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8/2/2019 Chamber Feb 2012
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TULARE,CA
2012 Officers
Art ClarkChair of the Board
Kohler & Clark ScrewProducts, Inc
Philip SmithChair Elect
Citizens Business Bank
Crystal CotaVice Chair of Finance
M. Green & Co.
Marie PintoImmediate Past Chair
Tulare Adult School
Linda NoguesVice Chair of Membership
Bacome Insurance
Deanne Martin-SoaresVice Chair of
Governmental Affairs
2012 Board
Terry BrazilTulare Historical Museum
KerissaPostma-ChapmanInternational Agri-Center
Crystal CotaM. Green & Co.
Dominic FontanaLand OLakes
Melissa FreitasValley Business Bank
Geoff HindsTulare County Fair
Viktoria MeyersTulare Regional Medical
Center
Sue Ann HillmanTulare City Schools
Linda NoguesBacome Insurance
Lonnie TiesieraWill Tiesiera
Ford-Mercury, Inc.
Jerry BreckinridgeTulare Police Department
Dennis MederosLegal Counsel
Horswill, Mederos, & Soares
Traci MyersEx-Officio
City of Tulare
Professional Staff
Nina AkinPresident / CEO
Sherry CarsonOffice Manager
Andi CabreraDirector of Mem bership
and Sales
Linda HowarthInformatio n Coordinator
the updateis the official monthly
publication of theTulare Chamber of Commerce
220 E. Tulare Ave.P.O. Box 1435
Tulare, CA 93275-1435
686-1547
email: info@tularechamber.org
web: www.tularechamber.org
For advertising information call:Colleen Ferreira (559) 735-3227
the update is published in partnershipwith the Tulare Advance-Register
www.TulareChamber.org thetheUpdate
UpdateFebruary 2012
February 6th - 6-9 p.m. Girls NightOut at the Tulare Youth Center
February 14th - Farm Show Begins!
February 14th - 6:30 p.m. A Night AtNashville. (559) 686-2074
February 20th - Governmental Affairs12 p.m. at Apple Annies
February 23rd - 6-8 p.m. A seminaronphotography by photographer Brent
Russell Paull at the Tulare HistoricalMuseum. Learn Digital Photography
Save the Date: Governors Budget Proposal Relieson Voter Approval of November Initiative
Legislative Analyst Says Revenue Estimates Bigger Question Mark Than Usual
Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. hasproposed a $137.3 billion budget for201213 that aims to close a projected$9.2 billion General Fund deficit byrelying largely on tax increases from aNovember ballot initiative.
Legislative Analyst Mac Taylor, in hisreview of the Governors budget pro-
posal, credits the plan with continuingthe states efforts to restore budgetarybalance.
Taylors report comments that therevenue estimates are a bigger questionmark than usual due to uncertainty sur-rounding the economic recovery, and thathis offices estimates of how much the taxincreases will bring in are lower than theadministrations.
Tax InitiativeThe budget includes some targeted tax
increases on business, but these are notcritical to the Governors budget-balanc-ing strategy.
The major revenue increase proposalsare in the Governors tax initiative, includ-ing for 201112 and 201213, $5.8 billionin new income taxes for high-income tax-payers, and $1.2 billion from a half-centincrease in the state sales-and-use tax.
The only business tax proposal, requir-ing a two-thirds vote, is the extension ofthe tax on managed care plans, originallypassed several years ago.
Business is not unaffected by theGovernors tax increase proposal, how-ever. Businesses pay one-third of salestaxes, and net business and proprietorsincomes are a significant share of adjust-
ed gross incomes for the personal incometax side.
Targeted TaxesThe Governor includes two additional
targeted taxes on business to addressother elements of his policy agenda.
The administration has proposed a
surcharge on employers totaling morethan $470 million to finance future inter-est payments for funds borrowed fromthe federal government to pay Californiasunemployment insurance benefits andrepay the funds borrowed from theemployee-financed disability fund. Thisproposal has not yet been formallyreleased, and probably would require atwo-thirds vote of the Legislature to pass.
The administration is also including inthe budget up to $1 billion in revenuesfrom its new, controversial tax on cap-and-trade auction transactions in theAir Resources Boards greenhouse gasreduction program. The revenues would
be used to invest in clean energy, lowcarbon transportation, natural resourcesprotection, and sustainable infrastructure.Although the administration claims this isa fee, the intended uses of the proceedsleads many to believe that this levy willbe a bona fide tax.
Although the budget is not dependenton targeted tax increases, the Governormaintains his prior positions on a man-datory single sales factor and enterprisezone reform, promising to sponsor legis-lation to make these changes in order toprovide tax benefits to manufacturers andsmall businesses.
Also worth noting, thebaseline revenue fore-cast is based on highercorporate profits andhigher incomes fromupper-income taxpayers,who are projected to bereceiving higher wages
and who may be advanc-ing some of their capitalgains incomes due toexpiring lower federal income tax rates atthe end of 2012.
Cuts/Tax HikesThe Governor forecasts a $9.2 billion
deficit in June 2013 before his proposedcuts and tax increases. He resolves thisdeficit and projects a year-end $1.1 bil-lion reserve by increasing revenues, loansand transfers by $8.5 billion, cutting non-education programs by $3.8 billion, andincreasing K-14 spending by $2 billionmore than the schools and communitycolleges would have otherwise received.
