that the Office of Advocacy do a study of small business lending. This is the study that has been done.
Below you will see a link to report. I try not to send attachments in this email so if you would like a more complete summary of the results please let me know and I will send it to you.
Thank you Winslow for doing this.
Scott Hauge
President
Small Business California
2311 Taraval Street
San Francisco, CA 94116
shauge@cal-insure.com
415-680-2188
-----------------------------
Jere, Scott
Attached are copies of the full report, research summary, and news release for Small Business Lending in the United States, 2009-2010. On the web, the full report just went live at http://www.sba.gov/content/banking-study-2010-0.
A one-paragraph summary is below. Hope this helps with your distribution to your key contacts!
The Office of Advocacy’s latest study of Small Business Lending in the United States, 2009-2010 finds that while lending to small firms by U.S. financial institutions continued to decline, it began to stabilize in some loan size categories over the most recent period. In the smallest business loans under $100,000 lending was down by 1 percent in 2009-2010, compared with a 5.5 percent drop in 2008-2009, and real estate loans accounted for the entire decline, as small commercial and industrial loans increased.
As the economy improves, this study, through its state-by-state display of lender performance, can help both small business borrowers and lending institutions see where small firms are beginning to find the capital they need. The study uses data reported by financial institutions to their regulatory agencies to compile state rankings of these institutions with respect to their small business lending. Two types of reports are used: Consolidated Reports of Condition and Income (Call Reports) and Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) reports. (The rankings are unrelated to banks’ status with respect to Small Business Administration lending programs.) The full report is available on the Office of Advocacy website at www.sba.gov/advocacy.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Winslow Sargeant, Ph.D.
Chief Counsel
Office of Advocacy
Small Business Administration
Office of Advocacy
409 Third Street SW
Washington, DC 20416
Email: winslow.sargeant@sba.gov
Tel: 202-205-6533
Fax: 202-481-6928
Visit: http://web.sba.gov/list to join email lists for:
ADVOCACY NEWSLETTER
ADVOCACY PRESS
ADVOCACY REGULATORY NEWS
ADVOCACY RESEARCH
Visit: http://www.sba.gov/advo/laws/law_regalerts.html to comment on important proposed regulations.
Below you will see a link to report. I try not to send attachments in this email so if you would like a more complete summary of the results please let me know and I will send it to you.
Thank you Winslow for doing this.
Scott Hauge
President
Small Business California
2311 Taraval Street
San Francisco, CA 94116
shauge@cal-insure.com
415-680-2188
-----------------------------
Jere, Scott
Attached are copies of the full report, research summary, and news release for Small Business Lending in the United States, 2009-2010. On the web, the full report just went live at http://www.sba.gov/content/banking-study-2010-0.
A one-paragraph summary is below. Hope this helps with your distribution to your key contacts!
The Office of Advocacy’s latest study of Small Business Lending in the United States, 2009-2010 finds that while lending to small firms by U.S. financial institutions continued to decline, it began to stabilize in some loan size categories over the most recent period. In the smallest business loans under $100,000 lending was down by 1 percent in 2009-2010, compared with a 5.5 percent drop in 2008-2009, and real estate loans accounted for the entire decline, as small commercial and industrial loans increased.
As the economy improves, this study, through its state-by-state display of lender performance, can help both small business borrowers and lending institutions see where small firms are beginning to find the capital they need. The study uses data reported by financial institutions to their regulatory agencies to compile state rankings of these institutions with respect to their small business lending. Two types of reports are used: Consolidated Reports of Condition and Income (Call Reports) and Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) reports. (The rankings are unrelated to banks’ status with respect to Small Business Administration lending programs.) The full report is available on the Office of Advocacy website at www.sba.gov/advocacy.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Winslow Sargeant, Ph.D.
Chief Counsel
Office of Advocacy
Small Business Administration
Office of Advocacy
409 Third Street SW
Washington, DC 20416
Email: winslow.sargeant@sba.gov
Tel: 202-205-6533
Fax: 202-481-6928
Visit: http://web.sba.gov/list to join email lists for:
ADVOCACY NEWSLETTER
ADVOCACY PRESS
ADVOCACY REGULATORY NEWS
ADVOCACY RESEARCH
Visit: http://www.sba.gov/advo/laws/law_regalerts.html to comment on important proposed regulations.
Tuesday, February 08, 2011
Repeal 1099 Requirement/ Reporter Inquiry
Yesterday Congressman Joe Courtney announced he would be introducing a bill to repeal the 1099 requirement in the Patient Protection and affordable Care Act [health bill].
This mirrors the bill passed in the Senate [Stabenow]. This will be paid for by a rescission of unspent discretionary funds determined by the Office of Management and Budget.
On Wednesday HR 4 [Congressman Lungren] will be coming before the House Small Business Committee. There is no offset in this bill.
See below link to write to your House member supporting these two bills.
http://www.congress.org/congressorg/directory/congdir.tt (Senate/House)
Yesterday I received a request from the LA Times to find small business owners who are facing an upcoming [or currently due] balloon payment on their commercial buildings. Sharon is looking for people who would benefit by the provision in the Small Business Jobs bill that allows 504 refinancing.
Unfortunately the regulations to allow this have not been put in place creating problems for many small business owners. Sharon is on deadline so please respond as soon as possible. (Sharon.Bernstein@latimes.com)
We are now up to 1200 responses on our survey. Thank you to those that have completed the survey and if you have not please go to www.smallbusinesscalifornia.org. It will take about 8 minutes.
Scott Hauge
President
Small Business California
2311 Taraval Street
San Francisco, CA 94116
shauge@cal-insure.com
415-680-2188
This mirrors the bill passed in the Senate [Stabenow]. This will be paid for by a rescission of unspent discretionary funds determined by the Office of Management and Budget.
On Wednesday HR 4 [Congressman Lungren] will be coming before the House Small Business Committee. There is no offset in this bill.
See below link to write to your House member supporting these two bills.
http://www.congress.org/congressorg/directory/congdir.tt (Senate/House)
Yesterday I received a request from the LA Times to find small business owners who are facing an upcoming [or currently due] balloon payment on their commercial buildings. Sharon is looking for people who would benefit by the provision in the Small Business Jobs bill that allows 504 refinancing.
Unfortunately the regulations to allow this have not been put in place creating problems for many small business owners. Sharon is on deadline so please respond as soon as possible. (Sharon.Bernstein@latimes.com)
We are now up to 1200 responses on our survey. Thank you to those that have completed the survey and if you have not please go to www.smallbusinesscalifornia.org. It will take about 8 minutes.
Scott Hauge
President
Small Business California
2311 Taraval Street
San Francisco, CA 94116
shauge@cal-insure.com
415-680-2188
Thursday, February 03, 2011
1099 Senate Repeal/ Made in California legislation/ Insure the Uninsured Project
The Senate voted 81 to 17 to repeal the 1099 requirement put forth in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The bill was introduced by Senator Debbie Stubenow [D-Mich] and is paid for by requiring the Office of Management and Budget to find funding in unspent but appropriated funds.
