SALEM – State Treasurer Ted Wheeler on Monday asked legislators to increase the state’s ‘rainy day’ reserves, which will help to save more money in good times as a buffer against budget downturns.
Oregon relies on the notoriously volatile income tax for the lion’s share of funding for state programs such as schools, public safety and public healthcare. Allowing more money to be saved in good economic times will help to reduce the budgetary deficits in times when the economy sours.
In addition, more robust reserves will help to solidify the state’s credit ratings, which can translate into lower interest costs for public borrowing, Wheeler said.
“Maintaining a strong Rainy Day Fund is essential to the financial well-being of our state,” said Treasurer Wheeler. “It makes good common sense to force fiscal discipline by identifying a new specific source of dedicated funding for the rainy day fund, and by holding our feet to the fire to make sure the fund is adequate.”
The Treasurer’s testimony was in support of Senate Bill 553, sponsored by Sen. Chris Edwards, D-Euge
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The UK’s small business sector needs to be nurtured if it is to be considered a major contributing factor in rebalancing the economy, it has been claimed.
According to a ‘Think Small First’ report by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), small businesses create two-thirds of all new jobs but hefty regulations are holding them back.
The report highlighted the potential for small businesses to pick up the employment slack from the public sector but 60% of private and family-owned liability insurance holders feel that employment regulation stands as a barrier to job creation and stifles opportunities for growth.
The aim of the report is to push Government to recognise the impact that some regulation has on the small businesses of the UK.
It is believed that speeding up tribunal systems, introducing the right to an annual review of flexible working and to agree a return date with an employee going on maternity leave will provide small businesses with the much needed support.
John Cridland, CBI Director-General, said:
“Smaller firms are job-creation dynamos. The Gov
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2011 needs to be a positive year for liability insurance holders and the need for business growth is substantial, the business body claims.
The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has called on the Government to ensure that the upcoming Budget promotes economic stability. It has put together a number of measures that will ease the pressure on small businesses.
The past few years have been tough for everyone, especially businesses.
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2/17/2010 — The most significant employment-related issue of the past week was a legislative vetting of HB 2038, which conforms Oregon’s expression of milk in the workplace law to new federal mandates contained in the 2010 federal health care reform law. The House Human Services Committee began taking up the bill earlier this week.
Currently, under Oregon law, mothers can express milk in the workplace for up to 30 minutes for each four hour time period of work. Such breaks are unpaid. The Oregon law applies only to companies with 25 or more employees. A company of any size may apply for an undue hardship exemption.
The new federal law is considerably more stringent. Under the federal law, an employer must provide a reasonable rest period to express milk each time the employee has a need to express milk. The new federal regulations apply to even small companies with fewer than 25 employees, and no company with more than 50 employees may apply for an undue hardship exemption.
AOI understands that federal supersedes state law, and that generally, state conformity with federal law is advantageous for employers because it allows for ease of administration. But Get full post…
In January of this year, a campaign was set up which aims to support drivers and liability insurance holders by fighting for cheaper fuel in the UK.
The Government is planning to increase fuel duty prices by a colossal 23p per gallon.
The Fair Fuel UK Campaign was launched by a haulier who is actually feeling the pinch of continually rising fuel duty himself. He told BBC Radio 5 live earlier this month:
“There’s a planned fuel duty hike… That’s got to go.”
“The average truck does about seven-and-a-half miles to the gallon…It’s typical in a week to put in £900 of diesel!”
The only way to stop this hike taking affect is to work together and make a stand.
There’s just over 50 days to the Chancellors Budget announcement and Fair Fuel UK are increasing their campaign efforts to get as many signatures as possible.
Sign up to www.fairfueluk.com now to get petrol prices down.
Whether you’re a driver yourself or just a passenger, your support could be the deciding factor. Every signat
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