The K-14 increase is a function of higherGeneral Fund revenues from the newtaxes.
Put another way, the budget proposes$6 billion in new General Fund spendingnext year (assuming taxes pass). Of this,$4 billion is for K-12 education, $2 billionrepays an earlier loan to local govern-ment, and about $900 million is for cor-rections, offset by reductions in health,welfare and child care.
The Governor said his proposal hasreduced the structural budget deficit from$20 billion to $5 billion.
Nina Akin-President/CEO
Sequoia Valley Enterprise Zone FinalDesignation AnnouncedNew Incentives for Tulare County Business
Businesses in Tulare County havesomething to celebrate! The CaliforniaDepartment of Housing and CommunityDevelopment has announced final des-ignation of the Sequoia Valley EnterpriseZone, with a retro-active effective dateof October 6, 2010. Businesses locatedwithin the zone boundaries are eligibleto receive local and state tax incentives,including a hiring credit of up to $37,000,over a five year period, for each quali-fied employee hired. These incentivesare designed to increase local job growth,business investment in the community,offer an improved quality of life, and con-tribute to the California economy, statedPaul Saldana, President & CEO of theEconomic Development Corporation, theadministering entity for the new zone.
The State of California has 42 enter-prise zones. The program is one of themost beneficial economic developmenttools that the state has. The zone benefits
are targeted to economically distressedcommunities and it assists them withtheir efforts to attract new companies andretain companies who might be lookingto relocate or expand out of the state ofCalifornia.
State benefits of the program includetax credits for hiring qualified employ-ees, credits on sales and use tax paid forthe purchase of qualified machinery andmachinery parts, a 15-year net operat-ing loss carryover, accelerated expensedeductions, and preference points onstate contracts. Lenders to zone business-es may be eligible to receive a net inter-est deduction. Local incentives include21 day permit fast tracking and a 5 year,interest free development fee deferralprogram.
The zone boundaries include the citiesof Dinuba, Exeter, Lindsay, Farmersville,Porterville, Tulare, Visalia, Woodlake
and the unincorporated communities ofTraver, Goshen, Tipton, Pixley, Earlimart,Richgrove, Ducor, Terra Bella, Poplar,Ivanhoe, Strathmore, Orosi and Cutler.
Our goal is for every eligible businessto know about the program benefits and
be able to utilize the incentives said LoriDunagan, Enterprise Zone Manager. Wewill be having workshops to introducethe enterprise zone and explain how easyit is to access the benefits. The work-shops are being presented in a partner-ship between the Economic DevelopmentCorporation serving Tulare County, theWorkforce Investment Board of TulareCounty, individual Chamber of Commerceoffices and each city. For informationabout upcoming workshops, or theEnterprise Zone program, you can contactLori Dunagan at 559.688.3388 or lori@edctulare.com. A map of the zone bound-aries and street range list is available atwww.sequoiavalley.com.
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Consider Energy Efficiency Improvements WhenPurchasing an Existing Home By Gordon Smith
Home purchases are the biggest per-sonal investment most of us will makein our lifetimes. In the Central Valley,next to mortgage payments, the biggestexpense for many homeowners are theirutility bills. These costs are continuingto escalate, with no end in sight. Otherhomeowner expenses that are often
overlooked, are home repairs and majorsystem replacements. Ofthese often overlookedexpenses, the replace-ment of air conditioningsystems are among themost costly, and leastexpected. Unfortunately,anyone who has experi-enced one of our sum-mers knows that this is also a repair thatcannot be put off.
Wouldnt it be nice if the issues andconcerns related to the costs of energy,repairs, and major system replacementscould be reduced or eliminated? Well,
there are several programs that can becoordinated during a home purchase,which could do just that. These pro-grams provide cost effective funding
or incentives for whole house energyupgrades. Incorporating a whole houseenergy upgrade during the purchase canactually help homebuyers reduce theirmonthly out-of-pocket costs by a figurethat is greater than the monthly financecharges for the upgrades. Additionally,the homeowner benefits from increased -
comfort, durability, dependability, indoorair quality, wellbeing,and piece-of-mind.Furthermore, if EnergyUpgrade Californiaincentives are takenadvantage of, up to$4,000 can come backto the purchaser some-time after the purchase
and upgrades have been completed. Thehomebuyer is free to do what ever theywant with this particular incentive, whichthey receive sometime after the purchaseand upgrades have been completed.
A side benefit of home buyers incorpo-
rating upgrades into their home purchas-es is stimulation of the local economy.This is accomplished through: creation oflocal jobs, increased revenues brought to
the local economy, and increased discre-tionary income attributed to lower utilitybills, which could be spent in the localcommunity.
Some of the available programs thatcan be coordinated within the home pur-chase are: Energy Efficiency Mortgages
(EEMs), Streamlined 203K Loans, Full203K Loans,, Fannie Mae HomePath,Fannie Mae HomeStyle, Weatherization,Mortgage Credit Certificate, and EnergyUpgrade California incentives. In somecases, the use of a Facilitator can stream-line the integration of some of these avail-able programs. Homebuyers, Realtors,or Lenders interested in how these pro-grams can be incorporated within a homepurchase, can contact Gordon Smith at:gsmith@ecoact.org
Gordon Smith is a regional program
manager for Energy Upgrade California,
the statewide program that is reducingenergy use, saving homeowners money
and creating local jobs. For more, visit
www.EnergyUpgradeCA.org.
