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SBA 504 Loan Interest Rate Drops Below 5%
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- Created on Wednesday, 08 September 2010 09:02
- Written by Press Room
The Small Business Administration’s (SBA) 504 loan program is providing long-term, fixed rate financing for the purchase of commercial real estate at one of the lowest interest rates since the program’s inception. The SBA’s lending partners, through Certified Development Companies (CDCs) such as Big Sky Economic Development in Billings, are busy working with small business borrowers who are taking advantage of this current low interest rate to purchase or build new facilities.
Montana Chamber Update...
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- Created on Tuesday, 07 September 2010 08:51
- Written by Webb Brown
Headed for India
On the Occasion of the National US India Chamber of Commerce (NUICC) 5th year Anniversary, NUICC invites you to join us for “A Renewable Energy Executive Mission to India”, co-hosted by the Government of India and Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE). Mission Dates are Oct.24-Nov.4, 2010. For more information go to : http://
China on my Mind
Continuing our successful visit this March, the Montana Chamber is planning another visit to China in 2011. This trip will be a bit later in the Spring, April 18-27, namely. For more info and to register, go to: www. MontanaGoesToChina. com.
Baucus Economic Summit
The Montana Chamber will co-sponsor the 2010 Montana Economic Summit in Butte on September 13-14. We hope you can join us as we gather to share Big Sky ideas on sparking innovation, boosting exports, and creating good-paying jobs. To register for the Summit, visit: www. Montana Economic Summit. org. The Summit will bring Ambassadors from China, Chile, Ireland, Japan, and New Zealand touring through Montana to explore partnerships and opportunities with Montana businesses. The Montana Chamber will be sponsoring a special event with those folks, as well.
More Bark and Bite
U.S. Senate Finance Committee Chair Max Baucus has called on United States Trade Representative (USTR) Ron Kirk to initiate consultations with Canada to end unfair practices that are harming the U.S. lumber industry. In 2006, the United States and Canada signed the Softwood Lumber Agreement, requiring Canada to end unfair practices that supported its domestic lumber industry and ending all existing softwood lumber litigation between the two countries. However, the Government of British Columbia is currently circumventing the agreement by selling government-owned timber used for softwood lumber production at low prices that the Softwood Lumber Agreement reserves for salvage-grade timber.
Economic Affairs
Last week, the Economic Affairs Interim Committee reviewed the work comp reform package the Labor-Management Advisory Council (LMAC) put together. At LMAC’s meeting earlier in the week, NCCI priced portions of the reforms and estimated they would either cut costs by as much as $5 million or raise them by as much as $21 million. Some of the bigger cost savings measures were not priced, or not able to be priced. Those include big ticket savings like utilization and treatment guidelines, claim settlements and adjusting reimbursement fees for medical providers. Some of those cost savings ideas will be priced in the coming weeks. We have consistently and persistently made the case that premiums need to come down; we will only support the bill if those savings are clearly demonstrated. For now, the Economic Affairs Committee has allowed the bill to go forward. Amendments are expected at a final EAIC meeting on September 3.
Workplace Fatalities UP
In disheartening news, Montana has overtaken Wyoming as the deadliest state per capita to work. Figures released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show the number of workers killed on the job in Montana increased from 40 in 2008 to 50 in 2009. Nationally, workplace deaths last year actually dropped 17%, to their lowest level since recording began in 1992. In 2008, Montana ranked fourth for workplace deaths per capita. In 2009, North Dakota moved up from third to second. Alaska dropped from second to 10th and Wyoming from first to third. Montana’s increase also came on the heels of reduced employment, which makes our increase so deplorable. While 50 is not the highest number of Montana workplace fatalities in one year, even one is too many. The Montana Chamber of Commerce started a work comp/safety program last year, Montana Safety Choices, to address our unacceptable record. We’ve had good success this past year and pledge to redouble our efforts. We also cooperated to start WorkSafeMT, a public-private effort to reach the workforce on improving safety. For training and other information, go to: www. Montana Safety Choices. com
Health Reform Backers Backing Away
Politico.com is reporting that key White House allies are dramatically shifting their attempts to defend recent health care legislation, abandoning claims that it will reduce costs and the deficit and instead stressing a promise to “improve it.” The messaging shift was circulated on a confidential conference call and PowerPoint presentation was leaked to Politico.com and is available at: http://
In an effort to provide as much help as possible to small businesses struggling with health insurance costs, we have improved and updated the small business tax credit estimator at: www. Chamber Choices.com and clicking on “Tax Credit Estimator.”