It now goes to the House where another bill by Congressman Dan Lungren [HR 4] would also repeal the requirement. This bill however does not have any funding provisions.
I would expect that the Stubenow bill will prevail.
Small Business California and the National Small Business Association has fought hard for this repeal and will continue to do so in the House.
I received an email from Djibril in state Senator Corbett’s Office regarding legislation being introduced by the Senator to establish a voluntary program allowing companies to seek a Made In California label. See below. Do you support this? What are your ideas on how this should be drafted.
It should be noted that past efforts to do this have been opposed by the state Chamber and I would expect they will also oppose this.
------------------------------
Hello Scott,
The idea would be to establish a voluntary program allowing companies to seek a “Made in California” label. The state of California would sanction this label and promote as part of its ongoing effort to promote to the Golden State.
As we drafting this legislation, two example came to mind, “Made in USA” and the “California Grown” program. The “Made in USA” definition call for all or virtually all significant parts” to be manufactured in the United States of America. The California Grown programs on the other had calls for 85% to have been grown in California.
I would be interested in knowing what of these model be better suited for California small businesses to participate. Our goal is to focus on the assembly in California not so much on the source of the parts.
This effort would create a public/private partnership, with funding from the participating companies and the State of California. Those resources would be used to create and implement a multifaceted marketing campaign that combines advertising and public outreach, promotions and web pages, point of sale activities and public events.
The marketing component of this effort has a simple objective: to increase demand for and sales of local products and companies . It would enable consumers to make choices and that choosing California made products is good for them, for the state’s economy and for the future of California.
Please let me know your thoughts?
Djibril V. Diop
Senior Legislative Aide
Office of the Senate Majority Leader, Ellen Corbett
--------------------------------
I was recently appointed to the Board of the Insure the Uninsured Project. This is a very influential group on health policy in California. The Executive Director is Lucien Wulsin who I have worked with for close to 20 years. Lucian has been a great friend of small business and was responsible ,while working for Assemblyman Burt Margolan, for the passage of AB 1672 .
AB1672 created the Health Insurance Program of California which was a purchasing pool for small business. The bill also provided for small businesses with between 2 and 50 employees the ability to purchase health insurance regardless of preexisting conditions for them and their employees. The companies are only allowed to surcharge those policies 10% .
Small Business California is fighting hard to have Lucian appointed to the state insurance Exchange. He is being considered by the Speaker.
For information about Insure the Uninsured Project go to www.itup.org. It is a wealth of information about what is going on in the health arena.
Scott Hauge
President
Small Business California
2311 Taraval Street
San Francisco, CA 94116
shauge@cal-insure.com
415-680-2188
It now goes to the House where another bill by Congressman Dan Lungren [HR 4] would also repeal the requirement. This bill however does not have any funding provisions.
I would expect that the Stubenow bill will prevail.
Small Business California and the National Small Business Association has fought hard for this repeal and will continue to do so in the House.
I received an email from Djibril in state Senator Corbett’s Office regarding legislation being introduced by the Senator to establish a voluntary program allowing companies to seek a Made In California label. See below. Do you support this? What are your ideas on how this should be drafted.
It should be noted that past efforts to do this have been opposed by the state Chamber and I would expect they will also oppose this.
------------------------------
Hello Scott,
The idea would be to establish a voluntary program allowing companies to seek a “Made in California” label. The state of California would sanction this label and promote as part of its ongoing effort to promote to the Golden State.
As we drafting this legislation, two example came to mind, “Made in USA” and the “California Grown” program. The “Made in USA” definition call for all or virtually all significant parts” to be manufactured in the United States of America. The California Grown programs on the other had calls for 85% to have been grown in California.
I would be interested in knowing what of these model be better suited for California small businesses to participate. Our goal is to focus on the assembly in California not so much on the source of the parts.
This effort would create a public/private partnership, with funding from the participating companies and the State of California. Those resources would be used to create and implement a multifaceted marketing campaign that combines advertising and public outreach, promotions and web pages, point of sale activities and public events.
The marketing component of this effort has a simple objective: to increase demand for and sales of local products and companies . It would enable consumers to make choices and that choosing California made products is good for them, for the state’s economy and for the future of California.
Please let me know your thoughts?
Djibril V. Diop
Senior Legislative Aide
Office of the Senate Majority Leader, Ellen Corbett
--------------------------------
I was recently appointed to the Board of the Insure the Uninsured Project. This is a very influential group on health policy in California. The Executive Director is Lucien Wulsin who I have worked with for close to 20 years. Lucian has been a great friend of small business and was responsible ,while working for Assemblyman Burt Margolan, for the passage of AB 1672 .
AB1672 created the Health Insurance Program of California which was a purchasing pool for small business. The bill also provided for small businesses with between 2 and 50 employees the ability to purchase health insurance regardless of preexisting conditions for them and their employees. The companies are only allowed to surcharge those policies 10% .
Small Business California is fighting hard to have Lucian appointed to the state insurance Exchange. He is being considered by the Speaker.
For information about Insure the Uninsured Project go to www.itup.org. It is a wealth of information about what is going on in the health arena.
Scott Hauge
President
Small Business California
2311 Taraval Street
San Francisco, CA 94116
shauge@cal-insure.com
415-680-2188
Monday, January 31, 2011
Small Business California Survey
We have received around 500 responses to our survey and it appears the small business community of California is more optimistic than the results we received last year. It also appears more of you will be hiring in 2011.
The one question I would really like to get your thoughts on is the Internet tax.
42% support it and 49% oppose.
Quite frankly I don’t understand this. Under current law when you buy from a store located in California the seller collects the sales tax. When you buy over the Internet the seller collects the tax if they have a location in California but if they have no location the buyer is required to pay a use tax equal to the sales tax.
Now I fully understand most business people don’t report the goods they have bought over the Internet but they are breaking the law and the Board of Equalization is getting very aggressive going after businesses not reporting and assessing penalties and interest.
My company CAL Insurance received a letter from BOE and we spent hours going over our receipts for 3 years.
We did find a couple of items in our thousands of receipts where we had inadvertently not reported the purchase. The amount owed was about $600 and we paid penalties and interest of about $500. I would have much preferred that I be charged at the front end saving me the interest and penalties but more importantly the time in going over our records.
Could the people that were against the Internet tax please explain why?
Thank you to all that have completed the survey. If you haven’t please take about 7 minutes to do so.
Please see link below.
http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB22BQSFBGKKD/
Scott Hauge
President
Small Business California
2311 Taraval Street
San Francisco, CA 94116
shauge@cal-insure.com
415-680-2188
The one question I would really like to get your thoughts on is the Internet tax.
42% support it and 49% oppose.