See Budget Proposal/4
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page 2 February 2012 tulare chamber the update
PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Give Your Community A Reason To Shop LocalIn 2012!
Members Renew ChamberInvestment
Thank you to the following businesses andindividuals who renewed their membership
during the month of December.
A&W Restaurants
California Office LiquidatorsLane Engineers Inc.
Personnel Solutions Unlimited, LLC
Rabobank TulareSousa & Sousa Dairy
TOL, INCB.J.Perch ConstructionManuel & Dollie Faria
Martinho Construction, Inc.Minyards Auto Parts
Phillips Law FirmCarmen Pinheiro
T-N-T Quick Lube, Wash & SmogThiesen Dueker Financial Consulting
GroupTulare County Office of EducationTulare Industrial Site Development
FoundationVillage Profile
Vincent Sola PartnershipVisalia Rawhide Baseball ClubZoom Imaging Solutions, Inc.
Agnaldos Welding, Inc.Cool Hand Lukes Steakhouse & Saloon
Curti Family, Inc.DeRose, Anthony
Lampe Dodge Chrysler Jeep of TulareMid Valley Cotton Growers, Inc.
Serafines Italian CateringGeorge Watte & Sons
Lets transform your community intoa retail destination, draw traffic andencourage sales.
NOTE: If your merchants are notmoving forward, it means theyre stand-ing still, and that is not a healthy com-petitive position.
Lets aim to improve the economichealth of your neighborhoods, yourlocalities and your shopping corridors.
1. Shopping local creates jobs. Shopsin your town create local employmentand self-employment. These people inturn spend in the local economy.
2. Local independent shops investmore in your communities. Local busi-nesses are proportionally more gener-ous in their support of local charities,
schools, and community events. So sup-porting local shops means a financialcontribution to your community.
3. Local shops sell great products ataffordable prices. Some people get outof the habit of shopping locally and arethen surprised by the range of products
available.
4. Shopping locally saves you timeand money. You travel less, saving on
time and fuel.5. Shopping locally retains your com-
munities. People dont like losing shopsand services in small towns but dontequate this with how they spend theirmoney.
6. Shopping locally retains your dis-tinctiveness. Independent shops createdistinctive shopping experiences andstock different products. Local business-es respond more quickly to the needsof local customers, stocking products tomeet changing population needs.
7. Shopping locally saves the envi-ronment. Local shops often stock a high
percentage of locally sourced goods thatdo not require long-distance transporta-tion, helping to reduce our global foot-print.
8. Local shops are for everyone. Mostpeople can get to their local shops eas-ily. This is especially important for the
elderly, young people and others whorely on public transportation.
9. Local shops value you more.
Evidence from numerous surveys showpeople receive better customer care andservice locally. These businesses surviveby their reputation and repeat business,which means you get a higher standardof service.
10. Shopping local saves services.Private and public sector services clusteraround shops. As shops disappear sodo hairdressers, banks, restaurants andother businesses.
Consumers can pledge to Think,Shop, Buy, Local and commit to patron-izing businesses near where they liveand work. Local stores employ yourneighbors, pay taxes that support yourschools and improve your roads, andcontribute to local non-profit groups.
Together we can strengthen relation-ships that improve our quality of life. Sonext time before you make a purchase,Think, Shop, Buy, Local.
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Weve all heard theres no free lunch,but recent survey of plan participantsrevealed a startling fact: most peoplebelieve they pay nothing for their 401(k)plan. That misperception should changebeginning sometime in 2012, when quali-fied plan participants will begin to receive
detailed information in their quarterlystatement about the fees and expensescharged to their plan. This fee disclo-sure is designed to help employees assessthe value they receive by participating intheir plan, and to help them compare theinvestment options offered under the planon an apples-to-apples basis.
The proposed regulations, which theU.S. Department of Labor is coordinat-ing with the Securities and ExchangeCommission, are expected to include therequirement that your plan sponsor issuetwo types of disclosure plan-level andinvestment-level facts and figures:
Plan-level information likely willinclude:
General plan information, explain-ing how to give investment instructions,provide a current list of investmentoptions (with any related investmentrestrictions), and describe any availablebrokerage windows that allow you toselect investments beyond those desig-nated by the plan;
Administrative expenses infor-mation, telling you how general planexpenses are charged to or deducted
from your individual account, such as feesand expenses for accounting, legal andrecordkeeping services; and
Individual expenses information,showing what fees are charged personallyto you as a result of actions taken in youraccount, such as fees for loans or process-ing of qualified domestic relations orders.
Investment-related Information like-ly will include:
Performance data, providingreturns for one-, five- and ten-year peri-
ods for each investment under the planthat does not offer a f ixed rate of return;
Benchmark returns, allowing youto compare investment performance ofeach option under your plan againstbroad-based securities indexes; and
Investment-related fees andexpenses, expressing what you pay eachquarter, as both a percentage of assetsand dollar-and-cents amount for each$1,000 invested.
