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Quick Links
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| Dear Members:
In the middle of the worst economic crisis in 27 years, this year's legislative session was a bright spot on the horizon. Thank you to each member that took the time to send an e-mail, call a legislator or simply provide feedback on key issues. Together, we built a 100% success rate with VMA priority bills.
This year's bills provide needed tax relief, predictability in energy efficiency regulation, flexibility and predictability in environmental regulation, a new economic development tool and the continuation of the important work of the first-of-its-kind manufacturing commission in the U.S.
The Governor has 30 days to sign or amend legislation passed by the General Assembly. The legislature will return on April 8 to consider amendments, etc. Please visit the VMA Legislative Action Center and let Governor Kaine know your support for key priorities.
Literally, the economic impact of this year's legislative successes equal hundreds of millions of dollars to Virginia's manufacturers. Now that is change you can believe in!
Speaking of change... the VMA will be hosting over 25 webinars, workshops, committee meetings, area meetings and conferences this year. Please check www.vamanufacturers.com regularly for networking and professional development opportunities.
In closing, the VMA is the only statewide trade association exclusively dedicated to manufacturers and their allies. Everything we do is to help industry make products more competitively in Virginia than in any other U.S. location.
Best Wishes,
Brett A. Vassey
President & CEO
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The VMA has launched a new online discount business services web-page for members. Whether you need rental cars, insurance or workforce training, we have it.
VMA Business and Insurance Services will save you money. Go to VMA Business Services or VMA Insurance Services for more details.
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OfficeMax is one of our partners to offer your company
discounted business services. Please visit our website for more details. Take advantage of this month's offer, but don't forget to mention the VMA when you do!
$25 OFF
on your first order
of $100 or more*
*Valid when placing a phone order at 800.248.6343. Must use coupon code PACOMM 0109.
Coupon valid on regular, sale and/or clearance priced items. Limit one per customer account. Minimum purchase
of $100, before taxes, required. Void if copied, sold, transferred, taxed or where prohibited. Cannot be combined with any other coupon, Associate Discount card(s) and/or Retail Connect Card. Excludes HP computer hardware products. ©2009 OMX, Inc.
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VOLUME 2.0 | EDITION 3 | MARCH 2009
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VIRGINIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY SESSION | | |
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The 2009 Session of the General Assembly adjourned February 28th, 2009. The Virginia Manufacturers Association (VMA) continues our multi-year, proactive effort to advance our Virginia Strategy for Growth and Manufacturing Renewal in the General Assembly. Specifically, the association is proud to report a 100% success rate for the 8 VMA priority bills for which we were advocating to help us keep Virginia one of the most competitive manufacturing business climates in the Southern states.
1. HB 2437 (Byron) Corporate Income Tax - Single Sales Factor Option for Manufacturers
2. HB 2084 (Purkey) M&T Tax Reform, Pollution Control Equipment Exempt
3. SB 982 (Wagner) Stormwater Regulation Reform, Credit for Permit Holders
4. HB 2531 (Kilgore) Energy Conservation and Efficiency; Peak Shaving Permits and SCC Proceeding
5. SB 1348 (Wagner) Energy Conservation and Efficiency; Peak Shaving Permits and SCC Proceeding
6. HB 2643 (Merricks) Economic Development, Performance Agreement Extensions
7. SB 980 (Wagner) Manufacturing Development Commission; repeals sunset
8. SB 981 - Manufacturing Development Commission; expands membership
The VMA monitored over 242 bills affecting our industry this session. They dealt with everything from greenhouse gas regulation to K-12 education.
The Board of Directors, various Committees, VMA Government Affairs Council and key allies were all essential to our success. The VMA owes a tremendous debt of gratitude to Delegate Kathy Byron, Senator Frank Wagner and the other members of the Manufacturing Development Commission for their leadership on behalf of manufacturers in Virginia. We also recognize other legislators that patroned VMA priority legislation: Delegate Bob Purkey, Delegate Terry Kilgore and Delegate Donald Merricks.
The VMA 2009 Legislative Wrap-Up Report will be published April 21, 2009, and key changes affecting your business will be presented throughout the year at various VMA events, webinars and conferences.
