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Bend Chamber Weekly E-News
August 1, 2008
By Courtney Linville, Communications Coordinator
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Bend
housing market attractive for homebuyers
USA Today
recently reported now is a great time to buy a home
in Bend, Oregon. With a median price of $315,000
Bend is seen as a bargain.
Central Oregon Association of Realtors President Tom
Greene told USA today that while prices are low and
there’s a lot of inventory, many homebuyers just
haven’t been taking advantage of the market.
“Many people are fearful that they might lose their
jobs,” he told USA today. Greene also pointed out
during tough economic times families tend to hold
off on buying a second home.
Bend was also showcased as a place with a very diverse
economy. According to Roger Lee, Economic
Development for Central Oregon Executive Director,
the area has seen job creations reach an annual five
percent range, however, recently that figure has
dropped to between one and two percent.
“But the fact that there are still people moving here
and that we do have job creation going on, that will
help us eat up the home inventory that’s out there,”
Lee said.
The USA Today article also showcases Bend as a city
nestled in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains
and a “gateway to outdoor sports.”
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IRS to crack down on business taxes owed
In front of Congress Tuesday, Linda Stiff, a deputy
Internal Revenue Services Commissioner, testified
the agency will do a better job of collecting
billions in taxes that businesses withhold from
employees’ paychecks.
Right now there is an estimated loss of about $58
billion in unremitted payroll taxes. This figure
only covers the last ten years due to statute of
limitations.
At times during the hearing, Senators criticized the
IRS’s efforts of enforcement saying the loss is
unacceptable.
The collection of payroll taxes is a high priority for
the IRS. Stiff told senators while the numbers are
high, the agency has “shown dramatic improvement in
the last several years.”
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) report found
the IRS has classified $30 billon of the unpaid
taxes as uncollectable. The report also criticized
the IRS for relying on voluntary compliance. On
average it takes the IRS 40 weeks to decide whether
or not to take a business to collections.
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New Coalition formed to help state’s airports
Last week, Governor Ted Kulongoski announced a new
coalition was formed to bring air service to
Oregon’s regional airports. Kulongoski would like to
see vital air travel links restored to several parts
of the state.
The Oregon Commercial Air Service Coalition looks to
secure commitments with several airlines for the
following year. The coalition hopes to have all
commitments locked in by this fall.
“The past several weeks have been difficult for air
service in Oregon and the airline industry as a
whole,” stated Kulongoski in a news release.
“However, air service is critical to economic
stability and livability in communities all across
Oregon and that is why we need to act now and do
everything we can to try to preserve air service for
these communities.”
The Oregon Commercial Air Service Coalition will also
look at obtaining subsidies to help carriers with
fuel costs and create incentives for continued
service within the Pacific Northwest.
Several commercial airports have joined the coalition
including Redmond, Klamath Falls, Medford, Eugene,
Portland, Salem, North Bend, and Pendleton.
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Social Security Administration offers new program
The Social Security Administration recently unveiled
its new program called the “Retirement Estimator.”
This allows people to get a personalized estimate of
their potential Social Security benefits.
The estimator is tied to a person’s actual Social
Security earnings, so there is no need to enter
earnings information manually. According to the
Social Security Web site, the estimator also allows
people to compare retirement options by changing
expected earnings or “stop work” dates.
The “Retirement Estimator” is located on a secure site
and does not reveal any personal information. For
those who would like to try this new tool, visit
www.socialsecurity.gov/estimator.
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In the News
Bend Bulletin receives
praise: The Bulletin recently received praise
for its circulation numbers by Editor and Publisher,
a journal that covers the newspaper industry. Over
the last three years, The Bulletin’s circulation has
increased at least five percent each year. Editor
and Publisher called this an impressive achievement.
More employees are going to work sick: According
to a new poll conducted by NPR, the Kaiser Family
Foundation, and the Harvard School of Public Health,
more people are going to work when they are sick.