Easy-to-read comparisons
Making sense of investment docu-ments can be confusing. Under the pro-posed regs, investment-related informa-
tion should be displayed in comparativechart or similar format. This is designedto make it easier for you to compari-son shop the investment options offeredunder your plan. Updates regarding yourinvestment options may be posted to aplan Internet website address, and yourplan administrator must provide a generalglossary of terms to help you understandyour investment options.
Please contact us if you have any ques-tions. Paladin Investment Group 559-625-4005 www.paladininvestmentgroup.com
401k Participants -Get the Skinny on Fees and Expenses
Kimberly Lindley, Jerry Hayton , Trish Arnold
Call for details:
559-799-4744
or email:
info@mc-solutions.comCustom Logo Social Media Icons Your APP Icon (if available) One-Touch Email, Call and Driving Directions!
GET NOTICED!$25
ONLY
UPGRADE YOUR SMARTPHONE BUSINESS LISTING
FebruaryCalendarFebruaryCalendar
Our Ambassador Meeting forFebruary will be cancelled.
February 6th6-9PM Girls Night Out at the Tulare
Youth Center
February 14thFarm Show Begins!
February 14th6:30PMA Night At Nashville.(559) 686-2074
February 20thGovernmental Affairs 12PM at AppleAnnies
February 20thThe Chamber office will be closed
February 23rd6-8PM Photographer Brent RussellPaull will conduct a seminar on pho-tography at the Tulare Historical Mu-seum. Learn Digital Photography
Please send your event dates tolhowarth@tularechamber.org.
Welcome AboardNew Member
Congratulations and thank you to the fol-lowing new members that invested in theChamber during the month of December.
Ruth Medlin
Civic Minded Individual
Governmental Affairs: Small Businesses arethe Backbone of the Economy
Small businesses are the backboneof the economy. They make-up a sig-nificant share of the states economicproduction and provide a good por-tion of the ongoing hiring, whichin turn enables businesses to grow.Unemployment decreases when busi-ness is able to thrive. A thriving busi-ness climate occurs when opportunitiesare recognized by entrepreneurs readyto invest. There is a delicate balancebetween a healthy business climate,supported by necessary governmentinvolvement and an unhealthy climateburdened with unwarranted regulations.When the business cl imate becomesunhealthy it does not allow small busi-nesses to thrive, because the once
opportunistic business owner reduceshis/her risks by slowing growth or mov-ing out of the unhealthy climate.
In analyzing the CaliforniaComprehensive Annual Financial Report(CAFR) ending June 30th, 2010 it isobvious what continues to impact busi-nesses - fees and penalties. Fees andpenalties increased a whopping 225.6%in the period from 2000 to 2009. This ofcourse generates large revenue for thestate in the short term, but may hinder
it in the long-term . Personal income inthe productive private sector increased9.9%, while private sector jobs decreasedby 25%. Californias public sectoremployment income grew by 66.4% andpublic sector jobs increased almost 25%.All of these numbers do not bode wellfor the California business environmentto see a vast improvement.
Currently Californias business climateranks near the bottom. Many busi-nesses have left our great state and weneed that bleeding to stop. But unfor-tunately our legislature continues tomake more laws and enact more regula-tion. Regulations are partially enforcedthrough fees and penalties. In 2011 we
had 700 new laws implemented; 2012saw that number increase to 761 newlaws. With most of these new laws comea multitude of new regulations to imple-ment the new laws. . Some of theseregulations are implemented by a smallgroup of people that we dont even getthe opportunity to elect.
One area of business that has beentargeted heavily with fees and penal-ties is the farming and dairy industry.These industries are key drivers in our
local economy and thoseowners and all otherbusiness owners shouldeducate themselves onmany of these new lawsand ultimately the newregulations. (Calchamber.com for 2012 laws)Unfortunately many of uswill find out about thesenew laws and regulationsonly upon when being served with alawsuit, cited by a police officer, or toldby our accountant or attorney when weare already facing penalties.
The only way to make change happenis to become educated in the process ofwhat is making California so toxic for
business. It will then be important foryour voice to be heard. The goal of theChamber of Commerce GovernmentalAffairs Committee is to assist you indeveloping awareness. This monthsmeeting will be held on February 20that Apple Annies at 12:00, where we willexplain the difference between legisla-tion and regulation and the process usedto implement laws that could impactyour business.
Deanne Martin-
Soares
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tulare chamber the update February 2012 page 3
MEMBER NEWS
ember NewsSlide on your cowboy boots and bring your
appetite on Friday, February 24, when theTulare Historical Museum goes country with ANight in Nashville.
Our annual spring dinner party will have awestern flare this year and include live enter-
tainment for a foot-stompin good time.The fes tivities w ill star t at 6:30 p.m. with a
chuck wagon-style dinner with all the countryfixins. Then, youll be entertained by Jerry Halland Trick Shot, one of the most popular coun-try-western bands in the San Joaquin Valley.
Tickets to this even t are $50 pe r person or$400 for a table of eight. Seating is limited to112, and we expect a sellout!! Reserve yourseats today by calling the museum, 559-686-2074, or ordering them from our website tulare-historicalmuseum.org.
Jerry Hall and Trick Sho t were formed morethan 30 years ago. They have opened for PamTillis and Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers.They have performed with The Sons of thePioneers, The Sons of the San Joaquin, androdeo stars Larry Mahan and Montie Montana,
r. They have five albums and numerous videoson YouTube.
