Greater Owensboro Chamber: Urgent Message from the Chamber Board Chair and Advocacy Chair Regarding City Tax Increase
Dear Chamber Member,
Last week, the City of Owensboro presented their final budget before the first reading. The budget
focuses on a four year cumulative budget deficit that city staff projects at $42,711,716. The city staff
recommends addressing this with the largest tax increase in our community’s history.
It is not necessary to go over old ground on how we arrived at this debt crisis. It should be noted that
many of the same players who were the architects of this crisis are the same ones asking for our trust in its
remedy.
It is the Chamber’s responsibility to our membership and the community at large to ask the City
Commission to pause and reflect on the following points and recommendations:
I. ONE YEAR BUDGET
First, there has been no valid reason given to raise revenue for a four year projected loss based on
assumptions and unknowns. We applaud Mayor Watson and other elected officials who have stated as
much. We recommend adopting an annual budget based on annual projections. With the annual
budget approach, which is the standard accepted form of budgeting for cities, the deficit using the city
staff presentation numbers would be $11,930,357.
Using this year’s deficit number as a guidepost, the actual deficit would seem to be closer to $2 million
if no additional spending were instituted.
II. ONE DOLLAR OF INTERNAL CUTS FOR EVERY ONE DOLLAR IN TAX
INCREASE
Second, there are few real internal cuts in this year’s budget proposal. We believe that for every new
dollar taken from the taxpayer, there should be a dollar cut in REAL Expenses (not deferred spending).
We call it the “One for One Plan.” It is a good faith partnership between those who pay taxes and those
who are stewards of our money.
III. HIGHER TAXES DRIVE GROWTH OUTISDE CITY LIMITS
Third, if we continue to inflate taxes inside our city limits, we are going to drive growth away from our
core, a major contradiction to our community’s goals of implementing a vibrant placemaking strategy.
IV. USE COMMON-SENSE BUSINESS PRACTICES
We understand that public organizations are unique in many ways. But, the following are some areas
where we believe common sense business practices should be implemented:
1. Businesses do not add expense items based on PROJECTED activity. This budget has an
inordinate amount of REAL expenses for PROJECTED growth as they relate to the Gateway TIF.
• Currently, there are 20 dispatchers on staff and 25 in the Budget. There are 5 vacancies.
The proposed budget has 29. Calls for service have not increased. Keep this at 20 until
calls increase.
• The proposed budget has an additional ladder truck and six new firefighters for projected
growth for Gateway TIF. Eliminate until growth occurs.
• Eliminate the 7 new officers budgeted for projected growth for Gateway TIFuntil
growth occurs. (Still budget for existing openings to be filled).
2. Eliminate the Ambulance Subsidy.
3. Eliminate recently created Public Events Department.
4. Businesses do not give raises when facing a deficit. No Cost of Living Adjustment for nonpublic
safety employees. No step increases for non-public safety until budget crisis is over.
5. Businesses adopt many other common sense cost-savings approaches during times of financial
crises or lean years. The following are some methods which our members use to save money
before they raise prices or fees for service:
• Furlough Days – Require each employee to take furlough days throughout the year.
These are days off without pay. Furlough days would exclude public safety and
sanitation.
• Require employee spouses to take their employer health insurance if offered.
• Adjust deductible on employee health insurance.
• Eliminate redundancies in positions at City Hall.
• Contract for services with other organizations to eliminate full-time positions.
• Executive Pay Cuts – Executive Pay Cuts are a standard practice for businesses in crises.
• Eliminate “sick leave” bonus checks for anyone who is in a Department Head or
Executive Leadership Role.
Total Savings: Well Over $5 Million
In closing, we appreciate the courage it took for Mayor Watson and the City Commission to step up to
lead our community. We appreciate the Mayor and Commissioners who we know are trying to get the
answers and make good, sound decisions. We know that these are tough decisions.
We understand that some adjustment in revenue is necessary. But, we ask for the City Commission to
meet the business owners and the people in our community half way.
We feel the One Dollar for One Dollar does just that.
We ask you to contact the City Commission and to attend the first reading of the budget ordinance next Monday, April 24 at 5:00 p.m. in the City Commission Chambers.
