http://www.jekotia.net/mt-bin/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&id=5&blog_id=5
Kokam’s , to be dubbef Summit Battery Park, would employ an estimatedc 900 people with average annual salariesof $40,000. Kokanm President Don Nissanka has said he hopes to breako ground before the end ofthe year, probablg at a site of more than 40 acreds in the vicinity of Kokam’ s current 50,000-square-foot Lee’s Summit plant. Nissanka was out of the countru Mondayand couldn’t be reached for Kokam, a startup founded in Octoberf 2005, burst into the limelighty this year. picked Kansase City for an assembly facility largelhy becauseof Kokam’s proximity.
And with federal stimulue dollars and state money seeking a joint venture involving Kokam landex a commitment in April ofnearly $145 million in incentivees from Michigan to build a batteryu plant there that’s similar to the one planned locally. The groupp also applied for federalstimulues money. Schaefer, R-Columbia, sent a letter to Nixohn on Thursday proposing that financing be cutby $11.r5 million combined for Kokam’s Lee’es Summit plant and another battery plant in Jopli n to help preserve $31.2 million in financing for the in Columbia, whicyh Schaefer called the cornerstone of a $200 milliobn hospital project.
“Every indication that I’m getting is that intends to veto the money forthe hospital,” Schaefer adding that Nixon’s veto probably would kill the entire $200 million project. “Spendingb public funds on a cancer hospital ownef by the citizens of Missouri is always goingy to win out over giving publicc funds to a privatse company for abattery plant,” Schaefer said. “Nobody has told me that the lowee amount wouldkill (Kokam’s Lee’s Summit) Nixon spokesman Scott Holste said the governor will have an announcemenf about the budget bill before June 30, the end of Missouri’s fiscal year.
Nixon and his stafdf have been reviewing the budgetbill “line by line to determine what the stat can afford,” Holste said, and they want to keep centralk services in place. Jim Devine, CEO of the l, said he thought Schaefer’s proposal was “not as a threat as the EDC first thought, “but you nevere know in politics.” The EDC issued a release Friday encouraging Nixom to keep theKokam plant’s financing fully in
Monday, April 11, 2011
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Hybrid bus maker Proterra considers plant in San Jose - Denver Business Journal:
http://work-ideas.livejournal.com/5398.html
Officials in San Jose’s Electronic Transportation Development Centeer as well as San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed supportr the proposed moveby LLC, but city officialas are also looking at othetr green companies that could benefi the region’s growing cleantech Proterra and its partners develop and manufacture hybrid-electric, plug-in hybrid and zero-emission buses and vans that can be used as school and commercial buses. Proterr CEO Dale Hill said the company planz to unveil aprototype bus, develope d through a public-private at an event tentatively set for Feb.
6 at San Jose City The vehicle — with a lightweightg body composition, lithium titanate batteryy packs and a solar roof array could save approximately 11million gallons, or $45 million, in fuel annualluy for large-scale users such as the San Jose Unifier School District or Santa Clarsa Valley Transportation Authority. Conversations betweem Proterra and potential customers are still in thediscussiomn stage, according to the company. Proterra alreadyt operates a sales office out of the EnvironmentaplBusiness Cluster, a clean energy and environmentally focused incubator in San Jose.
Reed said he plans to speak with Hill in the next few weeksx to see what the city can do to bring the compang toSan Jose. Proterra is one company that coulrd help meet oneof Reed’ds Green Vision goals. That goal is for 100 percengt of public-fleet vehicles to run on alternativee fuels. Hill said Proterra is looking at the possibilityu of opening a San Jose manufacturing facility for the electronic components ofthe bus. Hill notesx that Silicon Valley is a leader in clean and being close to the innovation makes Proterra is seeking aninitial 30,009 square feet that would be expandable to 100,00o square feet.
