CENTER FOR
LOGISTICS, TRADE AND TRANSPORTATION 
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                                                                                                                                             Volume 5  Issue 7,  July 2015
After Neglecting Transportation In Budget, Brown Calls For New Taxes

Just as Brown signed the largest state budget in California's history, weighing in at over $115 billion, he has called upon the California legislature to raise new taxes to fund transportation infrastructure-roads, highways, bridges and the like.

That has raised considerable questions about why Governor Brown did not insist on including sufficient funding for this "brick-and-mortar" function of state government in the state's official spending plan. It's especially eyebrow raising when the budget does include billions of dollars for Brown's pet project-constructing high-speed rail to connect the San Francisco Bay Area and Southern California-with a projected cost, at this point, of nearly $70 billion.

Poll: 53 percent think feds should increase highway spending

A majority of U.S. residents would like to see the federal government increase its spending on the nation's roads and bridges, according to a poll that was conducted recently by The Associated Press and GFK.

The poll shows 53 percent of the nation's population think Congress "should increase spending to build and improve roads, bridges and interstate highways."

About 33 percent of U.S. residents "think current spending levels are about right," while 10 percent "would like to see less money spent on roads," according to the poll. The findings come as lawmakers are struggling to come up with a way to pay for even an extension that would at least keep the spending levels flat past this summer ahead of a July 31 deadline for the expiration of the current infrastructure measure.
  
Panel approves bill to boost federal port oversight

 The Senate committee overseeing the nation's infrastructure approved legislation on Thursday to boost the "transparency" of U.S. ports after a series of recent labor standoffs that threatened the flow of cargo packages.

The legislation, S. 1298, which backers have said would create "a new level of transparency and accountability for ports," was approved by the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. The panel's chairman, Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), said the measure would make easier for lawmakers to spot potential problems at ports before they experience the kind of labor strife that resulted in a partial shutdown of 29 ports on the West Coast earlier this year. 
Seraphim Solar to build manufacturing facility in Jackson

Seraphim Solar Manufacturing USA Inc. has announced plans to construct a solar module assembly plant in Jackson that is expected to create 250 jobs during the first five years of operation. The project represents a $50 million investment with an anticipated annual payroll of up to $7.3 million. With the addition of this Made in the USA facility, Seraphim's global expansion will have reached 1.2 gigawatt of capacity worldwide, company officials said.

 "We are extremely excited about successfully recruiting Seraphim Solar to our city," said Mayor Tony T. Yarber. "We're partnering with a company that will provide innovative solutions that will lead and model how the country consumes energy."

Is Amazon a 3PL?

Amazon.com has come a long way since its founder and chief executive officer, Jeff Bezos, envisioned the company as a virtual bookstore. It has evolved into an online retail giant that generated $74.45 billion in revenues in 2013, much of that coming from its support of more than 2 million companies that used Amazon to sell their products online and distribute them to customers. Under the company's various programs, Amazon not only provides its customers with a means of advertising and selling their products, but also offers to store those products in its fulfillment centers; pick, pack, and ship them; and provide customer service, including handling returns.

SPOTLIGHT

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A business has to be involving, it has to be fun, and it has to exercise your creative instincts. ~ Richard Branson 
UPCOMING EVENTS
SASHTO Conference - Nashville,TN, Aug 1-4,2015

Accounting Fundamentals - Moss Point, MS - Aug 27, 2015

True South Basic Economic Development Course - Hattiesburg, MS - Sep 21-24. 2015

2015 GRITS Annual Conference - Biloxi, MS - Oct 11-14, 2015


Home
           9/05 vs. Mississippi State 9 p.m
           9/12 vs. Austin Peay 2:30 p.m
         10/03 vs. North Texas
           
Away
           9/19 @ Texas State 6 p.m
           9/26 @  Nebraska 11 a.m
         10/09 @ Marshall     6 p.m            
CONTACT US
Dr. Tulio Sulbaran, Director
[email protected]
601.266.6419
Fax: 601.266.5717
118 College Drive #5138
Hattiesburg, MS 39406-000

  

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