Quite frankly I don’t understand this. Under current law when you buy from a store located in California the seller collects the sales tax. When you buy over the Internet the seller collects the tax if they have a location in California but if they have no location the buyer is required to pay a use tax equal to the sales tax.
Now I fully understand most business people don’t report the goods they have bought over the Internet but they are breaking the law and the Board of Equalization is getting very aggressive going after businesses not reporting and assessing penalties and interest.
My company CAL Insurance received a letter from BOE and we spent hours going over our receipts for 3 years.
We did find a couple of items in our thousands of receipts where we had inadvertently not reported the purchase. The amount owed was about $600 and we paid penalties and interest of about $500. I would have much preferred that I be charged at the front end saving me the interest and penalties but more importantly the time in going over our records.
Could the people that were against the Internet tax please explain why?
Thank you to all that have completed the survey. If you haven’t please take about 7 minutes to do so.
Please see link below.
http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB22BQSFBGKKD/
Scott Hauge
President
Small Business California
2311 Taraval Street
San Francisco, CA 94116
shauge@cal-insure.com
415-680-2188
Thursday, January 27, 2011
SBA Under Fire
It appears the SBA is going to face some troubled times in the future from both the Senate and the House.
See statement by Senators Snowe and Landrieu. Then click on the link and see what the Chair of the House Small Business Committee says his Committee will be doing.
Chairman Graves thoughts as presented in the article:
”The Small Business Administration can expect to undergo in-depth, strategic review of its operations along with potential deep cuts throughout during the next two years according to Rep Sam Graves, the new Chairman of the House Small Business Committee.”
After years of cuts by the Bush Administration President Obama has put forth some modest increases in the budget. It appears the days of cuts may be returning.
I will be the first to say the SBA isn’t perfect but in the overall budget the SBA is next to nothing and the SBA has really done some good things with the passage of the Small Business Jobs bill.
Comments?
Scott Hauge
President
Small Business California
2311 Taraval Street
San Francisco, CA 94116
shauge@cal-insure.com
415-680-2188
TradingMarket.com
Landrieu, Snowe Seek Recommendations from SBA to Eliminate Programs
Posted on: Wed, 26 Jan 2011 12:05:16 EST
Symbols: SBCOD
Jan 26, 2011 (Congressional Documents and Publications/ContentWorks via COMTEX) --
WASHINGTON - United States Senators Mary L. Landrieu, D-La. and Olympia J. Snowe, R-Maine, Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, today sent letters to Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator Karen Mills and Inspector General Peg Gustafson requesting recommendations for programs within the SBA that could be eliminated or substantially reduced, without undermining the agency's ability to serve the needs of small business owners.
Senators Landrieu and Snowe said in the letters, "As the new Congress convenes, the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship will begin the session by examining and assessing the need, efficiency and effectiveness of programs within the Small Business Administration.
"Like the American people, Congress must continue to evaluate and determine what spending is necessary to meet current needs and demands while identifying and eliminating needless spending. Accordingly, we take this responsibility seriously and will dedicate time and effort in this Congress to determine the best path forward."
With the elimination of duplicative, ineffective, or redundant programs, Senators Landrieu and Snowe have committed to undertake a careful examination of ways to improve small business programs within the SBA and across Federal agencies.
The Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship will hold a hearing to help move forward with this effort and requested that the Administrator provide the recommendations no later than February 10, 2011.
This in the House
http://fcw.com/articles/2011/01/24/house-small-business-committee-hot-topics-2011.aspx
See statement by Senators Snowe and Landrieu. Then click on the link and see what the Chair of the House Small Business Committee says his Committee will be doing.
Chairman Graves thoughts as presented in the article:
”The Small Business Administration can expect to undergo in-depth, strategic review of its operations along with potential deep cuts throughout during the next two years according to Rep Sam Graves, the new Chairman of the House Small Business Committee.”
After years of cuts by the Bush Administration President Obama has put forth some modest increases in the budget. It appears the days of cuts may be returning.
I will be the first to say the SBA isn’t perfect but in the overall budget the SBA is next to nothing and the SBA has really done some good things with the passage of the Small Business Jobs bill.
Comments?
Scott Hauge
President
Small Business California
2311 Taraval Street
San Francisco, CA 94116
shauge@cal-insure.com
415-680-2188
TradingMarket.com
Landrieu, Snowe Seek Recommendations from SBA to Eliminate Programs
Posted on: Wed, 26 Jan 2011 12:05:16 EST
Symbols: SBCOD
Jan 26, 2011 (Congressional Documents and Publications/ContentWorks via COMTEX) --
WASHINGTON - United States Senators Mary L. Landrieu, D-La. and Olympia J. Snowe, R-Maine, Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, today sent letters to Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator Karen Mills and Inspector General Peg Gustafson requesting recommendations for programs within the SBA that could be eliminated or substantially reduced, without undermining the agency's ability to serve the needs of small business owners.
Senators Landrieu and Snowe said in the letters, "As the new Congress convenes, the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship will begin the session by examining and assessing the need, efficiency and effectiveness of programs within the Small Business Administration.
"Like the American people, Congress must continue to evaluate and determine what spending is necessary to meet current needs and demands while identifying and eliminating needless spending. Accordingly, we take this responsibility seriously and will dedicate time and effort in this Congress to determine the best path forward."
With the elimination of duplicative, ineffective, or redundant programs, Senators Landrieu and Snowe have committed to undertake a careful examination of ways to improve small business programs within the SBA and across Federal agencies.
The Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship will hold a hearing to help move forward with this effort and requested that the Administrator provide the recommendations no later than February 10, 2011.
This in the House
http://fcw.com/articles/2011/01/24/house-small-business-committee-hot-topics-2011.aspx
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
1099 requirement/2011 SB California Survey
I just received word that Senators Baucus and Reid will be introducing legislation repealing the 1099 requirement in the Health bill.
I talked to Senator Baucus' office and was told they have not determined how they will handle the $19 million offset. As you will recall it was estimated the requirement would raise $17 to $19 billion over a 10 year period.
Congressman Lungren has introduced HR 4 which has no offset. This will easily pass the House as it has about 255 cosponsors.
It was good to hear the President mention last night in his State of the Union message he supports repeal.
The responses to our survey have been very slow. This is vitally important as this survey will set our agenda for 2011.
The results will also be sent to every legislator in the state, all House members, our Senators and the Governor.
It takes between 6 to 10 minutes
the link for the survey is here:
http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB22BQSFBGKKD/
Here is the final press release:
January 19, 2011
Small Business California Asks For Input With Its 7th Annual Small Business Survey
For the seventh year running, Small Business California is surveying small businesses on their concerns and issues to help guide its efforts
San Francisco- Today, Small Business California (SB-Cal) asked for small businesses to respond its yearly survey, which it sends to the Governor and every state legislator. The survey can be found on-line at http://smallbusinesscalifornia.org/.