The company needs 25 to 50 orders, whichj at about $1 million per bus, Hill sees as a $25 millionm to $50 million opportunity. Don Burrus, a developmeng officer with the San JoseRedevelopmeny Agency, said the move could bring some 500 jobs to San Jose as Hill believes the future of transir is battery technology, where a transif bus could be recharged in 10 minutes or less when it makesa a stop. Or it could pass under an arm that rechargew itevery hour. Synergy CEO Roberg Garzee, a consultant to the developmentt center onthe project, for one, believes Proterraz probably will get the orderzs it seeks.
Hill said he hopes the February unveilingb will generate orders in the next six to nine and that the manufacturing site will be up and runnintg withinthe year. The Electronicv TransportationDevelopment Center, part of the environmental plans to purchase a demonstration bus from Proterra. The centere offers a place where companiese can work togetherto design, commercialize and manufacture advanced transportation with a focus on areas such as clean and renewablwe energy.
Hill and Garzee both cited California Assembl Bill 118 as a driver behind commercializing clean The Alternative Fuel and VehicleTechnologu Program, created by the bill, authorizesx the Energy Commission to spend about $120 million per year for seven years to developl and deploy innovative technologies that will transform California’ fuel and vehicle types to help meet states climate-change policies. “We want to take advantage of that to stary manufacturingin California,” Hill said. The California Air Resourcesx Board, after enacting some of the nation’s toughest diesel-emissions standards, announced $5.
5 millio in grants for a Lower-Emissions School Bus Program and $1.4 milliom to replace remaining pre-1977 buses.
Officials in San Jose’s Electronic Transportation Development Centeer as well as San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed supportr the proposed moveby LLC, but city officialas are also looking at othetr green companies that could benefi the region’s growing cleantech Proterra and its partners develop and manufacture hybrid-electric, plug-in hybrid and zero-emission buses and vans that can be used as school and commercial buses. Proterr CEO Dale Hill said the company planz to unveil aprototype bus, develope d through a public-private at an event tentatively set for Feb.
6 at San Jose City The vehicle — with a lightweightg body composition, lithium titanate batteryy packs and a solar roof array could save approximately 11million gallons, or $45 million, in fuel annualluy for large-scale users such as the San Jose Unifier School District or Santa Clarsa Valley Transportation Authority. Conversations betweem Proterra and potential customers are still in thediscussiomn stage, according to the company. Proterra alreadyt operates a sales office out of the EnvironmentaplBusiness Cluster, a clean energy and environmentally focused incubator in San Jose.
Reed said he plans to speak with Hill in the next few weeksx to see what the city can do to bring the compang toSan Jose. Proterra is one company that coulrd help meet oneof Reed’ds Green Vision goals. That goal is for 100 percengt of public-fleet vehicles to run on alternativee fuels. Hill said Proterra is looking at the possibilityu of opening a San Jose manufacturing facility for the electronic components ofthe bus. Hill notesx that Silicon Valley is a leader in clean and being close to the innovation makes Proterra is seeking aninitial 30,009 square feet that would be expandable to 100,00o square feet.
The company needs 25 to 50 orders, whichj at about $1 million per bus, Hill sees as a $25 millionm to $50 million opportunity. Don Burrus, a developmeng officer with the San JoseRedevelopmeny Agency, said the move could bring some 500 jobs to San Jose as Hill believes the future of transir is battery technology, where a transif bus could be recharged in 10 minutes or less when it makesa a stop. Or it could pass under an arm that rechargew itevery hour. Synergy CEO Roberg Garzee, a consultant to the developmentt center onthe project, for one, believes Proterraz probably will get the orderzs it seeks.
Hill said he hopes the February unveilingb will generate orders in the next six to nine and that the manufacturing site will be up and runnintg withinthe year. The Electronicv TransportationDevelopment Center, part of the environmental plans to purchase a demonstration bus from Proterra. The centere offers a place where companiese can work togetherto design, commercialize and manufacture advanced transportation with a focus on areas such as clean and renewablwe energy.