Mayor Pro Tem Bob Glenn
glennrj@owensboro.org
(270) 687-8564
Commissioner Larry Conder
conderjl@owensboro.org
(270) 687-8565
Commissioner Jay Velotta
velottarj@owensboro.org
(270) 687-8563
Mayor Tom Watson
mayor@owensboro.org
(270) 687-8561
Commissioner Pam Smith-Wright
Smith-wrightpl@owensboro.org
(270) 687-8566
PLEASE SHARE THIS WITH YOUR FRIENDS, EMPLOYEES AND COWORKERS!
Sincerely,
Wade Jenkins, Board Chair
Mark Martin
Board Chair Advocacy Chair
BACC event: Public Town Hall Forum with Barrington Taxing Bodies
A Public Town Hall Forum, featuring updates from eight local taxing bodies, will be held on Wednesday, April 26 at 8:00 a.m. at Makray Memorial Golf Club, 1010 S. Northwest Highway, Barrington. The inaugural event, hosted by The Barrington Area Chamber of Commerce (BACC), will provide updates on current economic conditions in the Barrington area, as well as a Q&A session with forum speakers. Registration and a breakfast buffet begin at 7:30 a.m. for the event.
“The first of its kind in the Barrington area, this public town hall forum offers the community a chance to hear first-hand vital information about how their tax dollars are being used to impact the prosperity of our communities,” said BACC President Suzanne Corr. “Attendees will also have the opportunity to submit questions to the speakers.”
Invited speakers include representatives from the Barrington Area Library, Barrington Community School District 220, Barrington Countryside Protection District, Barrington Hills Park District, Barrington Township, Cuba Township and South Barrington Park District. The cost to attend the event is $35 per person. Event sponsor fee is $250, which includes 4 tickets to the event, logo recognition on the BACC website and day-of event signage.
This new Town Hall Forum is an example of the important programming BACC brings to the community. The Barrington Area Chamber hosts a number of community events including the Barrington Family Expo at Barrington High School, and the Great Barrington Area TasteFest event on October 25. Other legislative events hosted by BACC include the Economic Summit in February and the Legislative Breakfast in October. For more event information, visit www.BarringtonChamber.com. .
Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce 2017 Business Directory and Resource Guide
The Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce 2017 Business Directory and Resource Guide is available at the Virginia Peninsula Chamber today! Thanks to Mike Kuhns, Suzy Johnson and the chamber team for their help and direction putting this together!
Town SquarePublications (www.townsquarepublications.com) can help you accomplish your chamber's gloss map, directory, community profile or publication needs at no expense to the chamber. Please email John Dussman at jdussman@tspubs.com or call (847)-427-4633.
Chicago Fed Survey of Business Conditions Survey shows growth increased in late February and March
The Chicago Fed Survey of Business Conditions (CFSBC) Activity Index increased to +13 from +6, suggesting that growth in economic activity stayed at a moderate pace in late February and March. The CFSBC Manufacturing Activity Index rose to +50 from +30, while the CFSBC Nonmanufacturing Activity Index remained at –8.
• Respondents’ outlooks for the U.S. economy for the next six to 12 months remainedoptimistic on balance. Respondents with optimistic outlooks highlighted increased demandfor their firms’ products (particularly those from manufacturing and construction firms)and the potential for fiscal stimulus and tax and regulatory reform under the new U.S.presidential administration. Respondents with pessimistic outlooks cited the slowdown inauto sales and elevated policy uncertainty under the new U.S. presidential administration.
•The pace of current hiring decreased, as did respondents’ expectations for the pace of hiring over the next six to 12 months. Both hiring indexes were negative.
•The pace of current capital spending decreased, and respondents’ expectations for the paceof capital spending over the next six to 12 months declined as well. While the currentcapital spending index continued to be negative, the capital spending expectations indexremained in positive territory.
•The wage cost pressures index increased and turned positive. The nonwage cost pressuresindex decreased and turned negative. More Information:
Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago
Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber accepting nominations for the 46th Annual Citizen of the Year Honoree
The Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce is now accepting nominations for 2017 Citizen of the Year for the Oxford/Lafayette County/University community.
Each year since 1972, the Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce has sought to recognize individuals who have made positive contributions to Oxford, Lafayette County and the University of Mississippi as its Citizen of the Year.
If you know of someone who has benefited and made a direct, lasting impact on our community through volunteer service, please help to recognize them by submitting their name as a nominee for 46th Annual Citizen of the Year. A completed nomination form, a typewritten biography of the individual and three nomination letters are required for each nomination.
