Small Business Voice E-newsletter

February 2010

Small businesses represent more than 80 percent of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce membership. This e-newsletter is distributed periodically to address issues that have the greatest impact on businesses with 100 and fewer employees. If you have any questions, please contact Jennifer Byers, vice president, at (651) 292-4673, (800) 821-2230 or jbyers@mnchamber.com,

INCENTIVES FOR SMALL BUSINESS IN SENATE 'JOBS' BILL

The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business Committee is placing high priority this legislative session on making Minnesota more attractive for business start-ups. Early indication is that assistance may be on the way.

The Senate “Jobs” bill – SF 2167, authored by Senator James Metzen, DFL-South St. Paul – has passed the Senate Business, Industry and Jobs Committee. Its next stop is the Senate State & Local Government Operations Committee. There is no companion bill in the House.

The bill includes the angel investment credit and the Minnesota Business Investment Company credit. The bill allocates $10 million of angel credits per year for 2010 and 2011 and $12 million per year for 2012 and beyond. The Minnesota Business Investment Company Credit will provide a $100 million pool of capital into which small businesses can tap. Senators Metzen and Kathy Saltzman, DFL-Woodbury, are the leading advocates for the bill in the Senate. 

For more information on the bill, contact Tom Hesse at (651) 292-4678, or thesse@mnchamber.com.

FULL-COURT PRESS ON JOBS

The Minnesota Chamber’s collective focus is making certain that Minnesota is poised for growth as we recover from the recession. We will be working hard to ensure that the Legislature does nothing to increase the cost of doing business and slow the recovery.

The Chamber will advance positions on approximately 50 policies. Our top five priorities are:

• Environmental permitting – Streamlining, adding certainty and reducing the cost of the environmental review and permitting process is important to economic development. In general, what takes months in other states can take multiple years in Minnesota. 
• Repealing the nuclear ban – Eliminating this gag rule that prevents regulators from even talking about expansion of nuclear energy is necessary to ensure a reliable supply of competitively priced electricity.
• Spending/tax reform – The policy will focus on changing the budget process, enhancing productivity of state and local government, and reducing overhead costs. The Chamber also will start the discussion on tax reform intended to encourage the growth of business in Minnesota and create a more stable source of tax revenues.
• Alternative teacher licensing – Minnesota should provide alternative opportunities for college graduates and experienced professionals to gain teacher accreditation. Studies show that second to parents, quality teachers are the top predictor of student success.
• Health care reform – The potential impact of federal health care reform legislation keeps health care a priority. The Chamber will continue to monitor and support implementation of the 2008 state health care reform bill as well. 

Take the opportunity now to let your elected senators and representatives understand the priorities of your company and the statewide business community.

INSIDERS' ISSUE SERIES

Join us for an insider view and access to key policy-makers on the business community’s priority issues. Three breakfast meetings during the legislative session will feature a panel of key lawmakers, and the final session will feature the Minnesota Chamber’s policy staff on an afternoon panel followed by a reception. The Insiders’ Issue Series provides timely, informative discussions on the major issues at the Legislature.

The Minnesota Chamber’s efforts to streamline the environmental review and permitting process is the topic of the first Insiders’ Issue breakfast. The event is from 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. on February 19 at The Saint Paul Hotel, 350 Market Street.

February 19  – Environmental Review
Sponsored by: Barr Engineering

Businesses of all types and sizes identify problems associated with the state’s environmental permitting system – an important element of economic development. In general, what takes months in other states can take multiple years in Minnesota. Come and share your own opinions and questions with the panelists.

Panelists are:
Representative Melissa Hortman, (DFL-Brooklyn Park), assistant majority leader and chief House author of the Minnesota Chamber’s bill
Larry Kramka, assistant commissioner, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Jeff Smith, industry division director, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

The other events are:

March 18  – Economic Development
Sponsored by: Boulay, Heutmaker, Zibell & Co., Delta Air Lines, L & M Radiator, Minnesota Power, Minnesota Vikings, Football, LLC, Rosen’s Diversified, Inc.