The museum is loca ted at 444 W. TulareAve., Tulare. Hours of operation are 10:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m. Thursday Saturday. In additionto our regular hours, we will be open the thirdSunday of the month for free from 12:30-4:00p.m., during the months of September Mayto correlate with our Sunday @ 2:00 programAdmission is $5.00 for adults, $3.00 for seniors
55+ and Southern California Automobile Clubmembers, $2.00 for students, and free for TulareCity Historical Society members and ch ildrenunder 5 years old.
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Tickets a re now available for Girls NightOut, schedule for Monday, February 6th at theTulare Youth Center from 6pm-9pm. The event,which is designed for ladies of all ages andhosted by the Tulare Teens-On-Board programas a Meals on Wheels Fundraiser, includes afashion show, dance performances, 50+ ven-dors, local celebrities, refreshments & doorprizes, free goodie bags to the first 100 childrenand much more! Admission is $10 per adult;$5 for children 12 & under, ages 2 years andunder is free. All proceeds to benefit the TulareMeals on Wheels program. Purchase your tick-
ets before they sell out by visiting the TulareSenior Community Center, 201 North F St. CallHollie at 685-2330 for details. Vendors spacestill available.
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We need your support! Live Oak Marchingand and Colorguard is looking to purchase an
equipment trailer and rolling racks for uniformsand equipment. As our band and colorguardgrow, traveling becomes more difficult. We havemore and more equipment needed to perform.
The Live Oak Band Boosters are asking
for your help to provide the necessary fundsto purchase the trailer and materials. We arelooking to raise $10,000 to purchase the nec-essary items from local Tulare businesses.Contributions of material and labor will also bevery helpful.
Once the trailer is obtained, we will need totransform the interior of the trailer into a secureand durable transport for our band and color-guard instruments, safety equipment, snacks,refreshments and first-aid supplies while wetravel.
Your suppor t will insure that the student sand staff will have all the necessar y supplieson-hand, required to provide a safe and enjoy-able trip to and from events.
Our marching band and colorguard areasked to represent Live Oak Middle School andthe City of Tulare at many events throughoutthe year. Please help us become on of Tularesfinest by contributing to the Live Oak MiddleSchool Band Trailer Fund.
Thank you for your support,Nick GalvanBand DirectorLive Oak Middle School980 N. Laspina St.
All con tributions should be sent to Live OakMiddle School. Checks payable to: Live OakP.T.O. - memo: Band Trailer Donation
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Cabrillo Civic Clubs of California is nowaccepting Scholarship applications from highschool seniors who are:
Portuguese decent
U.S. Citizen or permanent resident
* 3.50 GPA or higher
Applica tions can be p icked up at a ll TulareCounty High School Counseling office or onlineat www.cabrillocivicclubs.org deadline is March15th 2012. For more
Information contact: Dulcie Nunes at 559688-8070.
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Grandmas House is having its 4th AnnualFriends of Grandmas House Dinner. This isa time to celebrate and showcase the accom-plishments of 2011. An exciting program hasbeen planned for this event. This years themeis Empowering the Village to Bridge the Gap.The Keynote speaker: Dr. Michael Sompayrac,principal of Edna Batey Elementary School, inthe Elk Grove Unified School District.
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This event is a Fundra iser to continue theacademic support that we provide for studentsin the Tulare School District. It is also a timewhen we will h ave an opportun ity to showcasethe work that we do and reveal the next phaseof Grandmas House which benefit 7-8 gradestudents. The tickets are only $25.00 You canpurchase a table for 8 at $200. For tickets call(559)687-0925, (559) 300-4693 or go to ourwebsite and pay through PayPal: www.grand-mas-house.org
[Grandmas House is having its 4th Annual
Friends of Grandmas House Dinner. This isa time to celebrate and showcase the accom-plishments of 2011. An exciting program hasbeen planned for this event. This years themeis Empowering the Village to Bridge the Gap.The Keynote speaker: Dr. Michael Sompayrac,principal of Edna Batey Elementary School, inthe Elk Grove Unified School District.
This event is a Fundra iser to continue theacademic support that we provide for studentsin the Tulare School District. It is also a timewhen we will h ave an opportun ity to showcasethe work that we do and reveal the next phaseof Grandmas House which benefit 7-8 gradestudents. The tickets are only $25.00 You canpurchase a table for 8 at $200. For tickets call
(559)687-0925, (559) 300-4693 or go to ourwebsite and pay through PayPal: www.grand-mas-house.org
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Classic Charter offers a greener ride, andmore luxury with its newest 2012 MCI J4500.Chris Riddington sees it a ll the time: A passen-ger steps onto one of our coaches, takes a lookaround and says, This sure isnt the bus I rodeto college!
Its a frequent experience for Riddington,President of San Joaquin Valley based ClassicCharter. People are turning over a wholenew leaf when it comes to motor coach travelbecause now they can do it in style.
What coach riders may not realize is thatcoach travel is one of the greenest transporta-tion options in existence today. According to theAmerican Bus Associat ion, each 56-passengercoach is seven times more energy- and fuel-efficient than a single passenger automobile.Each coach provides 206.6 passenger miles pergallon of fuel; a single occupant driving a caron average gets only 27.2 miles to the gallon.