According to Small Business California president and founder Scott Hauge, “This survey is used by SB-Cal to guide its advocacy efforts and it is influential in expressing the problems faced by small business to opinion makers. An example is that the cost of providing health care was the most important issue to small business owners last year.” Scott Hauge went on to say. “The Governor and legislators are now addressing this issue that is of vital concern to small business owners.”
In addition to the current small business survey, results of past surveys may be found on SB-Cal’s website.
Small Business California represents the interests of small businesses in California. Its Board of Directors are leading advocates for small businesses and represent thousands of small businesses in every part of the state. More information regarding Small Business California can be found at http://smallbusinesscalifornia.org/.
And finally words cannot express my gratitude for all of my extended family[ all of you] that sent emails to me about my brother’s death. Your support is a blessing to me and my family and I can’t think of a better gift during these difficult times. At last count I had around 300 responses and last night I gave a copy of all of these to my mom. I will also be providing my sister in law a copy
Scott Hauge
President
Small Business California
2311 Taraval Street
San Francisco, CA 94116
shauge@cal-insure.com
I talked to Senator Baucus' office and was told they have not determined how they will handle the $19 million offset. As you will recall it was estimated the requirement would raise $17 to $19 billion over a 10 year period.
Congressman Lungren has introduced HR 4 which has no offset. This will easily pass the House as it has about 255 cosponsors.
It was good to hear the President mention last night in his State of the Union message he supports repeal.
The responses to our survey have been very slow. This is vitally important as this survey will set our agenda for 2011.
The results will also be sent to every legislator in the state, all House members, our Senators and the Governor.
It takes between 6 to 10 minutes
the link for the survey is here:
http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB22BQSFBGKKD/
Here is the final press release:
January 19, 2011
Small Business California Asks For Input With Its 7th Annual Small Business Survey
For the seventh year running, Small Business California is surveying small businesses on their concerns and issues to help guide its efforts
San Francisco- Today, Small Business California (SB-Cal) asked for small businesses to respond its yearly survey, which it sends to the Governor and every state legislator. The survey can be found on-line at http://smallbusinesscalifornia.org/.
According to Small Business California president and founder Scott Hauge, “This survey is used by SB-Cal to guide its advocacy efforts and it is influential in expressing the problems faced by small business to opinion makers. An example is that the cost of providing health care was the most important issue to small business owners last year.” Scott Hauge went on to say. “The Governor and legislators are now addressing this issue that is of vital concern to small business owners.”
In addition to the current small business survey, results of past surveys may be found on SB-Cal’s website.
Small Business California represents the interests of small businesses in California. Its Board of Directors are leading advocates for small businesses and represent thousands of small businesses in every part of the state. More information regarding Small Business California can be found at http://smallbusinesscalifornia.org/.
And finally words cannot express my gratitude for all of my extended family[ all of you] that sent emails to me about my brother’s death. Your support is a blessing to me and my family and I can’t think of a better gift during these difficult times. At last count I had around 300 responses and last night I gave a copy of all of these to my mom. I will also be providing my sister in law a copy
Scott Hauge
President
Small Business California
2311 Taraval Street
San Francisco, CA 94116
shauge@cal-insure.com
Friday, January 21, 2011
1099 bill/ 504 loans/ survey
I received this email from Kevin in Congressman Lungren’s office yesterday about HR 4 the 1099 repeal bill.
It is interesting that Congressman Lungren has 255 cosponsors [21 Democrats] so clearly it is going to pass yet three Democratic Senators - Nelson [Nebraska] Cantwell [Washington] and Klobuchar [Minn] sent a letter to Speaker Boehner asking him to pass HR 4.
The big question is what will happen in the Senate. Will the Democrats hold a filibuster and block this in the Senate?
If you want to see if your Congressperson was a cosponsor go to www.thomas.gov and put in HR 4.
From: Holsclaw, Kevin [mailto:Kevin.Holsclaw@mail.house.gov]
Sent: Thursday, January 20, 2011 1:58 PM
To: Scott Hauge
Subject: FW: The Hill
Scott:
As if 255 cosponsor on our bill (H.R. 4) I thought you would find the link below interesting.
Thanks again for all of your help.
Kevin
http://thehill.com/blogs/on-the-money/domestic-taxes/139167-senators-urge-boehner-to-pass-1099-repeal
The Small Business Jobs bill had a provision to allow refinancing of 504loans [commercial real estate]. It provided that this would remain in effect for two years from the passage of the bill. I just learned that the regulations have not been written yet and will not be until March and we really have no assurance it will be done then.
So one quarter of the loan period is gone because they can’t get the regulations written. This is Washington at its worst.
The surveys are beginning to come in and thank you to all that have completed it. If you haven’t done so already please take between 5 and 10 minutes . Help Small Business California set our agenda for 2011.
2011 Small Business California Survey
http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB22BQSFBGKKD/
Scott Hauge
President
Small Business California
2311 Taraval Street
San Francisco, CA 94116
shauge@cal-insure.com
415-680-2188
It is interesting that Congressman Lungren has 255 cosponsors [21 Democrats] so clearly it is going to pass yet three Democratic Senators - Nelson [Nebraska] Cantwell [Washington] and Klobuchar [Minn] sent a letter to Speaker Boehner asking him to pass HR 4.
The big question is what will happen in the Senate. Will the Democrats hold a filibuster and block this in the Senate?
If you want to see if your Congressperson was a cosponsor go to www.thomas.gov and put in HR 4.
From: Holsclaw, Kevin [mailto:Kevin.Holsclaw@mail.house.gov]
Sent: Thursday, January 20, 2011 1:58 PM
To: Scott Hauge
Subject: FW: The Hill
Scott:
As if 255 cosponsor on our bill (H.R. 4) I thought you would find the link below interesting.
Thanks again for all of your help.
Kevin
http://thehill.com/blogs/on-the-money/domestic-taxes/139167-senators-urge-boehner-to-pass-1099-repeal
The Small Business Jobs bill had a provision to allow refinancing of 504loans [commercial real estate]. It provided that this would remain in effect for two years from the passage of the bill. I just learned that the regulations have not been written yet and will not be until March and we really have no assurance it will be done then.
So one quarter of the loan period is gone because they can’t get the regulations written. This is Washington at its worst.
The surveys are beginning to come in and thank you to all that have completed it. If you haven’t done so already please take between 5 and 10 minutes . Help Small Business California set our agenda for 2011.
2011 Small Business California Survey
http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB22BQSFBGKKD/
Scott Hauge
President
Small Business California
2311 Taraval Street
San Francisco, CA 94116
shauge@cal-insure.com
415-680-2188
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Annual Survey/ ACO Webinar
Please find link to Small Business California’s 7th annual survey.
It takes about 10 minutes. This has become a very influential survey and sets the agenda for Small Business California for the year. Last year we had about 2700 responses from every county in the state.
Could you please forward this to others.