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EMPLOYEE "FORCED" FREE CHOICE ACT | | |
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"CARD CHECK" PRESS CONFERENCE
SCHEDULED |
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The VMA and the National Association of Manufacturers would like to draw your attention to a piece of legislation that poses drastic consequences for manufacturers and employees in Virginia, the "Employee Free Choice Act" (EFCA).
EFCA seeks to replace the current process of private ballot union representation elections with a system called "card check," which can expose employees to coercion by union organizers and their peers. This legislation will also impose an artificial timeline for when the first labor contract must be reached when a union is certified. Here a federal arbitrator could dictate the terms of contract, including wages, benefits and work rules.
The provisions of this legislation are individually harmful to manufacturers, but together are devastating. Congress should not consider or support measures that would threaten our economic competitiveness. Therefore, we are providing a forum for you to attend and express your views on this subject as well as network with others who oppose this legislation in a public arena that will reinforce the solidarity of many against this legislation.
A press conference about EFCA will be held in Richmond, VA on April 14, 2009 at 1pm. This will be an opportunity to get the united voice of business and industry heard by the public regarding potential challenges for employers presented in the Employee Free Choice Act. There will also be a workshop on EFCA for VMA members only beginning at 10am that same day at the VMA office.
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AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT ACT OF 2009 | | |
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HOW THE STIMULUS PACKAGE WILL IMPACT YOU |
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By Peter R. Alfele, CPA
On February 17, 2009, President Obama signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which contains nearly $800 billion in economic stimulus spending and tax relief designed to help individuals and businesses in the current economic climate. Ask your accountant about the following:
· Bonus Depreciation - extends the first-year 50% bonus depreciation for new business equipment purchases.
· Net Operating Loss Carryback - enables qualified small businesses with average gross receipts of $15 million or less to carry net operating losses back for up to five years.
· Cancellation of Indebtedness - allows qualified businesses to recognize cancellation of indebtedness income over five years, beginning in 2014, for specified types of business debt repurchased or forgiven by the business.
· Qualified Small Business Stock - allows investors to exclude, through 2010, up to 75% of the gain from the sale of qualified small business stock.
There are many provisions above and beyond the ones discussed above. For more information, visit www.cbh.com.
Peter Alfele, CPA is a Partner with Cherry, Bekaert & Holland, L.L.P. (CB&H). He can be reached at 757-456-2400 or palfele@cbh.com.
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VIRGINIA COUNCIL ON ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY SKILLS: MAKING AN IMPACT | | |
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VCATS AWARDS CERTIFICATES |
The Virginia Council on Advanced Technology Skills (VCATS) is Virginia's only industry-endorsed Virginia workforce training and certification initiative, established to address a mounting need for a skilled workforce in advanced manufacturing.
Why is this the industry program of choice? It is designed, validated and operated by industry. VCATS curriculum is also customized and regularly updated to meet the changing demands of the advanced technology industry. Excellence is the goal, not class time! VCATS has also engaged Virginia's workforce development institutions, public and private, to partner in implementing VCATS assessment and training.
VCATS has positioned Virginia to meet its growing demand for advanced manufacturing technicians in three ways: 1) developing a competency-based training and certification program in collaboration with existing and emerging employers, 2) educating current and prospective employees on the lucrative benefits of advanced manufacturing careers, and 3) developing a labor-exchange resource that makes job placement easier for both employers and employees.
In fact, in December 2008 twenty-three manufacturing technicians received their Certificate of Completion for Level 1 Advanced Manufacturing Technician Training. VCATS congratulates these graduates who have set the program in motion to reach another milestone of awarding 60 Level 1 Certificates by April 2009. The organization's goal is to build a flexible statewide system capable of assessing and training over 11,000 individuals annually.
Funded in part by the U.S. Department of Labor and matched by private sector investments, VCATS is co-led by the Virginia Manufacturers Association (VMA); Virginia Biotechnology Association (VaBIO); Training and Development Corporation; and private-sector partners.
VCATS - Setting the Standard for Success in Industry.
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