Thats why Riddington is par ticularly excitedabout Classic Charters newest MCI J4500, thefirst in its all-MCI coach fleet to feature 2010EPA-compliant engine technology. Classics new-est coach is even greener than previous models,offering near-zero emissions.
Between 2012 and 2023, all coaches inCalifornia will need to meet 2010 emissionstandards and our newest J4500 is our firststep in converting to an all-green fleet, saidRiddington.
What the passenge r will see first, however,is pure luxury. Built by Motor Coach Industries,the J4500 coach experience starts with itspatented spiral stairway and full-kneeling sus-pension that makes boarding easy for all ages.
Once passengers are seated, they get to enjoyscenery-sized windows and tiered theatre seat-ing that assures panoramic views for the entireride.
Classic Charters latest J4500 carries 58 pas-sengers, features three-point seatbelts and offers110-volt outlets at every seat. The result is easierwork and play fo r business, school and groupclients. As long as you g ive them good serviceand a well-built coach, it really opens peopleseyes to the pleasure of going by coach, saysRiddington.
Classic Charters first coach was an MC-5and its stayed with many MCI models since.Its about the reliability and good service. Igrew up with MCI and it has treated us andour customers well, said Riddington, whosefather Les Riddington founded the companyin February of 1985. Today Classic Charteremploys 75 workers and is proud to be servingthe Central Valley for over 26 years.
Classic Charters website is www.classicchar-ter.com.
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Photographer Brent Russell Paull willconduct two seminars on photography at theTulare Historical Museum . Learn DigitalPhotography will be from 6 to 8 p.m. onThursday, February 23, and Nature & WildlifeClasswill be from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday,March 8, in the museums Heritage Room.
The Learn Digital Photography seminarwill build an understanding o f digita l photog -raphy from basic concepts through advancedtechniques. Mr. Paull will teach camera useand operations, lenses and equipment, tripods,understanding light and exposure, learningcomposition, etc.
The Nature and Wildlife Photographyclass takes you step-by-step through learninghow to take great out door and wildlife images.Learn about the right equipment, how yourcamera looks at light, composition rules to fol-low, field tactics and photo cra ft, and many
other professional techniques in nature andwildlife photography. With the California Coastand parks like Yosemite so close learn how totake beautiful images of what you see, not justsnapshots.
The co st is $20 per class. Reservati ons andpayment are requested in advance. Mail yourpayment to the Tulare Historical Museum, P.O.Box 248, Tulare CA 93274; or call (559) 686-2074.
The museum is locat ed at 444 W. TulareAve., Tulare. Hours of opera tion are 10:00a.m. 4:00 p.m. Thursday Saturday. In addi-tion to our regular hours, we will be open thethird Sunday of the month for free, during themonths of September May to correlate withour Sunday @ 2:00 program. Admission is $5.00for adults, $3.00 for seniors 55+ and SouthernCalifornia Automobile Club members, $2.00for students, and free for Tulare City HistoricalSociety members and children under 5 yearsold.
If you have any questions, please call: (559)686-2074 or to request a photo, email lthullen@tularehistoricalmuseum.org.
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At Quality Paint and Body, we have spe-cially trained I-CAR Certified technicians thatperform all of the limited lifetime guaranteework on our vehic les. Should you find yourselfcompleting some paint repair work yourself,please do not make these mistakes!
Do not use regular sandpaper! This is muchtoo rough and there is specially designed sand-paper made for vehicle repair.
Be sure to use fresh paint! Using old paint
can result in peeling and cracking as it will notadhere properly.
Never use nail polish as a substitute forclear coat! While this may seem like a cheaperalternative, the nail polish is not designed tolast or shield your vehicle like the automotiveclear coat will be.
Paper towels or bath towels should not beused on a car surface! The fibers of these mate-rials are too coarse and may scratch the painton the vehicle. Instead, choose a microfibercloth specifically designed to be used on auto-mobiles.
With two locations (Visalia and Tulare) nowavailable to serve you, Quality Paint and Bodyis a great choice for getting a superior repair ina timely manner. Feel free to give us a call any-time at 559-734-3501 (Visalia and surroundingareas) or 559-687-2800 (Tulare and surroundingareas) to see how we can help get your vehiclerepaired with our 100% satisfaction guaranteeand lifetime warranty on all work (as long asyou own the veh icle)!
Call for details:
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United Way will host a food boo th at the Annual World Ag Expo. The money raisedfrom this major fundraiser supports local nonprofit organizations throughout Tulare County thatprovide quality affordable childcare, support for families, and assistance to the elderly and peoplewith disabilities.
For lunch, we will be serving tri-tip sandwiches, our famous chili beans, fried bologna sandwiches,Frito boats with all the fixings, cookies, and sodas. Our breakfast menu features tri-tip burritos andbig muffins.
We are offering presale tickets printed with your company name, see the sample below. The cost is$7 which equals a $2 discount per ticket! If you would like to purchase tickets to give to your cus-tomers and employees, please complete the form below and return via email or fax by:January 30, 2012
Thank you,
Darlene Mayfield
United Way of Tulare County
darlene@unitedwaytc.org or / fax 559-685-9541
Name (Please Print)
Phone
Company (as you would like it to appear)
Email Address
Address
# of tickets
City, State, Zip
Payment enclosed
Please, send me an invoice
Signature
Date
United Way ofTulare County
S
A
M
P
L
E
S
A
M
P
L
E
Annual World Ag Expo
United Way of Tulare County
Meal Ticket
tri-tip breakfast burrito or tri-tip sandwich,
homemade chili beans & drink
Complements of Your Name Here
We are located on the corner of South Greenbelt and J St
Thanks for your support!