For past survey results go to our website: www.smallbusinesscalifornia.org
Link to survey for SB California 2011 Survey:
http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB22BQSFBGKKD/
Many of you expressed an interest in a webinar on the Affordable Care Act [National Health Bill]. Small Business California was going to do this but it does not make sense to duplicate efforts. If you are interested you can register below.
Scott Hauge
President
Small Business California
2311 Taraval Street
San Francisco, CA 94116
shauge@cal-insure.com
415-680-2188
Dear Friend:
Small Business Majority, in conjunction with U.S. PIRG Education Fund, is excited to announce a national webinar series:
Your Bottom Line:
What’s in healthcare reform for your small business.
This one-hour webinar will focus on what the new healthcare law, the Affordable Care Act, means for small businesses. It will focus on both federal and state provisions to help local small business owners understand how the law will affect them. Topics being discussed include: small business tax credits (who’s eligible for them and how to claim them), state insurance exchanges, high-risk pools, shared responsibility, cost containment, and tools and resources available for small businesses interested in learning more about the law. A question and answer period will follow.
Please see the schedule below and click on the appropriate link to sign up. Also, please feel free to share this far and wide.
Best,
Rhett Buttle
National Outreach and Government Affairs Manager
Small Business Majority
Webinar #4: Western Region
California & Alaska
February 4, 2011 @ 3:00 PM PST
HERE IS THE LINK TO REGISTER:
https://cc.readytalk.com/cc/schedule/display.do?udc=fdcs8cm7h6ml
It takes about 10 minutes. This has become a very influential survey and sets the agenda for Small Business California for the year. Last year we had about 2700 responses from every county in the state.
Could you please forward this to others.
For past survey results go to our website: www.smallbusinesscalifornia.org
Link to survey for SB California 2011 Survey:
http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB22BQSFBGKKD/
Many of you expressed an interest in a webinar on the Affordable Care Act [National Health Bill]. Small Business California was going to do this but it does not make sense to duplicate efforts. If you are interested you can register below.
Scott Hauge
President
Small Business California
2311 Taraval Street
San Francisco, CA 94116
shauge@cal-insure.com
415-680-2188
Dear Friend:
Small Business Majority, in conjunction with U.S. PIRG Education Fund, is excited to announce a national webinar series:
Your Bottom Line:
What’s in healthcare reform for your small business.
This one-hour webinar will focus on what the new healthcare law, the Affordable Care Act, means for small businesses. It will focus on both federal and state provisions to help local small business owners understand how the law will affect them. Topics being discussed include: small business tax credits (who’s eligible for them and how to claim them), state insurance exchanges, high-risk pools, shared responsibility, cost containment, and tools and resources available for small businesses interested in learning more about the law. A question and answer period will follow.
Please see the schedule below and click on the appropriate link to sign up. Also, please feel free to share this far and wide.
Best,
Rhett Buttle
National Outreach and Government Affairs Manager
Small Business Majority
Webinar #4: Western Region
California & Alaska
February 4, 2011 @ 3:00 PM PST
HERE IS THE LINK TO REGISTER:
https://cc.readytalk.com/cc/schedule/display.do?udc=fdcs8cm7h6ml
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Affordable Care Act
One of the things I try to do with this email is make information available that the SBA provides.
I have been asked by the SBA to forward this link to my email tree.
Please see link below to a message by Administrator Karen Mills. You will be particularly interested in her comments about the 1099 requirements in the health bill.
http://www.sba.gov/affordable-care-act-working-small-business
Scott Hauge
President
Small Business California
2311 Taraval Street
San Francisco, CA 94116
shauge@cal-insure.com
415-680-2188
I have been asked by the SBA to forward this link to my email tree.
Please see link below to a message by Administrator Karen Mills. You will be particularly interested in her comments about the 1099 requirements in the health bill.
http://www.sba.gov/affordable-care-act-working-small-business
Scott Hauge
President
Small Business California
2311 Taraval Street
San Francisco, CA 94116
shauge@cal-insure.com
415-680-2188
Monday, January 17, 2011
FDIC Opens Small Business Hotline
Please see information regarding FDIC hotline on small business lending - FDIC opens hotline for small businesses .
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. launched a hotline Thursday that enables small businesses to express concerns or complaints about the availability of bank credit.
The hotline is (855) 334-2249.
Information related to credit programs, SBA, the hotline, and submission forms can be found at
www.fdic.gov/smallbusiness
Mary Salinas Durón
Senior Community Affairs Specialist
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
It is expected that Assemblywoman Nancy Skinner will be introducing legislation this week to institute a tax on internet sales. It is estimates that this will generate about $500 million in revenues to the state.
What are your thoughts on this?
Small Business California has put together a committee to address the regulatory burdens on California businesses.
On January 21 we will have a conference call with a staff member of Assemblyman Jerry Hill’s office. We are especially interested in addressing the permit process.
If you have had problems in this area please let me know.
Scott Hauge
President
Small Business California
2311 Taraval Street
San Francisco, CA 94116
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. launched a hotline Thursday that enables small businesses to express concerns or complaints about the availability of bank credit.
The hotline is (855) 334-2249.
Information related to credit programs, SBA, the hotline, and submission forms can be found at
www.fdic.gov/smallbusiness
Mary Salinas Durón
Senior Community Affairs Specialist
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
It is expected that Assemblywoman Nancy Skinner will be introducing legislation this week to institute a tax on internet sales. It is estimates that this will generate about $500 million in revenues to the state.
What are your thoughts on this?
Small Business California has put together a committee to address the regulatory burdens on California businesses.
On January 21 we will have a conference call with a staff member of Assemblyman Jerry Hill’s office. We are especially interested in addressing the permit process.
If you have had problems in this area please let me know.
Scott Hauge
President
Small Business California
2311 Taraval Street
San Francisco, CA 94116
Friday, January 14, 2011
House GOP to move quickly on 1099 repeal/ADA/Small Business California Survey /AIA to work with Small Business California
The bill by Congressman Lungren to repeal the requirement of 1099s on all business transactions $600 or more has been renumbered from HR 144 to HR4.
This means it will move quickly and will be taken up shortly after the House votes on HR 2 which would repeal the healthcare law.
See link below for details.
http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/house/137711-breaking-into-the-house-top-10-this-week-its-1099-repeal
In San Francisco there have been a rash of lawsuits against small businesses under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Are small businesses having problem with this in your area?
Next week I will be sending to you our 7th annual small business survey. Last year we had about 2700 responses to the survey and there was at least one survey returned from every county in the state.
The survey will be distributed by the Small Business Development Centers and numerous Chambers and Trade Association around the state. We hope you will also distribute through your email trees This survey is very important to Small Business California as it sets our agenda for the year.
You can see the results of past surveys by going to our website at www.smallbusinesscalifornia.org
Last Saturday I went to the swearing in of the new Supervisors in San Francisco. I had the good fortune to meet Clark Manus who recently was elected First Vice President of the American Institute of Architects.He will be the next President in a year and a half.