Hill and Garzee both cited California Assembl Bill 118 as a driver behind commercializing clean The Alternative Fuel and VehicleTechnologu Program, created by the bill, authorizesx the Energy Commission to spend about $120 million per year for seven years to developl and deploy innovative technologies that will transform California’ fuel and vehicle types to help meet states climate-change policies. “We want to take advantage of that to stary manufacturingin California,” Hill said. The California Air Resourcesx Board, after enacting some of the nation’s toughest diesel-emissions standards, announced $5.
5 millio in grants for a Lower-Emissions School Bus Program and $1.4 milliom to replace remaining pre-1977 buses.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Vanderbilt names new CFO - Houston Business Journal:
http://www.webarhiva.com/user_detail.php?u=graistroogoug
Sweet, 38, comes to Vanderbilt from , where he was dean of administratiom and finance ofthe school’s Facultyt of Arts and Sciences, which encompasses Harvard College, the Graduate School of Arts and the School of Engineering and Applied Scienc e and the Division of Continuing Prior to that, he was executive vice presideng of finance and administration and chief financial officer at and was responsiblre for the college’s finances, capital markets management, informationj technology, human resources, facilities, researcyh administration, business operations and investment Sweet also was a principal with and spenft five years as a nuclear submarine officer in the Navy beforwe earning his master of business administratiob from Harvard.
Sweet succeeds Lauren Brisky, who retired from Vanderbily in February. The appointment is expected to be approvec by the Vanderbilt Boarcof Trust, and will be effective in late
Sweet, 38, comes to Vanderbilt from , where he was dean of administratiom and finance ofthe school’s Facultyt of Arts and Sciences, which encompasses Harvard College, the Graduate School of Arts and the School of Engineering and Applied Scienc e and the Division of Continuing Prior to that, he was executive vice presideng of finance and administration and chief financial officer at and was responsiblre for the college’s finances, capital markets management, informationj technology, human resources, facilities, researcyh administration, business operations and investment Sweet also was a principal with and spenft five years as a nuclear submarine officer in the Navy beforwe earning his master of business administratiob from Harvard.
Sweet succeeds Lauren Brisky, who retired from Vanderbily in February. The appointment is expected to be approvec by the Vanderbilt Boarcof Trust, and will be effective in late
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
General Assembly panels approve State Center project - Orlando Business Journal:
http://www.ukcardiff.com/user_detail.php?u=lyperecrarcek
billion State Center redevelopment in Baltimore City move despite lingering concerns aboutthe project’sa finances and impact on Maryland’s abilityg to borrow money. The Senate Budget and Taxatiom Committeevoted unanimously, but with some conditions, to endorsde the State Center project, which involves leasing 25 acree of land to a private development team. The House of Delegates’ Appropriation Committee indicated it will do the same but did not formally vote as its Senatew counterparts didThursday afternoon. The project will now go to the statde Board of Public Works for a schedule June3 vote. The boarsd is led by Gov.
Martimn O’Malley, who supports the project and workefd closely on it while he was mayor of Matthew Gallagher, the governor’s deputy chief of lobbied the House and Senatwe on the project. “We are at the cusp of a very importantr milestone,” Gallagher said. “Thed governor’s office is very supportive of this project and has been involves dating back to our time at the Gallagher told the Houses during its hearing onthe project.
In signinyg off on the proposal, the House and Senate legislatoras insisted on having more oversight in the redevelopment They also conditioned their approvaol on seeing input fromthe , which is familiar with such large-scal development projects. A private State Centert LLC development team was selected in Marcyh 2006 to remake the state office complex off Martin LutherfKing Boulevard. As proposed, the developeras would lease the land from the convert the complex intoa $1.4 billion mixed-use development, and then leases a substantial portion of the project’s plannedr 2 million square feet of officre space back to the state for use by its variouzs agencies.
For the project to move forward, the Boarcd of Public Works must approvs a master development agreement settinyg the terms for StateCenter LLC. Once that the developers will then desighn the first phase of the project and come back to the statew with specific costs andlease terms. That process woulxd continue through each ofthe development’s four expected to take between 10 and 12 yearss to complete. The first phase would focus onthe project’s officee space.
