LANSING -- January 29, 2009 -- A bill that removes the surcharge Michigan businesses pay on top of the Michigan Business Tax (MBT) has passed the Senate, said state Sen. Jud Gilbert.

Senate Bill 1 would phase out the 21.99 percent MBT surcharge over a two-year period. The measure would cut the surcharge by half to 11 percent in 2009 and eliminate it by 2010.

“The number-one problem in this state is not the budget, it’s jobs,” said Gilbert, R-Algonac. “The surcharge is a jobs-killer that must be eliminated.”

Gilbert said reducing the surcharge will improve Michigan’s economy and business climate and lead directly to the creation of jobs across all sectors of the economy.

“The December unemployment data put Michigan at 10.6 percent unemployment, which is fully 47 percent above the national average of 7.2 percent and the worst rate in the nation, by far,” said Gilbert. “We must heed the warning of the job providers across Michigan: maintaining the surcharge will lead to even higher levels of unemployment and a further decline in the state’s economy.”

SB 1 now heads to the House of Representatives for consideration.

The Blue Water Area Chamber of Commerce welcomes Larry and Janice Morse and EmbroidMe to the Blue Water business community!

Larry and Janice have had a whirlwind year which includes getting married (yes, they are newlyweds) and opening a new EmbroidMe franchise in November 2008.

When Larry, an avid gardener and photographer, retired from General Motors after 26 years of service, he wanted to find a franchise that was going to be a force for positive direction. When he and his wife Janice checked out EmbroidMe, they knew it was just what they were looking for.

EmbroidMe is the largest full-service embroidery company in the world with over 450 stores in 12 countries and ranked as the #1 Embroidery Franchise by Entrepreneur Magazine six years in a row! Their web site states: "We're local but we're large" Customers can leverage the buying power of a large franchise organization while benefiting from local, personalized service.

Embroidery has been around for hundreds of years. But until EmbroidMe, it was difficult to find a store that could handle all of your custom embroidery, screen printing and promotional needs – much less, one that could do so personally, professionally and punctually. The Morse's will take great pride in helping you brand your business.

In addition to their commitment to their customers, they also like to take a little personal time for themselves and their family. Janice loves to read and Larry spends time in the garden (after the snow melts). They also spend time with their two dogs Ginger and Spike.

Stop in and meet Larry and Janice and check out all of the services they offer to help you brand your business!

The Chamber welcomes the Morse's and appreciates their support and commitment of working with our community to create a sustainable business environment.

For more information about EmbroidMe, check out their web site: www.embroidme.com

Member Recognitions

St. Clair County Community College receives Grant!
SC4 received one of the 10 grants awarded by the Michigan Dept. of Labor for the No Worker Left Behind Adult Education grant! AWARE: Adults Who Are Returning to Education Program was one of the ten proposals selected. There were 33 proposals throughout Michigan and 10 awards.

 

Port Huron Hotel Achieves Highest Marriott Honor for Guest Satisfaction

The Fairfield Inn by Marriott Port Huron, a 62 room smoke free hotel, is among the leaders in overall guest satisfaction based on their semi-annual review. The local hotel ranked in the top 10% of all Fairfield Inn's throughout the United States and Canada when it came to taking care of their guests.

Upon check out, travelers were provided with an online survey to gauge feedback on their stay. The "overall satisfaction" scores came in at an astonishing 91.1% giving the Fairfield Inn by Marriott Port Huron the status of a Platinum hotel. Marriott hotels are also ranked against each other in various categories including "Staff Service" in which the Port Huron hotel finished at number 15 out of 563 hotels.

"The Fairfield Inn by Marriott recently updated the Port Huron location and many business visitors request their information based on Marriott's outstanding reputation," said Vickie Ledsworth, President of the Blue Water Area Chamber of Commerce. "Fairfield Inn also gives back to the community by being a strong supporter of the Chamber and other non-profit groups financially and through volunteerism," she added.

Congratulations to the management and staff on a job well done.

For more information or reservations, call the Fairfield Inn by Marriott Port Huron directly at 810-982-8500, call the Fairfield Inn toll-free number at 888-228-2800, contact a travel agent or visit the web site at www.marriott.com/prhfi.

Communicating the Good, the Bad and the Ugly During Tough Times... Make sure your deodorant doesn't start working!
Are you frustrated that the good news about your company is not getting any media play or worried that you may have to communicate to your employees about tough decisions you've had to make? In either case the Michigan Chamber is offering a 2-½ hour seminar that will provide you with strategic and tactical communication tools whether you are disseminating good news or bad news. Attend this seminar with long time communication strategist, Rick Kamel, and learn solid communication techniques for today's instant media world.

For more information or to register, contact the Michigan Chamber of Commerce

Read this week's Capitol Report from the Michigan Chamber of Commerce.