“Survey: Few CEOs plan to hire in next 6 months - The Trucker” plus 4 more |
- Survey: Few CEOs plan to hire in next 6 months - The Trucker
- Lawmaker: Higher NJ gas tax may be inevitable - Forbes
- Indianapolis gaining 300 jobs as Republic Airways transfers business ... - The Gaea Times
- Anthony's lawyer says he'll refile lawsuit - KTVZ.com
- Obama to spell out his job-creation plan - The Keene Sentinel
| Survey: Few CEOs plan to hire in next 6 months - The Trucker Posted: 09 Dec 2009 05:24 AM PST
By DANIEL WAGNER 12/9/2009 WASHINGTON — More of America's largest companies will shrink their staffs than will hire in the next six months, according to the latest survey of their CEOs. Nineteen percent of the CEOs expect to expand their work forces, while 31 percent predict a decrease in the next six months, according to a quarterly survey from the Business Roundtable released Tuesday. That's slightly better than the 13 percent who expected increased hiring three months earlier. At that time, 40 percent forecast cuts. The CEOs also expect the overall U.S. economy to grow by 1.9 percent in 2010. That would mark a slowdown from the 2.8 percent pace in the third quarter of 2009. Last quarter's growth followed a record four straight quarterly declines and was the strongest signal that a recovery from the recession had started. "These forecasts are in line with an anticipated slow and uneven recovery," said Ivan Seidenberg, CEO of Verizon Communications and chairman of the Roundtable. Sales and capital spending already are beginning to rise, but "it still will take some time for these gains to translate into more jobs and higher employment," he said. In more positive news, the group's economic outlook index — a combination of expectations for spending, sales and hiring — rose to 71.5, from 44.9 in the third quarter. Numbers above 50 represent economic growth. It was the first time the index rose above 50 since the third quarter of 2008, just before the financial crisis struck with force. The number of CEOs expecting to increase capital spending nearly doubled, to 40 from 21 percent. The number forecasting an increase in sales grew to 68 from 51 percent. Economists say employment at large firms is likely to remain flat through much of 2010, since many companies already have hit their targets for what is expected to be a halting recovery. Indeed, the largest group of CEOs — 50 percent — expected employment to remain unchanged in the next six months. "You'd have to have a big change in their operating assumptions for those numbers to move," said Brian Bethune, an economist with IHS Global Insight. "We're in very much of a holding pattern for 2010." Bethune said small business is the "only hope" for job growth next year. In Washington Tuesday, President Barack Obama made small business a major focus of multibillion-dollar proposals to spur job growth and stimulate the economy. Obama proposed a new tax cut for small businesses that hire in 2010 and an elimination for one year of the capital gains tax on profits from small-business investments. He also proposed an elimination of fees on loans to small businesses, coupled with federal guarantees of those loans through the end of next year. Obama discussed new spending for highway, bridge and other infrastructure projects, and tax incentives to encourage people to make their homes more energy efficient. "We avoided the depression many feared," Obama said in a speech at the Brookings Institution, a Washington think tank. But, he added, "Our work is far from done." A new question on the Roundtable survey asked CEOs to identify their greatest cost pressures. The largest group — about one-third — cited health care. The Roundtable has emerged as an aggressive voice in the debate over the Obama administration's overhaul of the health care system. The group has applauded some measures it says would keep costs down. But it has criticized provisions like a government-run plan for those who can't get other insurance. Kevin Jones of The Trucker staff can be reached for comment at kevinj@thetrucker.com. Follow The Trucker on Twitter at www.twitter.com/truckertalk  This content has passed through fivefilters.org. |
| Lawmaker: Higher NJ gas tax may be inevitable - Forbes Posted: 09 Dec 2009 05:10 AM PST ISELIN, N.J. -- New Jerseyans could see a gas tax hike despite Gov.-elect Chris Christie's pledge not to raise taxes in the year ahead, property tax rebates might disappear and business owners should brace for an increase in unemployment insurance taxes that could amount to $200 to $1,000 per employee. State legislators presented New Jersey's dire economic outlook to 250 business owners at an annual policy forum hosted by the New Jersey Business and Industry Association on Tuesday. Sen. Ray Lesniak said a gradual increase in the gas tax may be inevitable to prop up the state's nearly depleted Transportation Trust Fund. Lesniak, D-Union, said he planned to introduce legislation that would "gradually and incrementally" increase the gas tax to fund transportation projects. Though he was not specific on how much or when, he called the step "absolutely necessary," and other lawmakers on the panel did not disagree that a new stream of revenue is urgently needed to keep road, bridge and rail projects from coming to a standstill. Gov. Jon Corzine crafted a stopgap fix for the fund in 2006, which restructured some debt and cleared the way for additional borrowing to ensure the continued receipt of federal matching funds, but the fund is about to run out of money again. Assembly Speaker Joe Roberts Jr., D-Brooklawn, said a gas tax increase might be the best choice of several politically undesirable options for keeping the state's infrastructure safe. Other choices include more borrowing, siphoning Motor Vehicle Commission surplus from other programs, or increasing tolls, he said. During an appearance on New Jersey 101.5 FM on Tuesday night, Christie said he opposes raising the gasoline tax and criticized Democrats for proposing it now that a Republican is about to take office. "Speaker Roberts, if he felt so strongly about it, was speaker for four years. Why didn't he propose a gas tax hike?" Christie said. "Now all the sudden they are going to say I have to do it because they didn't?" New Jersey's 14.5-cent per gallon tax is the nation's second-lowest, behind Wyoming, according to the Tax Foundation, a tax education group. New Jersey's gas tax is 20 to 30 cents lower than in neighboring states, Roberts said. Assemblyman Jon Bramnick, R-Westfield, said Christie might approve of more borrowing to keep his no-tax pledge in the short term. But Bramnick acknowledged