Hello Members and Friends,
We hope this email finds you well and successful!
Our March luncheon with Speaker Christine Quinn was extremely informative. Many of you were unable to attend, so we have included a summary below. If you have questions for the Speaker about some of the initiatives referenced, contact information is provided for her office.
Working with your local community board is an important part of operating your business. To that end, we have scheduled mixers with Manhattan Community Board 2 and Manhattan Community Board 4 for the upcoming months, and hope you will take advantage of those events. Please note, the happy hour with Community Board 2 originally scheduled for March has been moved to June.
Our calendar is constantly growing, so if you have an idea for an event or a speaker based on a pressing local issue, send us an email. We are always interested in your thoughts and ideas, and making the Chamber the best resource for you and your business.
Best,
The GVCCC |
| SCHEDULE CHANGE
Community Board 2 Mixer Moved to JUNE |
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Please join the Chamber for a mixer with the board members of Community Board 2.
JUNE DATE TBD
6:00 - 8:00 PM
Amity Hall
80 West 3rd Street
For the full March Calendar of CB2 meetings please click here. |
| Energy Efficiency Business Assistance Forum & Networking Event with Union Square Partnership |
 Join the Union Square Partnership and the GVCCC for a Business Assistance Forum and Networking event. The event's focus will be on Energy Efficiency and reducing energy costs to save your business money.
Hear from the experts at Con Edison, NYSERDA and Solar One about how easy it is to save.
March 22, 2010
5:30 PM
Beth Israel Medical Center's Phillips Ambulatory Care Center (10 Union Square East, 2nd Floor Auditorium)
RSVP required by Friday, March 12th at 12 PM. |
| Free Health Insurance Seminar |
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The GVCCC, The Village Alliance and Capital One Bank invites you to join us for a seminar on Health Insurance
Industry Trends and Ways to Combat Increasing Costs
Featuring Insurance Specialist Mary Farrell and Jim Rochel from Professional Group Plans
Thursday, April 8, 2010
9:00 - 10:30 AM
Capital One Bank
21 University Place
(at East 8th Street)
Coffee and light bites will be served.
Investment advisory services are offered through Capital One Finandal Advisors llC, a state-registered investment advisory firm. Securities are offered through Capital One Investment Services llC. member FINRAISIPC. Annuities and other types of insurance are offered through Capital One Agency llC. All are non-banking affiliates of Capital One, NA © 2010 Capital One. All rights reserved. Not FDIC Insured Not Bank Guaranteed May lose Value Not a Deposit Not Insured by any Federal Government Agency. |
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Happy Hour with Community Board 4 |
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Please join the Chamber for a mixer with the board members of Community Board 4.
April 20
6:00 - 8:00 PM
Location TBD
(If you're interested in hosting this mixer, please contact the Chamber)
For the full current Calendar of CB4 meetings please click here. |
| Say No to Gross Receipts Tax!! |
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Governor Paterson's 2010-2011 Executive Budget includes a proposal (not currently in effect) that would give the authority to local governments to raise the Gross Receipts Tax on utilities from 1% to 3%. For Con Edison alone, this adds up to an additional $14 million that would be passed on to Con Ed customers. In essence, this tax is another 18-a assessment, making a company a tax collector for the government.
With this increase, an additional $14 Million will be passed on to electric utility customers, with similar increases to be seen in water, gas and telephone bills on top of what the consumer already pays.
27% of Con Edison customer utility bills already go to various taxes, fees and assessments! Nonetheless, utility bills are still being used to address state budget shortfalls.
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| Summary of the Small Business Luncheon with Speaker Quinn |
On March 15,
City Council Speaker Quinn spoke to an
audience of
Chamber members and friends with regard to
the
small business initiatives she
introduced in
the City Council. Speaker Quinn spoke
about
programs that aim to support and
strengthen the
small business sector, which she believes
to be
the linchpin of our city's economy.
Hot button items included establishing a
Business Owners Bill of Rights, expanding
access
to capital and making the City more
welcoming
for the high tech industry in an effort to
increase jobs and boost the economy.