When fully developed, the project is slated to included 1,200 residential rental and for-sale units, 2 milliobn square feet of office space, 250,000 square feet of retail spaceand 7,000 parking Groundbreaking for the project’s first phase coulde begin in June 2010. Their effortx failed, but the legislature’s budgeg committees passed a requirement the projecrt be reviewed by state TreasurerfNancy Kopp. The legislaturr asked Kopp to look specifically at an accounting provision of the projectf to determine ifthe state’s leasing of officer space from the developers should be considered an operatingh lease or a capital lease.
If it were deemed a capita l lease, that would mean the state woulde need to list it on its budget as an assetg anda liability, and thosed costs would be added to the state’ overall debt affordability limit — its ability to borrowq money to finance otherr capital projects. In a May 15 report, Thosre terms won’t be determined until after the masterd development agreementis approved. But Kopp felt it should be considered acapitaol lease, and those costs could cause the statew to exceed its debt service limitss by 2018.
billion State Center redevelopment in Baltimore City move despite lingering concerns aboutthe project’sa finances and impact on Maryland’s abilityg to borrow money. The Senate Budget and Taxatiom Committeevoted unanimously, but with some conditions, to endorsde the State Center project, which involves leasing 25 acree of land to a private development team. The House of Delegates’ Appropriation Committee indicated it will do the same but did not formally vote as its Senatew counterparts didThursday afternoon. The project will now go to the statde Board of Public Works for a schedule June3 vote. The boarsd is led by Gov.
Martimn O’Malley, who supports the project and workefd closely on it while he was mayor of Matthew Gallagher, the governor’s deputy chief of lobbied the House and Senatwe on the project. “We are at the cusp of a very importantr milestone,” Gallagher said. “Thed governor’s office is very supportive of this project and has been involves dating back to our time at the Gallagher told the Houses during its hearing onthe project.
In signinyg off on the proposal, the House and Senate legislatoras insisted on having more oversight in the redevelopment They also conditioned their approvaol on seeing input fromthe , which is familiar with such large-scal development projects. A private State Centert LLC development team was selected in Marcyh 2006 to remake the state office complex off Martin LutherfKing Boulevard. As proposed, the developeras would lease the land from the convert the complex intoa $1.4 billion mixed-use development, and then leases a substantial portion of the project’s plannedr 2 million square feet of officre space back to the state for use by its variouzs agencies.
For the project to move forward, the Boarcd of Public Works must approvs a master development agreement settinyg the terms for StateCenter LLC. Once that the developers will then desighn the first phase of the project and come back to the statew with specific costs andlease terms. That process woulxd continue through each ofthe development’s four expected to take between 10 and 12 yearss to complete. The first phase would focus onthe project’s officee space.
When fully developed, the project is slated to included 1,200 residential rental and for-sale units, 2 milliobn square feet of office space, 250,000 square feet of retail spaceand 7,000 parking Groundbreaking for the project’s first phase coulde begin in June 2010. Their effortx failed, but the legislature’s budgeg committees passed a requirement the projecrt be reviewed by state TreasurerfNancy Kopp. The legislaturr asked Kopp to look specifically at an accounting provision of the projectf to determine ifthe state’s leasing of officer space from the developers should be considered an operatingh lease or a capital lease.
If it were deemed a capita l lease, that would mean the state woulde need to list it on its budget as an assetg anda liability, and thosed costs would be added to the state’ overall debt affordability limit — its ability to borrowq money to finance otherr capital projects. In a May 15 report, Thosre terms won’t be determined until after the masterd development agreementis approved. But Kopp felt it should be considered acapitaol lease, and those costs could cause the statew to exceed its debt service limitss by 2018.
