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MARCI'S CHAMBER CORNER
Info about WA State Retail sales...
The 2010 Washington State Retail Survey provides updated retail sales data, performance rankings & analysis for each local retail market in Washington State. The publication includes 16 unique market rankings that make it easy to identify the best performing areas in the state, based on both short-term & long-term growth rates. Using new data from the 2010 Washington State Retail Survey, we've prepared a summary of per capita retail sales for each of the 39 county retail markets in Washington. All counties are then ranked by their 2009 per capita sales, and are listed in the column to the left. In addition to the county data, we also calculated a comparable statistic for the entire State of Washington. Skagit, King, Chelan Counties Rank #1, #2, #3 Skagit County ranks #1 in annual per capita retail sales with an amount of $10,210, followed by the counties of King & Chelan. The top eight counties all have per capita sales greater than the statewide average of $8,075, while the remaining thirty-one counties have per capita sales below the state norm. For additional information & to preview the 2010 Edition of the Washington State Retail Survey, please visit our web site at WashingtonStateRetailSurvey.com
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EDASC FORECAST DINNER
Save the Date for the 2011 EDASC Economic Forecast Dinner
"Economic Outlook 2011"
Arun Raha, Ph.D. Chief Economist for the State of Washington and Executive Director of the Economic and Revenue Forecast Council
Forecast Dinner: Thursday, February 17, 2011
5:00 PM Social Hour
6:30 PM Dinner & Program
Location: St. Joseph Center, Mount Vernon
215 North 15th Street
Tickets: $62 each or $480 for a table of 8
Call EDASC to reserve your tickets at 336-6114 or sign up on line at www.skagit.org
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NET @ 10!!!
Any business owner is invited to join us! The next Networking meeting will be on Tuesday, March 15th from 10 - 11am at the Civic Garden Club. The Board meetings will be the same day starting at 8:30am. (622 S. Second St). This is a great opportunity to get your message out to other businesses and to make a personal pitch. Bring your marketing materials, a positive attitude, and your polished one-minute elevator speech. You will see results!
Bring your business card & a door prize! Cost is $5 for chamber members and $10 for non-chamber members. Coffee and scones will be served.
Please RSVP to the chamber office (466-4778) or reply to this e-mail. |
GUEST MOORAGE PROMOTION
The Passport to Puget Sound is a guest moorage promotion offered at local marinas. There are 20 Puget Sound Marinas who will participate in the program that will reward visiting boaters. The program runs March 1 through December 31, 2011. Any boater who has picked up a Passport to the Puget Sound book is eligible to play.
 Each Marina is responsible to assemble a grand prize package valued up to $500. Prize packages include a variety of hotel accommodations, restaurant gift certificates, event tickets, boat services and more. Boaters who visit any of the participating marinas and pay for a minimum of one night of guest moorage will receive a stamp in a Passport to Puget Sound book. Once a row of four marinas is completed vertical, horizontal or diagonal, visitors will receive a "Passport to Puget Sound" t-shirt.
The first 20 participants to achieve a "black out" where all squares are filled with stamps from all of the participating marinas, will receive one of twenty available grand prizes. This is where assistance is needed from local merchants. La Conner Marina plans to include 2 nights of free guest moorage in the grand prize for La Conner. We are looking for participation from local businesses to add to our grand prize for such things as overnight accommodations, gift certificates for dinner etc.
The La Conner Marina received more than 3,100 guests at our docks in 2010!
Please call me if your business would like to contribute to the La Conner Grand Prize or if you have any further questions.
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CONCIERGE ASSOCIATION VISIT
Your Chamber has invited the Seattle Concierge association to visit La Conner on March 1st & 2nd on us! There will be approximately 24 people driving up on Tuesday, March 1st to have dinner and stay the night. On Wednesday, March 2nd they will have the option of a boat ride, museum tours, lunch, and ??? That is where you come in.