Last year’s honoree for Citizen of the Year was Captain Max Miller. For a complete list of past recipients go to www.oxfordms.com.
Candidates will be judged on the basis of the following criteria: 1) Positive contributions to the Oxford/Lafayette/University community; 2) Contributions above and beyond those normally expected in an elective or appointive office, or above and beyond mere success in a business or profession; and 3) Perception as a role model for good citizenship and volunteerism in a non-paid capacity.
No candidate shall be discriminated against because of race, creed, color, age, sex or national origin. Consideration of candidates shall be in strict confidence and no announcement of the successful candidate will be made prior to the Chamber/EDF Annual Meeting Luncheon, scheduled for May 17, 2017.
To get more information, a nomination form, or to inquire about the guidelines for Citizen of the Year, stop by the Chamber office, located at 299 Jackson Avenue West, or call 662-234-4651 or log on to www.oxfordms.com.
Deadline for nominations is noon, Thursday, May 4, 2017.
DIRECT LINK TO INFORMATION:
http://oxfordms.com/chamber-of-commerce/programs-and-events/citizen-of-the-year/
Virginia House of Delegates honors Marc Meachum for 20 years of service
Bluefield Chamber Executive Director Marc Meachum was honored Friday afternoon for 20 years of service to the Greater Bluefield Chamber of Commerce.
Meachum plans to retire on March 31, of this year. Meachum was honored on Friday with a resolution by the Virginia House of Delegates with the senate concurring. “I got a call a couple of weeks ago, from Marty Hall saying that they wanted to do this resolution, that Delegate Morefield had put together,” Meachum said. “I was very honored and pleased. I didn’t know they were going to do it this afternoon, but it’s a great day for the chamber of commerce and the area.”
Meachum said he’s enjoyed 20 years of serving the chamber of commerce. “And the community,” Meachum said. “It’s a great staff of people. The volunteers that showed up here and supported me this afternoon are just remarkable as well. It’s a fun day. I didn’t anticipate this kind of turnout, it’s marvelous.”
Meachum said this was a “really nice” thing that the Virginia General Assembly did for him. “They don’t do these things lightly,” Meachum said. “And for Delegate Morefield’s office to make the arrangements to actually write the resolution and get it adopted by the general assembly is really important. This is something I’ll treasure for a long time.” Read more:
Bluefield Daily Telegraph
#BestChamber Practices: Greater Royal Oak Chamber: Resources for Starting a Business
While there are many individual questions about starting a business in Royal Oak, below are some departments that are commonly visited by people thinking about opening a business in Royal Oak.
The below links are some of the most often visited by prospective new businesses.
April 2017 Vacancy Rates in Royal Oak
Office = 4.9%
Retail = 2.6%
Metro Detroit Market
Office = 15%
Retail = 6.3%
Retail and Office Space Available
Commercial Real Estate Agents- Current Chamber Members:
Berridge & Morrison
Bob Sheldon
248.543.7960
Sine & Monaghan
Brad Bell
248.835.4644
CG Emerson Real Estate Group
Greg Cooksey
313.378.1446
CORE Partners
Matt Farrell
248.399.9999
Huntington Real Estate Group
Donald Nahat
248.397.7575
Roberto at Sykward Real Estate
Roberto Calderon
248.845.8102
Below are some other county and state resources available to both businesses currently residing in Royal Oak or considering relocating to the city:
SCORE Detroit
SCORE is a nonprofit association dedicated to educating entrepreneurs and helping small businesses start, grow, and succeed nationwide. SCORE is a resource partner with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), and has been mentoring small business owners for more than forty years.SCORE also provides local workshops and events throughout the country to connect small business owners with the people and information they need to start, grow, and maintain their businesses, as well as online workshops available 24/7. SCORE provides resources, templates and tools to assist entrepreneurs in developing tools and plans they need to navigate their way to small business success.
Pure Michigan Business Connect
This statewide procurement database connects businesses to billions of dollars of opportunity to help them expand their supply chains, identify new opportunities and provides free or significantly reduced legal, accounting and web services.
Oakland County One Stop Shop Business Center
Oakland County's business consultants offer free assistance to Oakland County-based companies with the development of feasibility studies, business plan refinement, and locating appropriate level financing. A list of upcoming workshops can also be found on the site.