Clark is partner in the firm of Heller Manus in San Francisco. In our discussion he has agreed to work with Small Business California as he sees that our issues are those of his members. I look forward to working with you Clark.
I hope you find these emails informative and if you are not a member will join Small Business California. You can do so by going to our website at www.smallbusinesscalifornia.org.
Thank you to all of you that have joined. We are making a difference.
Scott Hauge
President
Small Business California
2311 Taraval Street
San Francisco, CA 94116
shauge@cal-insure.com
415-680-2188
This means it will move quickly and will be taken up shortly after the House votes on HR 2 which would repeal the healthcare law.
See link below for details.
http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/house/137711-breaking-into-the-house-top-10-this-week-its-1099-repeal
In San Francisco there have been a rash of lawsuits against small businesses under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Are small businesses having problem with this in your area?
Next week I will be sending to you our 7th annual small business survey. Last year we had about 2700 responses to the survey and there was at least one survey returned from every county in the state.
The survey will be distributed by the Small Business Development Centers and numerous Chambers and Trade Association around the state. We hope you will also distribute through your email trees This survey is very important to Small Business California as it sets our agenda for the year.
You can see the results of past surveys by going to our website at www.smallbusinesscalifornia.org
Last Saturday I went to the swearing in of the new Supervisors in San Francisco. I had the good fortune to meet Clark Manus who recently was elected First Vice President of the American Institute of Architects.He will be the next President in a year and a half.
Clark is partner in the firm of Heller Manus in San Francisco. In our discussion he has agreed to work with Small Business California as he sees that our issues are those of his members. I look forward to working with you Clark.
I hope you find these emails informative and if you are not a member will join Small Business California. You can do so by going to our website at www.smallbusinesscalifornia.org.
Thank you to all of you that have joined. We are making a difference.
Scott Hauge
President
Small Business California
2311 Taraval Street
San Francisco, CA 94116
shauge@cal-insure.com
415-680-2188
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Response to Governors Budget/SBA Fact Sheet - Tax Breaks for Small Businesses
Yesterday I asked you about whether you would support the taxes proposed by the Governor.
I received over 100 responses and a slight majority of you were opposed.
The most cited reason was that pensions were not addressed.
I also heard from some of you that you could not support the sales tax when there is no tax on internet sales putting brick and mortar stores at a competitive disadvantage.
I also heard a lot of opposition to the elimination of the Enterprise Zone tax credit.
Small Business California will continue to follow this.
Small Business California played a major role in the passage of the Small Business Jobs bill. Most of the discussion around this bill has been access to capital but there were a number of tax breaks for small business.
Please see below a complete list of small business tax credits mostly attributed to the Jobs bill.
Hopefully there is something in this for you.
Scott Hauge
President
Small Business California
2311 Taraval Street
San Francisco, CA 94116
shauge@cal-insure.com
415-680-2188
SBA Fact Sheet
Tax Breaks for Small Businesses
America’s entrepreneurs and small business owners continue to grow their businesses and create jobs due to unprecedented tax cuts that have been signed into law over the past two years. This includes billions of dollars in tax relief from laws such as the Recovery Act, the Small Business Jobs Act, the HIRE Act, the Affordable Care Act, and the Tax Relief and Job Creation Act.
Zero Capital Gains Taxes on Key Investments in Small Businesses
• Capital gains taxes have been fully eliminated on certain small business stock – providing an incentive for key investments in small businesses
• The Recovery Act excluded 75 percent of capital gains from the sale of certain small business investments held more than five years. The Small Business Jobs Act went one step further – excluding all capital gains from these investments in 2010 after the passage of the Small Business Jobs Act from taxes.
Up to $500,000 Small Business Expensing Limit
• Small businesses can write‐off a larger portion of the cost of new equipment purchases in the year of purchase rather than depreciating the cost over time. This provides an immediate tax benefit.
• The Recovery Act increased the maximum amount that small businesses could expense – which otherwise would have been $125,000– to $250,000 for 2009. For 2010 and 2011, the Small Business Jobs Act doubled that to $500,000 and increased the phase‐out threshold to $2 million.
100% Accelerated/Bonus Depreciation
• All businesses—large and small— are allowed to expense their investments in 2011.
• The Recovery Act allowed businesses to write off the cost of their investments more quickly by allowing up to 50 percent deductions in the first year for investments made in 2009. The Small Business Jobs Act extended this benefit through 2010, and the Tax Relief and Job Creation Act went one step further – allowing up to 100 percent deductions in the first year for investments made between September 8, 2010, and December 31, 2011. It also extended 50 percent bonus depreciation through tax year 2012. Allowing expensing in 2011 will provide a crucial incentive to 2 million businesses—both large and small—to invest and create jobs in the U.S.
Tax Relief/Simplification for Cell Phone Deductions
• The Small Business Jobs Act simplified rules around claiming deductions for business cell phones so that – starting in 2010– cell phones can be expensed and deducted like other property, without additional, onerous requirements.
Increased Deduction for Entrepreneurs’ Start‐Up Costs
• For 2010, the Small Business Jobs Act temporarily doubled to $10,000 the deduction amount new entrepreneurs can claim for business start-up expenditures.
5‐Year Carryback of General Business Credits
• To help small businesses in these hard economic times, we’re allowing them to “carryback” their business credits for five years rather than one.
• A business’s unused general business credit can be usually carried back to offset taxes paid the previous year. The remaining amount can be carried forward 20 years to offset future taxes. The Small Business Jobs Act extended the “carryback” period from one year to five years for certain small businesses in 2010. This helps businesses apply their 2010 credits to previous tax payments going back to 2005.
Limitations on Penalties for Errors in Tax Reporting
• We’ve fixed penalties for errors in tax reporting so that small businesses don’t face disproportionately high penalties.
• Strict penalties apply when taxpayers fail to disclose their participation in certain “reportable transactions.” For many small businesses, the penalties are disproportionately high. The Small Business Jobs Act changed the general rule for determining the amount of the appropriate penalty to achieve proportionality between the penalty and the tax savings that were the object of the transaction starting tax year 2010.
General Business Credit Not Subject to Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT)
• The Small Business Jobs Act allowed certain small businesses with $50 million or less in average annual gross receipts for the previous three years to use all types of general business credits against their AMT liability, not only their regular tax liabilities, starting in tax year 2010.
New Health Care Tax Credits and Deductions
• The Affordable Care Act provides small businesses with tax credits for starting or continuing to provide health insurance coverage to employees. Also, self‐employed business owners are allowed to deduct health insurance costs for themselves or their families.
• The Affordable Care Act provided tax credits up to 35 percent of employee premium costs for certain small businesses for tax years 2010 through 2013. In 2014, the maximum credit increases up to 50%.
• The Small Business Jobs Act allowed self‐employed individuals to deduct 100 percent of insurance costs incurred in 2010 for themselves and their families.