The Minnesota Chamber supports policies that improve the environment for all businesses; aiding specific sectors or individual businesses should be a secondary consideration. In varying degrees, state policy can assist in five areas: streamline the state’s permitting systems; offer an income tax credit for individuals investing in new Minnesota businesses; encourage development of research partnerships among the public and nonprofit research organizations and Minnesota businesses, especially those that will facilitate commercialization of their results; ensure that the state’s infrastructure is developing rapidly enough to support the changing and growing economy; provide an adequate workforce pool by closing the achievement gap and making workforce development centers more responsive to the changing economy.

Learn what nearly 800 Minnesota businesses through Grow Minnesota! visits think the Governor and Legislature should – or should not – do to spur the growth and development of Minnesota’s economy. Hear legislators react to their opinions.

April 16 – Spending Reform
Sponsored by: Deloitte & Touche LLP

The Minnesota Chamber will advance spending reform that will focus on three components: Change the way the state sets its budgets to avoid overcommitting state resources and to prioritize spending; deliver government services at a lower cost per unit while maintaining or improving service effectiveness; reduce the overhead expenses of government, including recommendations on public employee benefits and compensation.

May 19 – Legislative Session Wrap-up
SPECIAL TIME: 3:30 p.m. followed by a 4:30 p.m. reception.

Minnesota Chamber staff will evaluate how business fared in the 2010 session and offer an early preview of 2011.

SAVE MONEY!
Sign up for the entire series – four meetings for only $100! Individually, each breakfast is $30 for members. Nonmember price is $50 per breakfast and $175 for the series.

To register, go to www.mnchamber.com. For questions, contact Lisa Engdahl at (651) 292-4699, (800) 821-2230 or lengdahl@mnchamber.com.

Sponsorship for the May 19th Wrap-up meeting and reception is still available. For more information on sponsoring this event or other sponsorship opportunities, contact Joan Rausch at (651) 292-4654 or jrausch@mnchamber.com.

ENERGY SMART PRODUCES SAVINGS

Mississippi Welders Supply Co., a Minnesota Chamber member that distributes industrial gases, welding equipment, power tools and safety supplies to manufacturers throughout the Midwest, expects to cut its electric bills substantially in 2010 after recently installing high-efficient lights at some of its facilities.

The upgrade was facilitated by Energy Smart, a program run by the Chamber’s Minnesota Waste Wise affiliate that helps businesses save money through energy efficiency. Energy Smart conducted site visits at four of Mississippi Welders’ 10 facilities and helped initiate lighting audits at three of them.

The company replaced metal halides and T-12 lights with high-efficient T-8s at all three facilities. The expected paybacks on the lighting upgrades range from 1.5 years to 2.9 years, after utility rebates. The company will save $900 annually on electric costs at its Red Wing facility alone.

Energy Smart’s assistance is available to all Minnesota Chamber members at no cost. Contact Energy Smart at info@mnenergysmart.com or (651) 292-4652 to get help with energy efficiency.

BUSINESSCONNECTION GOES STATEWIDE

BusinessConnection, an electronic business assistance and referral network operated by Grow Minnesota!, goes statewide after a successful year-long pilot. The service was developed jointly and is cosponsored with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.

The service is free to all companies and is intended to be a single-entry point to help businesses connect with private and public resources to solve everyday business problems, particularly those related to state and local governments. It can be accessed online at www.mnbizconnect.com or by calling (888) MINN-BIZ (646-6249).

BUSINESS GIVES:
LEARN WHEN TO SAY 'YES' AND HOW TO SAY 'NO'

Business contributions play a major role in the quality of life across Minnesota. Despite their philanthropy, however, many businesses lack a formal process for deciding which cause to support and to what degree. Financial donations, in particular, often are made on a first-come, first-served basis – and stop when budgets, if any exist, run dry.

Minnesota Business Gives, a program of the Minnesota Chamber, is designed to motivate, educate and recognize local businesses for their significant contributions though their financial and in-kind giving and community involvement. As part of their participation, businesses are invited to a free, two-hour workshop that helps businesses develop guidelines to learn when to say “yes” and how to say “no” to requests.

The program is managed by the Minnesota Chamber in partnership with nearly 40 local chambers. Click here for a complete list of local partners. For more information on Business Gives, contact Jackie Reis at the Minnesota Chamber, (651) 292-4678 or jreis@mnchamber.com.