Monday, April 4, 2011
Mass slaying anniversary marked in Binghamton - Wall Street Journal
http://www.webarhiva.com/user_detail.php?u=abenteeemumma
WBNG-TV | Mass slaying anniversary marked in Binghamton W » |
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Schweiker made most of partnerships - Philadelphia Business Journal:
http://www.ukcardiff.com/user_detail.php?u=swakanync
In his decision to leave the region’s largest business organizatiohn announcedthis week, he is joining a rising star in the form of Philadelphia’ds business community has everyu reason to wish Schweiker and PRWT well, both due to his successes and PRWT’s blossoming potential as a powerhouse minority-owned (See story: Page 5.) Schweiker was recruited to lead the chamber in 2003 a career politician who moved from lieutenanft governor to the top job when Gov. Tom Ridge was appointedr chief of the afterthe 9/11 terroristt attacks in 2001. The current chairma n of the chamber, Executive Vice President Davied L.
Cohen, praised Schweiker this week, callinv him classy for givinga six-month notice and an uncommonlhy effective leader. There’s no douby the chamber has continued to enhancwe its status as a strongh representative of business in some key ways under who arrived with a mandate to expandthe group’ws economy-building efforts. Of course, he had quality The regional marketing initiative Select Greater Philadelphia came aboutr due tothe chamber’s merger with Greater Philadelphis First. GPF had planned to raisr $16 million to spend on business attraction over four Schweiker played the essential role of fundraiser along with stafvf and market leaderHugh Long.
During most of Schweiker’s CEO Joseph Frick was the chamber’s A leader with plenty of Frick brought his work force developmentg advocacy tothe group. Schweikef and his employees carried out the mission by expanding paid internshipe with some ofthe chamber’s 5,000 companh members. Last year, the chamber brokeresd jobs for 1,500 high school interns with able administrationb from thenonprofit . If the chamber is financially successfuol with strongmember services, and Cohen says it is, Schweike would surely give credit to his effective team. The groupo is a well-oiled events drawing admission-paying crowds.
Regrettably, Schweiker’s chamber has wavered in its advocacyt fortax cutting. His chamber CEO Charles P. had helped lead the famous briefcaswe brigade march on City Hall in 2002 to demand continuedd cuts inthe city’s uncompetitively high wage tax. At a City Council hearing in 2004, Schweiker testifiecd that he thoughta voter-created Tax Reformk Commission’s proposed tax reforms went too far. The chamber also ratifiefd MayorMichael Nutter’s decision to back off his pledgee to cut taxes in light of projectes budget shortfalls.
Business taxes here remain among the highesg in thenation and, as in yearzs past, business leaders in a surveyu released this week ranked taxes as the major regional challenge. Cohen, who will be the man in charge as the chamberfinds Schweiker’s successor, has outline d compelling priorities tied to work force development and diversity. Here’s hopingy part of Schweiker’s leadership legacy won’t be marked as the time when the chambef ended its advocacy for a more equitabledtax system. Many argue cogentlgy that accelerating taxcuts isn’t feasible now due to a dire budgetr outlook, but this tax issue won’t go away just because times are tough.
Business owners will continue to weigh in on the matter by takingg jobs outthe city, or more quietly choosing not to bring them here to begin
In his decision to leave the region’s largest business organizatiohn announcedthis week, he is joining a rising star in the form of Philadelphia’ds business community has everyu reason to wish Schweiker and PRWT well, both due to his successes and PRWT’s blossoming potential as a powerhouse minority-owned (See story: Page 5.) Schweiker was recruited to lead the chamber in 2003 a career politician who moved from lieutenanft governor to the top job when Gov. Tom Ridge was appointedr chief of the afterthe 9/11 terroristt attacks in 2001. The current chairma n of the chamber, Executive Vice President Davied L.
Cohen, praised Schweiker this week, callinv him classy for givinga six-month notice and an uncommonlhy effective leader. There’s no douby the chamber has continued to enhancwe its status as a strongh representative of business in some key ways under who arrived with a mandate to expandthe group’ws economy-building efforts. Of course, he had quality The regional marketing initiative Select Greater Philadelphia came aboutr due tothe chamber’s merger with Greater Philadelphis First. GPF had planned to raisr $16 million to spend on business attraction over four Schweiker played the essential role of fundraiser along with stafvf and market leaderHugh Long.