Each of our VIP guests will be given a coupon book along with their free lodging and meals. If you would like to provide a complimentary service, to be enjoyed at their leisure on Wednesday, March 2nd - please let me know.
The last time the Seattle Concierge visited La Conner was approximately 6-7 years ago and they returned to their respective hotels and referred MANY guests up here for a day trip! |
 FACEBOOK PROMOTION
La Conner Chamber's Facebook Page promotes YOUR business! We are continuing to update the Facebook Page DAILY with your events and happenings!
Would you like even more promotion?
The La Conner Facebook weekly CYBER TRESURE HUNT continues and we need to hear from YOU! E-mail Marci director@laconnerchamber.com with a JPEG file (PICTURE) of your giveaway along with your business hours for pick-up and contact person. We will post this picture on the Facebook Page. "Fans" of the La Conner Chamber Facebook page have a chance to comment where this "giveway" is sold and WIN the giveaway item/service. We strongly urge chamber members and employee's of the weekly giveaway not to comment with the answer.
This giveaway could be a gift certificate, sample, overstock, free service, or something that has been hanging out in the back room too long. We started this in December and it was VERY popular! Thanks to your new Chamber Board President, Pam Kutscher, Facebook was the #2 referral to laconnerchamber.com during January!
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 SBA LOAN UPDATEWith small business owners and entrepreneurs in traditionally underserved communities continuing to face challenges accessing capital, the U.S. Small Business Administration has announced two new initiatives aimed at increasing SBA-backed loans to small businesses in these neighborhoods.
SBA and U.S. Department of Commerce studies have shown the importance of lower-dollar loans to small business formation and growth in underserved communities. With that in mind, the two new loan initiatives - Small Loan Advantage and Community Advantage - are aimed at increasing the number of smaller SBA 7(a) loans. These loans can be used for a variety of general business purposes, including working capital and purchases of equipment and real estate.
These two new loan programs tackle a couple of factors that we know exist when it comes to the challenges that small business owners face. First, to add more incentive for lower-dollar loans in these communities, SBA is providing a streamlined process for lenders along with the regular 7(a) government guarantee, 85 percent for loans up to $150,000 and 75 percent for those greater than $150,000. Second, SBA is taking steps that will increase the number of credit union and community banks that small business owners can go to access loans.
Entrepreneurs and small business owners across the country have enormous potential to drive continued economic growth and create good-paying, but too often they face barriers in fulfilling that potential. That's why SBA's renewed effort to strengthen the link between these entrepreneurs and the SBA's wide variety of resources is so critical.
As part of the U.S. Small Business Administration's mission to ensure that small business owners and entrepreneurs have access to accurate, timely and helpful information, SBA re-designed our SBA.gov website. The new site also features the launch of SBA Direct, a dynamic new web tool with a variety of personalization features that will help small businesses start-up, succeed and grow.
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 Good News!
Economist predicts retail sales growth
Retail sales may increase 3 percent statewide this year and improve to increase 7.2 percent in 2012, a member of Gov. Gregoire's Council of Economic Advisors told a Senate committee last week.
Dick Conway, a private Seattle-based economist, issued his retail forecast during a meeting of the Senate Ways & Means Committee. He sat on a four -member panel of economists who spoke to the committee about the future of the state economy.
Conway said about 180,000 people remain unemployed statewide as a result of the recession. Most of the recession's job losses came from two industries; construction, which lost a third of its jobs, and banking and financial services, which was hurt by a collapse in the real estate market.
Conway was joined on the panel by Kriss Sjoblom of the Washington Research Council, and Robert Roseman and Dick Startz, both of the University of Washington.
Recovery in the construction industry will be key to an economic comeback, but the recovery is likely to be slow, Sjoblom said. Not only does the financial services industry need to heal, but the economy must grow first before the inventory of unsold homes can be reduced, Sjoblom said.