Royal Oak is the latest municipality to establish a Property Assessed Clean Energy Program (PACE) in the State of Michigan. Under the program, commercial building owners may voluntarily assume a special assessment on their property tax bill to finance energy efficiency, water efficiency, and renewable energy projects.
Greensburg-Decatur County Chamber Legislative Update scheduled for Saturday
The Greensburg-Decatur County Chamber of Commerce, along with Decatur County Farm Bureau, will host the Legislative Update beginning at 8 a.m. on Saturday, April 15, in the Decatur County REMC Community Room. The community is invited and encouraged to attend the free event.
Decatur County lawmakers expected to attend include Rep. Randy Frye, Rep. Cindy Ziemke, State Senator Chip Perfect and State Senator Jean Leising.
Last year, Greensburg Community School Corporation Superintendent Tom Hunter called on legislators to take steps to curb the teacher shortage in southern Indiana and re-evaluate mandatory hours-long exams that place undue pressure on students, affect teacher pay rates, and play a large role in school funding due to being tied in with the school’s A to F accountability grades.
President of the Greensburg Teachers Association Scott Mangels also offered input on standardized testing, prompting discussion and answers from the legislators in attendance.
Also among 2016 discussions were road funding and drug prevention in the area.
However, topics discussed are based on those in attendance. Decatur County residents that attend the Legislative Update will have the opportunity to bring up any topics they deem necessary.
Greensburg-Decatur County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Jeff Emsweller said that there are big things happening that affect schools, highways, and their quality of life.
“It’s a good opportunity for people to stand up and have their lawmaker’s ear for a few minutes,” Emsweller said. Read more:
Greensburg Daily News
Tom Still: Amplify Oshkosh: Wisconsin experiences growth in tech jobs
Most people don’t think of Oshkosh as the next Silicon Valley. As part of Wisconsin’s Fox Valley, however, it has become a regional technology hub — and an example of the tech industry’s growing influence on the larger state economy.
Speaking to the Wisconsin Technology Council’s board of directors Tuesday, members of Amplify Oshkosh — a program of the Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce — noted there are thousands of information technology jobs spread across northeast Wisconsin and predicted there will be an appetite for thousands more.
In fact, northeast Wisconsin must fill 12,000-plus tech jobs by 2020, the group forecast, within sectors such as IT and software, advanced manufacturing and the aerospace industry.
It’s a story being repeated across Wisconsin as state businesses compete for talent in an economy that is becoming more tech-based by the day. A recent national report explained how tech is increasingly driving traditional sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing and tourism while slowly building an impressive standing of its own.
The 2017 “Cyberstates” report from CompTIA, the nation’s largest leading tech association, showed Wisconsin breaking the 100,000-job barrier in 2016 for the first time. The report, which draws upon a mix of public and private data, counted 101,542 state tech workers last year compared with 97,633 in 2015.
First, let’s define what constitutes a tech worker: Cyberstates counts them in two major ways. It includes all jobs within companies that are primarily tech businesses, as well as technology specialists found in other fields — including agriculture, manufacturing and tourism.
Journal Sentinel
Town Square Publications Chamber Membership Directories and Community Profiles: The best in the U.S.
Town Square Publications, a division of the Daily Herald Media Group, is a national chamber custom publishing group that specializes in developing partnerships by producing high-quality print and digitally integrated publications along with other added value programs dedicated to creating relevancy for local chambers of commerce and other membership focused organizations interested in raising non-dues revenues.
Town Square Publications parent company, Paddock Publications, has over 100 years’ experience of print product development and dedicated customer service in communities throughout the Midwest. Our experience allows Town Square Publications to offer you attractive royalty and non-dues revenue share streams, provide direct distribution of your custom designed printed publications, including digital and mobile integration, and all with the quickest turn-around times available in the industry. Town Square also offers multi-media maps in both print and online formats, both with our No-Cost guarantee. More information: Town Square Publications
Chambers of Commerce and member focused organizations serve as a valuable resource in the local marketplace. The networking opportunities and representation with a wide variety of diverse businesses in your community is the catalyst of a successful organization. For further information about Town Square's publishing partnership with chambers of commerce and our No-Cost guarantee and Earned Revenue Share Program, To request your chamber publication or map proposal, contact Town Square Chamber Proposal