the "imminent crisis" in funding road projects may force the governor-elect's hand in the long-term. Christie has said he would not raise taxes and that he would push lawmakers to adopt a pay-as-you-go approach to spending. Neither he nor Corzine attended Tuesday's business forum. The lawmakers also suggested that property tax rebates could disappear in the budget year that starts in July, because Christie faces a multi-billion-dollar shortfall. Rebates add about $1 billion to the state budget. The state's business owners got even more bad news: They were told a growing shortfall in the Unemployment Insurance fund could trigger tax hikes of up to $1,000 per employee. Tax increases are triggered when the fund's balance dips below a certain level as measured every March; the shortfall currently exceeds $800 million and is growing. Bramnick said employers could see an increase of 100 percent or more in their unemployment tax on July 1, unless the fund is infused with state or federal money. Associated Press writer Beth DeFalco in Trenton contributed to this report. Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed This content has passed through fivefilters.org. |
| Indianapolis gaining 300 jobs as Republic Airways transfers business ... - The Gaea Times Posted: 08 Dec 2009 04:43 AM PST This content has passed through fivefilters.org. |
| Anthony's lawyer says he'll refile lawsuit - KTVZ.com Posted: 09 Dec 2009 03:23 AM PST
By ARNIE STAPLETON AP Sports Writer DENVER (AP) - Carmelo Anthony's lawsuit that accused his former business manager of misappropriating more than $2 million of his assets has been provisionally dismissed by a federal judge in Sacramento, Calif., so the NBA star's lawyers can amend the complaint. Judge William B. Shubb ruled the lawsuit "(did) not plead facts that plausibly suggest each defendant is liable for the claims in the complaint." Shubb gave Anthony's attorneys until Dec. 25 to file an amended complaint that would meet stricter pleading standards set forth in a Supreme Court case decided three months before Anthony's original lawsuit was filed on Aug. 17. "Plaintiffs, however, are admonished to thoroughly and carefully set forth their allegations in any subsequent amended complaint, as both judicial resources and fairness to defendants preclude unlimited opportunities to amend the pleadings," the judge warned. The lawsuit alleges that Anthony's former business manager, Larry W. Harmon, and employees of Larry Harmon&Associates P.A., breached their fiduciary duties by misappropriating millions of Anthony's money without his knowledge or consent. Harmon, founder of Harmon-Castillo, LLP, of Roseville, Calif., said Monday his firm was substantially harmed by the lawsuit. "While we are pleased with the judge's order, we come away from it with a damaged reputation, a substantial loss in earnings and harm to something upon which we cannot place a price: our good name," Harmon said in a statement to the AP. "Our job was to guide Carmelo and advise him when we thought his money was being unwisely spent. We looked out for him in the way we do all of our clients and the result was his anger and this lawsuit." Anthony's lawyer, Robert W. Hirsh, told the AP he would refile the complaint as requested and called the ruling "purely a procedural issue." "The court made a procedural ruling having nothing to do with the merits of the case requesting additional specificity in the complaint and we will comply," Hirsh said. "Mr. Harmon's attempt to miscast a simple procedural ruling requesting additional specificity based upon a brand new Supreme Court rulinginto a substantive result is dishonest." Harmon referred the AP to his lawyer, James J. Banks, for a response. Banks told the AP: "It isn't disingenuous at all. The order speaks for itself. Mr. Harmon believes the litigation has harmed his reputation and his business." Anthony was the third selection in the 2003 NBA draft after leading Syracuse to the national title as a freshman. Last year, he led the Nuggets to their best season in 24 years after helping the U.S. team win the gold medal at the Beijing Olympics. Anthony is in the fourth year of a five-year, $80 million contract extension he signed in 2006. He is the league's leading scorer this season. Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. This content has passed through fivefilters.org. |
| Obama to spell out his job-creation plan - The Keene Sentinel Posted: 09 Dec 2009 05:53 AM PST WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is promoting help for highways and small businesses, bridges and energy-efficient homes in a broad pitch to get Americans back to work and roll back the double-digit unemployment that's approaching a quarter-century high, an administration official said today. In a speech prepared for delivery today, Obama plans to talk about what he wants to see in the coming weeks and months — chiefly, more Americans in the workplace and fewer on unemployment, which now stands at 10 percent. Obama planned to address three main areas: helping small businesses add staff and grow; updating transportation infrastructure; and making homes energy-efficient, according to an administration official who discussed the speech on the condition of anonymity to preview an unreleased text. The official said Obama's remarks would not represent the sum of the president's plan, but rather an outline for the way forward. It was a similar line other White House officials used to preview the remarks. "We've got quite some way to go," White House press secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters on Monday. "The president is not going to unveil the silver bullet idea. ... If there was one idea to do this, I assume it would have been done sometime in the intervening 22 months" since the recession began. The White House is considering using a suddenly available pot of money left over from the government's bank bailout to help create jobs. Officials initially seemed cool to the idea of trying to redirect that money to jobs-related programs but have changed their tone after a government report last week showed a slightly lower unemployment rate. The president told reporters Monday there might be "selective approaches" for tapping into the money that was allocated to prop up seriously ailing financial institutions. The administration and its allies on Capitol Hill still would have to get around a provision in the 2008 bailout legislation requiring money repaid by banks or left over to be used exclusively for reducing the federal deficit. This content has passed through fivefilters.org. |
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