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The Department of Revenue -
The Simplification Charge
The Department of Revenue is specifically working to identify ways to simplify the tax process for small business. In the Executive Order, the Governor charged the Department to explore, evaluate, and recommend tax simplification solutions as a way to assist small businesses, draw businesses to the state, and keep Washington competitive. Our findings and recommendations are due to the Governor June 30, 2011.
Be Part of the Process - We Need Your Input and Participation
Content/DoingBusiness/TaxSimplification.aspx
where you fill out a short survey seeking your opinions. The survey seeks to identify aspects of the system that take the most time to address and asks for suggestions on how to improve the system.
The survey is being done under a directive from Gov. Gregoire, who expects recommendations by June 30 of this year.
There is also a face to face meeting.
The meeting will be held on Wednesday, February 23, 2011 at 1:30pm at the CottonTree Inn in Mount Vernon.
If you are unable to attend but would like to participate via teleconference, please let Shelli from the Department of Revenue know and she will send a call-in number.
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Dept of Revenue Amnesty Program
Amnesty of tax penalties program starts this week.
Beginning this week, businesses owing the state back taxes can apply to have penalties and interest associated with the late payments waived.
The amnesty is available to registered and unregistered businesses. Applicants for an amnesty must apply for approval by April 18 and will be required to pay all back taxes owed to the state by April 30 to get penalties and interest waived. More information about the program is available at the Website www.PayMyTax.org.
The Department of Revenue estimates that about 10,000 of 50,000 delinquent businesses will apply for the penalty waiver. It estimates the state will recover $24.4 million in overdue tax revenue to ease the state's financial crunch.
Those businesses wishing to phone for more information including an estimate of taxes due may dial 1-800-647-7706.
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Guest Dock Visitors!April 2011
Fidalgo Yacht Club,
April 1,2,3 - 800 feet
American Tug,
April 27,28,29,30 - 900 feet
Emerald Rose,
April 15,16,17 - 150 feet
Bellingham Wheel and Keel,
April 15,16,17 - 800 feet
Being updated with what groups and conferences are taking place helps us all.
Lucas Villard, Marina Service Representative
lucasv@portofskagit.com
P.O Box 1120, La Conner, WA 98257
(360)466-3118 Fax (360)466-3119
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YOUTH MENTORS NEEDED
Volunteer tutors are needed. A local non-profit organization called Youthnet. For more information on Youthnet, you can visit our website at www.youthnetnw.net
Diane Taylor
SETuP for Success Mentoring Coordinator
Transitional Living Case Manager
(425) 258-6153
dtaylor@youthnetnw.net
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THE FOOD BANK OF LACONNER
Food Bank has a name!
La Conner writer Mary Evitt tells us about the food bank run by volunteers each Monday behind the Methodist Church is now officially called the La Conner Sunrise Food Bank. It was named for Kevin Sunrise who for five years quietly distributed food to people who needed it from his home on Myrtle Street until he and his wife Amy Han had to shut shut down their unofficial food bank in June. La Conner United Methodist Church Pastor George Lockwood helped them find the volunteers to take over. |
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KEEP US INFORMED!
Let us know what is going on with you! Your current events and happenings on the website are all updated based on the information you provide to Marci and your chamber staff. Any pictures that would entice visitors to stay and play, please send them too, we can use them in the monthly news for visitors.
Thank you,
Marci Plank
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& Prime Rib House
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La Conner Chamber of Commerce
Marci Plank
Executive Director
PO Box 1610
La Conner, WA
360.466.4778 or toll free 888.642.9284
Reinhild Thompson VIC Director PO Box 1610 La Conner, WA 360.466.4778 or toll free 888.642.9284
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La Conner Chamber Board Meetings
are held the first Thursday of the month. 8:00am
Location: La Conner Garden Club ~Open to all Members~
If you have comments or questions for the board and are unable to attend, email Marci Plank with "Member Comments" in the subject line. They will be read at the board meeting.
OUR COMMUNITY
TOWN COUNCIL |
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