A New Tax Credit for Hiring Unemployed Workers
• The HIRE Act helps businesses hire and retain unemployed workers.
• In 2010, the HIRE Act provided a payroll tax credit for hiring employees who have been looking for work for 60 days or more days and also provides a credit of up to $1,000 for retaining them.
1/11/2011 – U.S. Small Business Administration Press Office
I received over 100 responses and a slight majority of you were opposed.
The most cited reason was that pensions were not addressed.
I also heard from some of you that you could not support the sales tax when there is no tax on internet sales putting brick and mortar stores at a competitive disadvantage.
I also heard a lot of opposition to the elimination of the Enterprise Zone tax credit.
Small Business California will continue to follow this.
Small Business California played a major role in the passage of the Small Business Jobs bill. Most of the discussion around this bill has been access to capital but there were a number of tax breaks for small business.
Please see below a complete list of small business tax credits mostly attributed to the Jobs bill.
Hopefully there is something in this for you.
Scott Hauge
President
Small Business California
2311 Taraval Street
San Francisco, CA 94116
shauge@cal-insure.com
415-680-2188
SBA Fact Sheet
Tax Breaks for Small Businesses
America’s entrepreneurs and small business owners continue to grow their businesses and create jobs due to unprecedented tax cuts that have been signed into law over the past two years. This includes billions of dollars in tax relief from laws such as the Recovery Act, the Small Business Jobs Act, the HIRE Act, the Affordable Care Act, and the Tax Relief and Job Creation Act.
Zero Capital Gains Taxes on Key Investments in Small Businesses
• Capital gains taxes have been fully eliminated on certain small business stock – providing an incentive for key investments in small businesses
• The Recovery Act excluded 75 percent of capital gains from the sale of certain small business investments held more than five years. The Small Business Jobs Act went one step further – excluding all capital gains from these investments in 2010 after the passage of the Small Business Jobs Act from taxes.
Up to $500,000 Small Business Expensing Limit
• Small businesses can write‐off a larger portion of the cost of new equipment purchases in the year of purchase rather than depreciating the cost over time. This provides an immediate tax benefit.
• The Recovery Act increased the maximum amount that small businesses could expense – which otherwise would have been $125,000– to $250,000 for 2009. For 2010 and 2011, the Small Business Jobs Act doubled that to $500,000 and increased the phase‐out threshold to $2 million.
100% Accelerated/Bonus Depreciation
• All businesses—large and small— are allowed to expense their investments in 2011.
• The Recovery Act allowed businesses to write off the cost of their investments more quickly by allowing up to 50 percent deductions in the first year for investments made in 2009. The Small Business Jobs Act extended this benefit through 2010, and the Tax Relief and Job Creation Act went one step further – allowing up to 100 percent deductions in the first year for investments made between September 8, 2010, and December 31, 2011. It also extended 50 percent bonus depreciation through tax year 2012. Allowing expensing in 2011 will provide a crucial incentive to 2 million businesses—both large and small—to invest and create jobs in the U.S.
Tax Relief/Simplification for Cell Phone Deductions
• The Small Business Jobs Act simplified rules around claiming deductions for business cell phones so that – starting in 2010– cell phones can be expensed and deducted like other property, without additional, onerous requirements.
Increased Deduction for Entrepreneurs’ Start‐Up Costs
• For 2010, the Small Business Jobs Act temporarily doubled to $10,000 the deduction amount new entrepreneurs can claim for business start-up expenditures.
5‐Year Carryback of General Business Credits
• To help small businesses in these hard economic times, we’re allowing them to “carryback” their business credits for five years rather than one.
• A business’s unused general business credit can be usually carried back to offset taxes paid the previous year. The remaining amount can be carried forward 20 years to offset future taxes. The Small Business Jobs Act extended the “carryback” period from one year to five years for certain small businesses in 2010. This helps businesses apply their 2010 credits to previous tax payments going back to 2005.
Limitations on Penalties for Errors in Tax Reporting
• We’ve fixed penalties for errors in tax reporting so that small businesses don’t face disproportionately high penalties.
• Strict penalties apply when taxpayers fail to disclose their participation in certain “reportable transactions.” For many small businesses, the penalties are disproportionately high. The Small Business Jobs Act changed the general rule for determining the amount of the appropriate penalty to achieve proportionality between the penalty and the tax savings that were the object of the transaction starting tax year 2010.
General Business Credit Not Subject to Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT)
• The Small Business Jobs Act allowed certain small businesses with $50 million or less in average annual gross receipts for the previous three years to use all types of general business credits against their AMT liability, not only their regular tax liabilities, starting in tax year 2010.
New Health Care Tax Credits and Deductions
• The Affordable Care Act provides small businesses with tax credits for starting or continuing to provide health insurance coverage to employees. Also, self‐employed business owners are allowed to deduct health insurance costs for themselves or their families.
• The Affordable Care Act provided tax credits up to 35 percent of employee premium costs for certain small businesses for tax years 2010 through 2013. In 2014, the maximum credit increases up to 50%.
• The Small Business Jobs Act allowed self‐employed individuals to deduct 100 percent of insurance costs incurred in 2010 for themselves and their families.
A New Tax Credit for Hiring Unemployed Workers
• The HIRE Act helps businesses hire and retain unemployed workers.
• In 2010, the HIRE Act provided a payroll tax credit for hiring employees who have been looking for work for 60 days or more days and also provides a credit of up to $1,000 for retaining them.
1/11/2011 – U.S. Small Business Administration Press Office
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
In my last email I did not make it clear that the income tax and sales tax being charged now would not be changed from current levels.
The proposal by the Governor reinstates the increases that were scheduled to sunset.
Also there were $12.5 billion in cuts including:
$1.7 billion in Medical,
$1.5 billion in welfare to work,
$750 million Department of Developmental Services,
$1 billion higher education [UC/CSU],
$308 million California employees, and
Elimination of Enterprise Zone and reduction in redevelopment just to name a few.
Scott Hauge
President
Small Business California
2311 Taraval Street
San Francisco, CA 94116
shauge@cal-insure.com
415-680-2188
The proposal by the Governor reinstates the increases that were scheduled to sunset.
Also there were $12.5 billion in cuts including:
$1.7 billion in Medical,
$1.5 billion in welfare to work,
$750 million Department of Developmental Services,
$1 billion higher education [UC/CSU],
$308 million California employees, and
Elimination of Enterprise Zone and reduction in redevelopment just to name a few.
Scott Hauge
President
Small Business California
2311 Taraval Street
San Francisco, CA 94116
shauge@cal-insure.com
415-680-2188
Governor Budget/ Minimum Wage
Yesterday Governor Brown delivered his proposed budget with $25.4 billion of cuts and taxes through June 2012.
The taxes he is looking to put on the June ballot are:
1. A .25 percent surcharge in the state income tax. Revenue generated $3.2 billion
2. A 1 % increase in the state sales tax. Revenue generated 4.5 billion over 12 months
3. A increase in the vehicle license fee from .65% of a cars value to 1,15%. Revenue generated $1.3 billion.
In order for these taxes to take effect it will have to go to the voters in June.