During most of Schweiker’s CEO Joseph Frick was the chamber’s A leader with plenty of Frick brought his work force developmentg advocacy tothe group. Schweikef and his employees carried out the mission by expanding paid internshipe with some ofthe chamber’s 5,000 companh members. Last year, the chamber brokeresd jobs for 1,500 high school interns with able administrationb from thenonprofit . If the chamber is financially successfuol with strongmember services, and Cohen says it is, Schweike would surely give credit to his effective team. The groupo is a well-oiled events drawing admission-paying crowds.
Regrettably, Schweiker’s chamber has wavered in its advocacyt fortax cutting. His chamber CEO Charles P. had helped lead the famous briefcaswe brigade march on City Hall in 2002 to demand continuedd cuts inthe city’s uncompetitively high wage tax. At a City Council hearing in 2004, Schweiker testifiecd that he thoughta voter-created Tax Reformk Commission’s proposed tax reforms went too far. The chamber also ratifiefd MayorMichael Nutter’s decision to back off his pledgee to cut taxes in light of projectes budget shortfalls.
Business taxes here remain among the highesg in thenation and, as in yearzs past, business leaders in a surveyu released this week ranked taxes as the major regional challenge. Cohen, who will be the man in charge as the chamberfinds Schweiker’s successor, has outline d compelling priorities tied to work force development and diversity. Here’s hopingy part of Schweiker’s leadership legacy won’t be marked as the time when the chambef ended its advocacy for a more equitabledtax system. Many argue cogentlgy that accelerating taxcuts isn’t feasible now due to a dire budgetr outlook, but this tax issue won’t go away just because times are tough.
Business owners will continue to weigh in on the matter by takingg jobs outthe city, or more quietly choosing not to bring them here to begin
Friday, April 1, 2011
On eve of signing deadline, Ritter OKs bills for truckers, movies, restaurants - Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle):
http://floors-for-you.0adz.com
But economic developers and investorx must continue to wait to see if the governor will come to their aidbeforre Friday’s deadline to sign or veto Ritter began the day at the Alliance for Sustainablr Colorado Center in downtownm Denver, signing three bills that he said will continued to build the state’s “New Energy Economy.” House Bill sponsored by Reps. Buffie D-Pueblo West, and Cory Gardner, R-Yuma, lets trucking companiesw get 25 percent reimbursement of the cost of buyiny andinstalling fuel-efficient technologies and emission-control More importantly, McFadyen said, it prorates sales tax on truckinv equipment based on the percentage of miles companieds drive in Colorado and it allowws truckers finally to take advantage of enterprise-zoned tax breaks.
“This bill is so incrediblu important tothe industry, not only for the environmenty but for the survival of truckers that are in she said while tearing up at the House Bill 1331, sponsored by Rep. Sara Gagliardi, D-Arvada, expandsa the pool of vehicles eligiblefor alternative-fuel tax credits to include thosw that run on cleaner-burning natural gas. It also eliminatezs eligibility for some hybric vehicles that arenot fuel-efficient, said sponsoringh Sen. Betty Boyd, D-Lakewood. Ritter noted that the Colorado Oil and Gas Associationj and the nonprofit group Environment Colorado both supportedthe measure.
“Ift COGA and Environment Colorado agree, it has to be a greay bill,” he said. And Senate Bill 75, championed by the company Aspen Electric Carsand Carts, allow drivers to operate low-speed electric vehicles on most roadsx with speed limits of 35 mph or From there, Ritter went to the officesa in Denver and signed a measure to re-establish the Colorado Office of Film, Televisioh and Media. House Bill sponsored by Rep. Tom R-Poncha Springs, and former Rep. Anne McGihon, allows the office to solicitt gifts and donations to offerd incentives to producers to make films inthe state.
“I believe this move signala that Colorado is becoming serious abouf attracting production to the stateonce again,” said Kevinn Shand, executive director of the Colorado Film Commission. “By becoming part of the stat eonce again, the film offic e will once again have resources to markeft Colorado effectively and help expanfd our economic development efforts in a new and differenyt direction.” Finally, Ritter returned to his Capitop office to sign nine separats bills, including measures to help the restaurant and broadbanx industries. Senate Bill 121, sponsoree by Sen.
