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Greetings!

 

Here is today's summary of economic development news, presented by the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama. 

 

in this issue:
Turnout overwhelms need at Foley job fair
Southern Research Institute to build test facility to help utilities reduce emissions
Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley attends opening for new Hyundai plant
Regional resiliency the theme of TVA partnership event
Editorial: Low state taxes? It depends

 


  
Turnout overwhelms need at Foley job fair
Published: Sunday, November 20, 2011, 1:35 PM     Updated: Sunday, November 20, 2011, 2:33 PM  
By The Associated Press The Associated Press
 

 

FOLEY - Hundreds of Alabamians seeking employment got turned away from a job fair because their numbers exceeded what the host company was prepared to handle.

WKRG-TV reports that Goodrich Corp. officials had to turn away about 400 people Saturday after taking their resumes. The aerospace company is looking to hire 80 employees at its plant in Foley.

The company had estimated beforehand that about 300 people would show up. It ended up being overwhelmed with more than twice that number.

Those who didn't get into the job fair were told they would get a call back within two weeks. 

 

more...

AP

 

 

 

 


  
Southern Research Institute to build test facility to help utilities reduce emissions
Published: Tuesday, November 22, 2011, 8:58 AM     Updated: Tuesday, November 22, 2011, 9:28 AM
By The Birmingham News The Birmingham News
 
 
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Southern Research Institute says it will establish a facility on its Birmingham campus to test catalysts used in the power industry to reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides.

The Birmingham-based research organization said the SCR Catalyst Test Facility, as it's called, will be complete by mid-2012. Southern Research will be able to offer services to utility companies that use catalysts for emissions reduction, as well as other organizations.

"By providing these measurements to utilities and others, we will function as an independent evaluator of catalyst performance, so catalyst users do not have to depend on the manufacturer to assess catalyst performance," Robert Dahlin, director of power systems and environmental research-Alabama operations for Southern Research.

"It is important for utilities and other users to maintain good catalyst performance in order to continuously meet strict regulations on the emissions of NOx."
 
Nitrogen oxide, or NOx, is a byproduct of the combustion of coal and other fossil fuels. When emitted into the atmosphere, nitrogen oxide is converted to nitric acid, a primary ingredient of acid rain. Nitrogen oxide also participates in atmospheric reactions that produce smog and ozone, according to Southern Research. 
 

 

 

 

 


  

 

AP 

 


  

 

 


  
Published: Monday, November 21, 2011, 7:21 AM     Updated: Monday, November 21, 2011, 7:24 AM
 

Given the sad shape of the economy, many Alabamians probably took comfort the other day when The Birmingham News reported that residents paid the lowest state and local taxes per capita in the nation in fiscal 2009, $2,793.

But last week the national Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a Washington think tank, reported that Alabama tops the nation in sticking its poorest people with the nation's stiffest income tax on the working poor. A two-parent Alabama family of four with an income of $22,314, the federal poverty line, would have paid $498 in state income tax in 2010. Compare that to $292 in Hawaii, $238 in George and $234 in Oregon.

Working poor families have been exempt from federal income taxes since the mid-1980s, and in the last 20 years or so nine states have eliminated incomes taxes on working poor families of four. Today, Alabama is one of only 15 states that requires such families to pay income taxes.

Worse still, Alabama is among five states that require two-parent families of four to pay income tax if they make three quarters of of the federal poverty line, $16,736. Alabama also tops the ranking of state income tax thresholds for single-parent families of three, $9,800. Montana is right behind at $10,000, and Georgia has the third lowest threshold, $12,700.

Montana leads with the lowest income tax threshold for a two-parent family of four, $12,200, and Alabama isn't far behind at $12,600. Georgia is third again with a threshold of $15,900.

Those who say even the poor should pay taxes need to remember that Alabama does a great job of that with state and local sales taxes. According to the Tax Foundation, a conservative think tank, Alabama has the 10th highest combined state and local sales tax rate in the country. And sales taxes fall heaviest on those who have the least to spend.


 

 
 

more...

Huntsville Times 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 




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Wendy Wallace Johnson
 
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