Many of the people who were interviewed stated while
they should stay home, they needed to go to work due
to financial difficulties. Robert Blendon, Harvard
School of Public Health, says those who were polled
also stated their workplace didn’t offer sick leave
or they felt pressured to go to work, even when
sick. He also said employers should let employees
know if they are sick, the best option is to stay
home and there will be no serious penalties.
Make the Workplace Fun, Give employees a laugh:
As tough economic times hit employers and employees
across the country, many human resources experts are
noticing a lack of fun in the workplace. “And that’s
bad news for productivity, creativity, and the
general well-being of workers,” human resources and
humor experts told MSNBC. Some people think if
employees are laughing, then they are not working.
However, experts say even a little humor or fun in
the workplace can put employees in a good mood,
which can increase productivity.
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Weekly
E-news gets a new name
In an effort to differentiate Chamber products, the
staff recently decided to rename the Weekly E-news.
Starting next week, the Weekly E-news will be known as the
Chamber Weekly.
The content and the format of the Chamber Weekly will
not differ from the Weekly E-news. Members will
still receive updated information on the Chamber and
other news items.
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Attention Leaders: Chamber Opportunity Available
Calling all leaders. If you have ever thought about
being a member of the Chamber Board of Directors,
now is your chance. This is a great way to be
actively involved in the community and the Chamber.
You must be a current Chamber member and have time to
devote to board responsibilities and Chamber
activities. There are four positions available. The
term is for three years starting January 1.
Those who are interested need to complete the following
questions and return them with a cover letter to the
Nomination Committee Chairman no later than August
15, 2008:
1. Why would you like to be a member of the Board of
Directors of the Bend Chamber of Commerce?
2. What are your qualifications as a board member?
3. In your estimation, what are the four top issues
facing the Bend business community, and what are
your general thoughts relative to those issues?
Thank you for your interest and please send all
questionnaires to Pat Kesgard, Nomination Committee
Chairman at the following: Pat Kesgard, Steve Scott
Realtors, 685 S. E. Third St., Bend, Oregon 97702,
or
pckesgard@earthlink.net. |
Upcoming Chamber Events
August 14: Darkness to
Light: Child Abuse Training by the KIDS Center
- A child’s safety is an
adult’s job. We make sure our children wear seat
belts. We walk them across busy streets. It’s
adults’ responsibility to also protect children from
child sexual abuse. The Bend Chamber has partnered
with the KIDS Center to present Darkness to Light:
Child Abuse Training. Our goal is to reach
throughout the business community to maximize the
number of individuals trained in proactive steps to
help protect our children. The workshop will take
place at the Bend Golf and Country Club. If you are
interested in attending this workshop, please
register online at
www.bendchamber.org/KidsCtr
or call 382-3221 by Wednesday, August 13. The price
is $29.50 for each member of $49.50 for non-members.
August 15: Town Hall - Roadblocks to Economic
Development - For years, Bend has been a great
place for new businesses to come and flourish. But
with the new economic trends, is Bend still feasible
for new companies? What are some of the roadblocks
new businesses are facing? Join the Community
Affairs Council (CAC) Town Hall luncheon as Roger
Lee from EDCO discusses how EDCO is working with new
businesses coming to the area, and the current
trends he sees in the market today. Make sure to
attend so you can get your questions answered. To
join the CAC Town Hall luncheon series, register
online at
www.bendchamber.org or call Lindi to reserve
your spot at 382-3221.
August
19: SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS STORIES- PV Powered- PV
Powered started its journey in a 600 sq ft garage
and in a span of six years has moved into a 100K sq
ft facility. Join the CEO of PV Powered, Gregg
Patterson, as he shares an overview of what the
company did well and what it didn’t. Patterson will
also dive into key insights that will help future
entrepreneurs navigate the technical,
organizational, cultural, and financial challenges
of growing a manufacturing business in Central
Oregon. Please RSVP for this event by noon on
Monday, August 18 at
www.bendchamber.org or call 382-3221.
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