The Business Owners Bill of Rights triggered
a conversation about the inconsistency
surrounding
citations and inspections. The Bill of
Rights endeavors to provide consistency of
practice and a uniform understanding of
existing laws
and updates. Speaker Quinn noted that it
is not the goal of city agencies and
inspectors to make money - it's to keep
the public
safe.
Another topic addressed was the issue of
S-Corps and the burden of double taxation
for many
of the city's smallest businesses.
Continuing the Council's efforts to end
double
taxation on business owners, a proposed
tax credit
will exempt small retailers from the
city's
corporate tax. She noted that
approximately
19,000 small businesses would be eligible
for this
credit. Although this is just a fraction
of
the small businesses organized as S-Corps
in NYC,
it is an important first step in
eliminating their
burden of double taxation.
When an attendee asked about INT 1059, the
proposed sick leave bill, she informed
everyone
that the bill is set to be reintroduced
this month
and most likely will look somewhat
different
from the original bill introduced last
fall.
Whether or not we will be happy with the
new form
the bill takes is another story.
The Chamber recognizes and
appreciates
Speaker Quinn's efforts and support on
behalf
of our City's small businesses, and we
thank her
for her time.
Thank you to
Elmo Restaurant for hosting the event. |
| Teambuilding at Chelsea Piers |
Get Out of the Office!
Team Building at Chelsea Piers is the perfect way to energize and refresh your team. Show your employees how much you appreciate their hard work! Chelsea Piers offers customized programs for any group, ranging from a competitive, active mini-Olypics, to themore cognitive Experiential Games.
Experienced facilitators combine leading-edge theory with carefully selected physical, intellectual and creative challenges to produce an exciting learning experience. Our event managers work closely with each client to customize a Team Building program to meet business objectives, team development goals, and desired level of physical involvement.
Contact us today at 212.336.6777 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 212.336.6777 end_of_the_skype_highlighting or events@chelseapiers.com! |
| Shakespeare in Opera |
Friday, March 26, 2010
8:00 p.m.
The New York New Church
114 East 35th Street
$20 General Admission
$12 Seniors/Students
($25 and $15 at the door)
http://www.chelseaopera.org/events.html
Chelsea Opera soloists in excerpts from Hamlet, Macbeth, A Midsummer Night's Dream and Béatrice et Bénédict. In addition, a comparison of the opening letter scene...Two neighbors, Mrs. Ford and Mrs. Page, discover they've been sent identical love letters from the grotesque Sir John Falstaff from operas by Salieri, Verdi, Vaughan Williams and Nicolai. Lloyd Arriola accompanies. |
| You're Invited - Neighborhood Eats Launch Party |
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Neighborhood Eats Launch Party
March 23rd at 7:00 PM
Crooked Knife
29 East 30th Street
View on a Map
Admission is FREE and includes light bites from several of participating restaurants as well as premium vodka and door prizes sponsored by Karlsson's Gold. Click here to RSVP!
There will also be a silent auction and raffle with 100% of the proceeds benefiting City Critters, an all volunteer animal charity that works without a physical shelter, placing hundreds of cats and dogs in loving homes every year.
Neighborhood Eats produces high-end dining books filled with over $1,000 worth of incredible deals from local restaurants, pubs, bars, lounges and wine stores. The coupon books encourage customers eat in their neighborhoods and to spend money locally.
The first book, the Murray Hill/Kips Bay edition, will be on sale at the launch. Coming soon, look for neighborhood eats in your area! |
| 2-for-1 Admission and 15% off in Gift Shop at Chelsea Art Museum |
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| Upcoming Events |
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Energy Efficiency Workshop and Networking Event with Union Square Partnership
22 March 2010
Health Insurance Seminar: Industry Trends & Ways to Combat Increasing Costs 8 April 2010
Mixer with Community Board 4
20 April 2010
Mixer with Community Board 2
JUNE TBD |
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Chamber Champions |
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Capalino & Company
Capital One Bank
Esco Stationery
Honig Conte Porrino
Lucille Lortel Theater
New York University
St. Vincent's Hospital Manhattan
TD Bank
Village Care of New York
Wachovia Wells Fargo |
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Our Neighborhood |
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The GVCCC services businesses and individuals located in Chelsea, Greenwich Village, West Village, East Village, Union Square, Flatiron, SOHO and NOHO. |
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