Paying “Fair Share” Taking Longer
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- Created on Tuesday, 07 September 2010 08:55
- Written by Michael Noyes
Montana dropped eight places in an annual ranking of the number of days taxpayers must work in each state to pay off their tax obligations.
Montana ranks 18th on the Center for Fiscal Accountability’s annual list for 2010. According to the group’s calculations, state residents must work 225.3 days, or until Aug. 13, to pay for the cost of government.
Chamber Makes Picks
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- Created on Tuesday, 07 September 2010 08:48
- Written by Press Room
The Montana Chamber of Commerce has released its list of endorsements and positions on initiatives in election decisions for U.S. Congress, Public Service Commission, Montana Supreme Court, and two ballot initiatives. The Board of Directors uses candidate interviews, voting records (where applicable), and position papers when making its decisions.
“One job of the Montana Chamber is to review election decisions that affect business and economic development. We take that role very seriously and hope our review of the races helps voters better understand the issues and the candidates,” said Webb Brown, President/CEO of the Montana Chamber. “Now, it’s up to voters to use this and other information to exercise their constitutional right and privilege to vote.”
MSU Offers Technologies for Licensing
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- Created on Tuesday, 07 September 2010 08:54
- Written by MSU News Service
Researchers at Montana State University have developed six new biomedical technologies that could have applications for treating antibiotic resistant infections, fungal infections and viral infections; boosting humans’ innate immunity and improving scientists’ ability to study such compounds.
The technologies are available for licensing to interested companies and entrepreneurs.
Montana Chamber Announces Positions for 2010 Election
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- Created on Friday, 20 August 2010 08:40
- Written by Press room
The Montana Chamber of Commerce has released its list of endorsements and positions on initiatives in election decisions for U.S. Congress, Public Service Commission, Montana Supreme Court, and two ballot initiatives. The Board of Directors uses candidate interviews, voting records (where applicable), and position papers when making its decisions.
“One job of the Montana Chamber is to review election decisions that affect business and economic development. We take that role very seriously and hope our review of the races helps voters better understand the issues and the candidates,” said Webb Brown, President/CEO of the Montana Chamber. “Now, it’s up to voters to use this and other information to exercise their constitutional right and privilege to vote.”
U.S. Representative Denny Rehberg received the State Chamber’s endorsement for a sixth term in Congress for his consistent pro-business, pro-jobs voting record. The Montana Chamber specifically noted Rehberg’s ranking on the U.S. Chamber’s annual scorecard. Rehberg has a cumulative 92% record with the national chamber.
In addition, the state’s leading business organization endorsed Travis Kavulla for Public Service Commission (PSC) district #1 and Bill Gallagher for PSC district #5. They both have staked out strong pro-development positions, opposition to extreme environmental agendas, and reasonable approaches to affordable and plentiful utilities in Montana.
“The Montana Chamber believes that the best way to get Montana’s economy growing again is to elect people who will work to bring business to the state and create good-paying jobs through policies that help grow the private sector,” said Brown. “We believe these three will do the job.”
In the race to replace retiring Justice Bill Leaphart on the Montana Supreme Court, the Board endorsed both Beth Baker and Nels Swandal for their extensive experience, pledges to uphold the law rather than make law, and their assurances to be an independent, unbiased justice for all parties before the Court. Brown noted that while endorsing both candidates is unusual, but not without precedent, and is never done in non-judicial races, the organization felt both candidates met the Chamber’s criteria for judicial endorsement.
Read more: Montana Chamber Announces Positions for 2010 Election