Presale tickets are a great way toplan out your expenses for theweek of the Expo and a greatway to treat your customers and/or employees to lunch!
The advanced tickets workedvery well and made lunch veryeasy for all of our people andguests involved with the show.
Thank you so much for havingthis program available. The foodwas excellent ...
-- Show visitor
8/2/2019 Chamber Feb 2012
4/4
page 4 February 2012 tulare chamber the update
NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES
Budget Proposal(continued from page 1)
If the tax increases do not pass inovember, the Governor has proposed
a contingency plan to reduce spendingby $5.4 billion beginning in 2013. Majorreductions will be to K-14 education ($4.8billion), higher education ($400 million),courts ($150 million), and various publicsafety programs, mostly in the ResourcesAgency ($28 million).
Government ReorganizationThe Governor proposes compre-
hensive reorganization of the executivebranch, including:
reducing the overall number of agen-cies and departments;
further reorganizing economic devel-opment programs, in effect reassem-bling many of the components of theold Trade and Commerce Agency;
creating a new Business andConsumer Services Agency thatincludes the various businessregulatory agencies from the exist-ing Business, Transportation andHousing Agency and the State andConsumer Services Agency;
creating a new stand-aloneTransportation Agency and includ-ing within it the departments ofTransportation, Motor Vehicles, High-Speed Rail Authority, the HighwayPatrol, the California TransportationCommission and the Board of PilotCommissioners;
creating a Department of Revenue
that consolidates the tax collectionfunctions of the Franchise Tax Boardand Employment DevelopmentDepartment, but not including theBoard of Equalization;
eliminating the departments ofMental Health and Alcohol and DrugPrograms and folding their functionsinto the Department of Health CareServices; and
eliminating the UnemploymentInsurance Appeals Board.
Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. hasproposed a $137.3 billion budget for201213 that aims to close a projected$9.2 billion General Fund deficit byrelying largely on tax increases from a
ovember ballot initiative.Legislative Analyst Mac Taylor, in his
review of the Governors budget pro-posal, credits the plan with continuingthe states efforts to restore budgetarybalance.
Taylors report comments that therevenue estimates are a bigger questionmark than usual due to uncertainty sur-rounding the economic recovery, and thathis offices estimates of how much the taxincreases will bring in are lower than theadministrations.
Tax InitiativeThe budget includes some targeted tax
increases on business, but these are notcritical to the Governors budget-balanc-ing strategy.
The major revenue increase proposalsare in the Governors tax initiative, includ-ing for 201112 and 201213, $5.8 billionin new income taxes for high-income tax-payers, and $1.2 billion from a half-centincrease in the state sales-and-use tax.
The only business tax proposal, requir-ing a two-thirds vote, is the extension ofthe tax on managed care plans, originallypassed several years ago.
Business is not unaffected by theGovernors tax increase proposal, how-ever. Businesses pay one-third of salestaxes, and net business and proprietorsincomes are a significant share of adjust-ed gross incomes for the personal incometax side.
Targeted TaxesThe Governor includes two additionaltargeted taxes on business to addressother elements of his policy agenda.
The administration has proposed asurcharge on employers totaling morethan $470 million to finance future inter-est payments for funds borrowed fromthe federal government to pay Californiasunemployment insurance benefits andrepay the funds borrowed from theemployee-financed disability fund. Thisproposal has not yet been formallyreleased, and probably would require atwo-thirds vote of the Legislature to pass.
The administration is also including inthe budget up to $1 billion in revenuesfrom its new, controversial tax on cap-and-trade auction transactions in theAir Resources Boards greenhouse gasreduction program. The revenues wouldbe used to invest in clean energy, lowcarbon transportation, natural resourcesprotection, and sustainable infrastructure.Although the administration claims this isa fee, the intended uses of the proceedsleads many to believe that this levy willbe a bona fide tax.
Although the budget is not dependenton targeted tax increases, the Governormaintains his prior positions on a man-datory single sales factor and enterprisezone reform, promising to sponsor legis-
lation to make these changes in order toprovide tax benefits to manufacturers andsmall businesses.
Also worth noting, the baseline reve-nue forecast is based on higher corporateprofits and higher incomes from upper-income taxpayers, who are projected tobe receiving higher wages and who maybe advancing some of their capital gainsincomes due to expiring lower federalincome tax rates at the end of 2012.
Cuts/Tax HikesThe Governor forecasts a $9.2 billion
deficit in June 2013 before his proposedcuts and tax increases. He resolves thisdeficit and projects a year-end $1.1 bil-lion reserve by increasing revenues, loansand transfers by $8.5 billion, cutting non-education programs by $3.8 billion, andincreasing K-14 spending by $2 billion
more than the schools and communitycolleges would have otherwise received.The K-14 increase is a function of higherGeneral Fund revenues from the newtaxes.
Put another way, the budget proposes$6 billion in new General Fund spendingnext year (assuming taxes pass). Of this,$4 billion is for K-12 education, $2 billionrepays an earlier loan to local govern-ment, and about $900 million is for cor-rections, offset by reductions in health,welfare and child care.