What is your position on these taxes?
AB10 has been introduced by Assemblyman Alejo. It will provide for an annual adjustment of the minimum wage.
What is your position on this. The current minimum wage is $8.
Would you support this?
Scott Hauge
President
Small Business California
2311 Taraval Street
San Francisco, CA 94116
shauge@cal-insure.com
415-680-2109
The taxes he is looking to put on the June ballot are:
1. A .25 percent surcharge in the state income tax. Revenue generated $3.2 billion
2. A 1 % increase in the state sales tax. Revenue generated 4.5 billion over 12 months
3. A increase in the vehicle license fee from .65% of a cars value to 1,15%. Revenue generated $1.3 billion.
In order for these taxes to take effect it will have to go to the voters in June.
What is your position on these taxes?
AB10 has been introduced by Assemblyman Alejo. It will provide for an annual adjustment of the minimum wage.
What is your position on this. The current minimum wage is $8.
Would you support this?
Scott Hauge
President
Small Business California
2311 Taraval Street
San Francisco, CA 94116
shauge@cal-insure.com
415-680-2109
Thursday, January 06, 2011
SmallBusiness: Protect Small Businesses from Abusive Credit Card Practices
Yesterday I received from Lori Pepper in Nancy Pelosi’s office information on a credit card bill that Congresswoman Nita Lowey will be introducing. I have heard from many of you that this is a major problem for small businesses as outlined below.
Please note the National Small Business Association of which Small Business California is an affiliate member is driving this bill. I spoke to Dana Miller this morning and she said they will not have a bill number for a week or two.
Congresswoman Lowie is looking for other House members to cosponsor. I have been in contact with Congresswoman Jackie Speier’s and Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey’s office to ask them to cosponsor.
I would ask each of you to contact your House member at:
https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml
and ask if they would cosponsor. If you do not know your House member this will direct you.
Please let me know what you hear.
Scott Hauge
President
Small Business California
2311 Taraval Street
San Francisco, CA 94116
shauge@cal-insure.com
415-680-2188
From: e-Dear Colleague
Sent: Wednesday, January 05, 2011 4:54 PM
Subject: SmallBusiness: Dear Colleague: Protect Small Businesses from Abusive Credit Card Practices
Protect Small Businesses from Abusive Credit Card Practices
From: The Honorable Nita M. Lowey
Sent By: dana.miller@mail.house.gov
Date: 1/5/2011
Join the National Small Business Association in Protecting Small Businesses from Deceptive and Unfair Credit Card Practices
BE AN ORIGINAL COSPONSOR OF THE SMALL BUSINESS CREDIT CARD ACT of 2011
Dear Colleague,
Small businesses are struggling to obtain and maintain access to credit to cover the purchase of supplies, new inventory and other routine operating expenses. As traditional forms of lending have become unaffordable and hard to acquire, small business owners are forced to rely on credit cards to fund their business. In fact, the National Small Business Association found that 44% of small business owners have used credit cards to help finance day-to-day operations.
Yet small businesses are not afforded the same protections as individuals from abusive and deceptive credit card practices. The Small Business Credit Card Act of 2011 would give our small businesses an even playing field by expanding protections in the Credit Cardholder Bill of Rights to small businesses with 50 or fewer employees. And, if a business owner prefers to keep things the way they are, this bill has an opt-out provision.
To help small businesses create jobs and rejuvenate our economy, we must shield them from unfair interest rate changes, deceptive practices, and unnecessary fees. The Small Business Credit Card Act of 2011 would prevent credit card companies from arbitrarily raising interest rates on small businesses without proper notice and prohibit interest rate increases on existing balances, which makes it even harder for small businesses to make payments. In addition, this bill would prevent unfair fees, prohibit interest charges on debt paid on time, and ensure fairness in payment practices by requiring that any payment over the minimum apply to the balance with the highest interest rate.
I hope you will become an original cosponsor of the Small Business Credit Card Act. If you would like additional information, please contact Dana Miller on my staff at Dana.Miller@mail.house.gov or x56506.
Sincerely,
Nita Lowey (D-NY)
Member of Congress
Please note the National Small Business Association of which Small Business California is an affiliate member is driving this bill. I spoke to Dana Miller this morning and she said they will not have a bill number for a week or two.
Congresswoman Lowie is looking for other House members to cosponsor. I have been in contact with Congresswoman Jackie Speier’s and Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey’s office to ask them to cosponsor.
I would ask each of you to contact your House member at:
https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml
and ask if they would cosponsor. If you do not know your House member this will direct you.
Please let me know what you hear.
Scott Hauge
President
Small Business California
2311 Taraval Street
San Francisco, CA 94116
shauge@cal-insure.com
415-680-2188
From: e-Dear Colleague
Sent: Wednesday, January 05, 2011 4:54 PM
Subject: SmallBusiness: Dear Colleague: Protect Small Businesses from Abusive Credit Card Practices
Protect Small Businesses from Abusive Credit Card Practices
From: The Honorable Nita M. Lowey
Sent By: dana.miller@mail.house.gov
Date: 1/5/2011
Join the National Small Business Association in Protecting Small Businesses from Deceptive and Unfair Credit Card Practices
BE AN ORIGINAL COSPONSOR OF THE SMALL BUSINESS CREDIT CARD ACT of 2011
Dear Colleague,
Small businesses are struggling to obtain and maintain access to credit to cover the purchase of supplies, new inventory and other routine operating expenses. As traditional forms of lending have become unaffordable and hard to acquire, small business owners are forced to rely on credit cards to fund their business. In fact, the National Small Business Association found that 44% of small business owners have used credit cards to help finance day-to-day operations.
Yet small businesses are not afforded the same protections as individuals from abusive and deceptive credit card practices. The Small Business Credit Card Act of 2011 would give our small businesses an even playing field by expanding protections in the Credit Cardholder Bill of Rights to small businesses with 50 or fewer employees. And, if a business owner prefers to keep things the way they are, this bill has an opt-out provision.
To help small businesses create jobs and rejuvenate our economy, we must shield them from unfair interest rate changes, deceptive practices, and unnecessary fees. The Small Business Credit Card Act of 2011 would prevent credit card companies from arbitrarily raising interest rates on small businesses without proper notice and prohibit interest rate increases on existing balances, which makes it even harder for small businesses to make payments. In addition, this bill would prevent unfair fees, prohibit interest charges on debt paid on time, and ensure fairness in payment practices by requiring that any payment over the minimum apply to the balance with the highest interest rate.
I hope you will become an original cosponsor of the Small Business Credit Card Act. If you would like additional information, please contact Dana Miller on my staff at Dana.Miller@mail.house.gov or x56506.
Sincerely,
Nita Lowey (D-NY)
Member of Congress
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