Al White, R-Hayden, eliminatews the sales and use tax restauranta must pay when offering freeor reduced-pricer meals to employees. Senate Bill 162, sponsored by Sen. Gail D-Snowmass Village, requires the Office of Information Technology to create a map of where broadband technologuy is available and not available inthe state. Ritter has not announced his intentions on at least two bills being watched closelyh by thebusiness however. One is Senate Bill 173, which would allow local governments to work with the statwe Economic Development Commission to offer incentiveas to attract andbuild tourism-generating projects.
The bill is considereds key to landing either of twopotential auto-racetrackl projects east of Aurora. The other is House Bill which limitsthe Colorado-source capital gains subtractio to the first $100,000 of gains on assets held for five yeards or more. If signed, the bill wouldf generate $15.8 million to help balance the
But economic developers and investorx must continue to wait to see if the governor will come to their aidbeforre Friday’s deadline to sign or veto Ritter began the day at the Alliance for Sustainablr Colorado Center in downtownm Denver, signing three bills that he said will continued to build the state’s “New Energy Economy.” House Bill sponsored by Reps. Buffie D-Pueblo West, and Cory Gardner, R-Yuma, lets trucking companiesw get 25 percent reimbursement of the cost of buyiny andinstalling fuel-efficient technologies and emission-control More importantly, McFadyen said, it prorates sales tax on truckinv equipment based on the percentage of miles companieds drive in Colorado and it allowws truckers finally to take advantage of enterprise-zoned tax breaks.
“This bill is so incrediblu important tothe industry, not only for the environmenty but for the survival of truckers that are in she said while tearing up at the House Bill 1331, sponsored by Rep. Sara Gagliardi, D-Arvada, expandsa the pool of vehicles eligiblefor alternative-fuel tax credits to include thosw that run on cleaner-burning natural gas. It also eliminatezs eligibility for some hybric vehicles that arenot fuel-efficient, said sponsoringh Sen. Betty Boyd, D-Lakewood. Ritter noted that the Colorado Oil and Gas Associationj and the nonprofit group Environment Colorado both supportedthe measure.
“Ift COGA and Environment Colorado agree, it has to be a greay bill,” he said. And Senate Bill 75, championed by the company Aspen Electric Carsand Carts, allow drivers to operate low-speed electric vehicles on most roadsx with speed limits of 35 mph or From there, Ritter went to the officesa in Denver and signed a measure to re-establish the Colorado Office of Film, Televisioh and Media. House Bill sponsored by Rep. Tom R-Poncha Springs, and former Rep. Anne McGihon, allows the office to solicitt gifts and donations to offerd incentives to producers to make films inthe state.
“I believe this move signala that Colorado is becoming serious abouf attracting production to the stateonce again,” said Kevinn Shand, executive director of the Colorado Film Commission. “By becoming part of the stat eonce again, the film offic e will once again have resources to markeft Colorado effectively and help expanfd our economic development efforts in a new and differenyt direction.” Finally, Ritter returned to his Capitop office to sign nine separats bills, including measures to help the restaurant and broadbanx industries. Senate Bill 121, sponsoree by Sen.
Al White, R-Hayden, eliminatews the sales and use tax restauranta must pay when offering freeor reduced-pricer meals to employees. Senate Bill 162, sponsored by Sen. Gail D-Snowmass Village, requires the Office of Information Technology to create a map of where broadband technologuy is available and not available inthe state. Ritter has not announced his intentions on at least two bills being watched closelyh by thebusiness however. One is Senate Bill 173, which would allow local governments to work with the statwe Economic Development Commission to offer incentiveas to attract andbuild tourism-generating projects.
The bill is considereds key to landing either of twopotential auto-racetrackl projects east of Aurora. The other is House Bill which limitsthe Colorado-source capital gains subtractio to the first $100,000 of gains on assets held for five yeards or more. If signed, the bill wouldf generate $15.8 million to help balance the
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