The Governor said his proposal hasreduced the structural budget deficit from$20 billion to $5 billion.
If the tax increases do not pass inNovember, the Governor has proposeda contingency plan to reduce spendingby $5.4 billion beginning in 2013. Majorreductions will be to K-14 education ($4.8billion), higher education ($400 million),courts ($150 million), and various publicsafety programs, mostly in the ResourcesAgency ($28 million).
Government ReorganizationThe Governor proposes compre-
hensive reorganization of the executivebranch, including:
reducing the overall number of agen-cies and departments;
further reorganizing economic devel-
opment programs, in effect reassem-bling many of the components of the
old Trade and Commerce Agency;
creating a new Business andConsumer Services Agency thatincludes the various businessregulatory agencies from the exist-ing Business, Transportation andHousing Agency and the State and
Consumer Services Agency; creating a new stand-aloneTransportation Agency and includ-ing within it the departments ofTransportation, Motor Vehicles, High-Speed Rail Authority, the HighwayPatrol, the California TransportationCommission and the Board of PilotCommissioners;
creating a Department of Revenuethat consolidates the tax collectionfunctions of the Franchise Tax Boardand Employment DevelopmentDepartment, but not including theBoard of Equalization;
eliminating the departments of
Mental Health and Alcohol and DrugPrograms and folding their functionsinto the Department of Health CareServices; and
eliminating the UnemploymentInsurance Appeals Board.
Legislative Analyst ReviewThe Legislative Analyst notes that the
state budget already depends on vola-tile income tax payments by the stateswealthiest individuals and that theGovernor proposes high-income individu-als pay more for the next few years. If theanalysts revenue estimates are closer totarget than the administrations, the ana-lysts review notes, the Legislature will
have to pursue billions of dollars more inbudget-balancing solutions.
Our 2012 Chamber Installation was a wonderful evening andwe couldnt have done it with the following Title SponsorsAcclaim Auto Body
Bank of the Sierra
Citizens Business Bank
nternational Agri Center
JD Heiskell
agomarsino Group
and O Lakes
ES.COM Pest Control
Saputo
Southern CA Gas Companyulare Advance Register
achi Hotel & Casino
ulare Outlet Center
ulare Regional Medical Center
Valley Business Bank.
As well as a gracious thank you to ourAssociate Sponsors
Educational Employees Credit Union
Farm Credit West
Joe and Marie Pinto
Law Office of Horswill, Mederos &Soares
Magnolia Health Corp
Skip Barwick Realty
Supervisor Pete Vanderpoel III
TF Tire.
We would also like to thank all thewonderful businesses of our member-ship that decorated one if not twotables for this event;
Acclaim Auto & Truck Accessories
Bank of Sierra
Bret Stuber CPA
City of Tulare
Educational Employees Credit Union(Tucoemas)
Gowin Green Landscaping
Grandmas House-A Vision of Hope
International Agri Center
J.D. Heiskell
K-TIPLand O Lakes
Magnolia Health Corp
Marie Pinto
Morris Levin & Son
Paladin Investment Groupl
Premier Real Estate
Rabobank
Relay For Life
Roma Lodge
State Farm
Tachi Palace
TF Tire
Tucoemas Federal Credit Union
Tulare County Farm Bureau
Tulare County Federal Credit UnionTulare Outlet Center
Tulare Regional Medical Center
Valley Business Bank
Wells Fargo Bank
Will Tiesiera Ford
Sue Ann HillmanOnce again at our
Annual Awards I left outa very important Boardof Director. This is twicethis has happened andI would like to make aformal apology to her inour Newsletter. Sue AnnHillman brings to ourBoard her knowledge andexperience of running alarge corporation and is a
valuable asset to our Board.Accept my sincere apology.
Annual Awards
www.tucoemas.org
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 5011 z Visalia, CA 93278-5011
TULARE1233 E. Prosperity Ave.(559) 685-8892
VISALIA2300 W. Whitendale Ave.
5222 W. Cypress Ave.(559) 732-8892
PORTERVILLE1389 W. Henderson Ave.
(559) 784-8892
F d ll i d b NCUA
Serving Tulare County Since 1948...
New & Used Auto Loans
Credit Union Direct lending (CUDL)
Auto Buying Services
Visa Credit Cards & Personal LoansRV & Travel Trailer Loans
Fixed & Variable Rate Mortgages
Home Equity Line of Credit
Discount Amusement Park Tickets
Visa Gift Cards
Travelers Checks & Gift Checks
Home, Auto, & Life Insurance
LENDING SERVICES
OTHER BENEFITS
Savings Accounts
Youth Savings Accounts
Special Savings Accounts
Checking AccountsCertificate Accounts
Individual Retirement Accounts
Market Index Certificate
ELECTRONIC SERVICES
ATM / Visa Debit Card
Online Banking & Bill Pay
Mobile Banking
Direct Deposit & Wire Transfers
Electronic Statement
DEPOSIT SERVICES
00193473
DeadlinesArticlestobeconsideredforinsertionneedtobesubmittedtotheChamberofficeby
the10thofthemonth.Flyerinsertswillbetakenonafirstcome,firstservebasisonly.Formoreinformation,contacttheChamberat686-1547oremaillhowarth@tulare-
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