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1. Business License Fee Reform
By Judy Peppler, Chair, Alliance Board of Directors
As the New Year starts off, we are hoping to see progress on one of the Portland business community's top issues: local business income tax reduction.
On January 18, the Portland City Council is expected to consider an ordinance proposed by Commissioner Sam Adams to provide tax relief from the business license fee. The Portland Business Alliance has worked with other business
organizations for years to achieve relief from this local business tax, and we appreciate that Mayor Tom Potter and other members of Council have expressed a willingness to work with Commissioner Adams on a relief package.
The City of Portland levies a 2.2 percent fee on business income earned in the city, and Multnomah County levies an additional 1.4 percent business income tax. (And for the past five years, a temporary surcharge has been added to the
Portland fee to help pay for local schools.) No other jurisdiction in the state of Oregon levies a local business income tax of this type, putting businesses that choose to locate in the City or the County at a competitive disadvantage.
The result is that Portland and Multnomah County have lost businesses - and jobs - to other metropolitan-area locations. The taxes are especially hard on small, locally owned businesses and professional service providers.
Commissioner Adams' proposal, filed at Council on Wednesday, Jan. 10, would raise the gross receipts minimum subject to the tax from $25,000 to $50,000, essentially freeing many small, start-up businesses from being subject to the complex
Business License Fee filing. Additionally, his proposal would increase the deduction local business owners can take for their own salaries from $60,000 to $80,000. And, importantly, the proposal expresses Council intent to raise the
owner's compensation deduction to $125,000 over five years. This will provide significant relief to businesses in Portland.
We understand that Commissioner Adams' proposal has broad Council support. City Council needs to hear that you appreciate that small business tax relief is being seriously considered. Take a moment to call City Hall and express your
support for Business License Fee relief. The number for each commissioner's office is listed below. And join Businesses United for Fair Fees, a group of Portland business owners who have come together to urge Council action. Call Carol
Butler at 503.241.8383, or email her at
cabutler11@hotmail.com, to let her know that you want your name listed as a supporter of Business License Fee relief.
City Council Phone Numbers:
Mayor Tom Potter: 503.823.4120
Commissioner Sam Adams: 503.823.3008
Commissioner Randy Leonard: 503.823.3006
Commissioner Dan Saltzman: 503.823.4151
Commissioner Erik Sten: 503.823.3589
2. Leaders map out next year's focus at Regional Business Plan breakfast
On January 4, regional leaders gathered at the Oregon Convention Center to review the first-year accomplishments of the Regional Business Plan and previewed the list of strategies and initiatives for 2007. The breakfast event, hosted by
the Alliance, preceded the fifth annual Oregon Leadership Summit.
Modeled after the successful Oregon Business Plan, the Regional Business Plan was unveiled in January 2006. The plan's primary mission is to maintain the livability of the Portland/Vancouver region by building a strong economic base that
creates quality jobs for people living in the region. Over the course of 2006, many private and public-sector partners joined together to implement the plan's initiatives. The 2007 update included initiatives and strategies for the next
12 months, continuing to build upon the four primary issue areas identified in the first plan: education/workforce development, transportation/freight mobility, land use and economic development.
Successful completion of one of the economic development initiatives in the 2006 plan was announced on January 3, when leaders announced formation of the new Four County Economic Corporation. Building upon work started with the Campaign
for Greater Portland in 2002 and furthered with the Regional Business Plan, the business leaders announced that they had formed a board of directors and secured sufficient funding to launch the new economic development corporation to
market the Greater Portland region.
"This is a key element of our Regional Business Plan, and we're proud to have reached this significant milestone in less than a year," said Mark Ganz, President and CEO of Regence. "By bringing together communities to form a powerful,
united front to recruit new businesses, this new entity will advance the economic vitality of our region."
The enterprise is a private-sector effort that will work with existing public agencies and will incorporate the Portland Development Commission's existing Ambassador Program to stimulate regional job growth and economic development by
recruiting new businesses to the region. Funded by major Greater Portland area businesses, the enterprise reached its startup funding goal of $750,000 in December. It will begin operating while securing additional financial support.
To see the entire Regional Business Plan Progress Report or learn more about the Four County Economic Development Corporation,
click here.
Jim Mark of Melvin Mark Companies, and Randy Miller of the Moore Company are presenters at the Regional Business Plan Update event at the Oregon Convention Center on January 4, 2007. Mark spearheaded the fundraising and
board recruitment effort to launch the Four-County Economic Development Corporation. For twenty five years, Miller has led the Portland Ambassadors Program, which will merge with the Corporation to expand business recruitment and retention
efforts for the region.
3. Nike announces new Nike school innovation fund
Nike President and CEO Mark Parker announced today the creation of the Nike School Innovation Fund, a five-year, $9 million commitment to help Portland, Hillsboro and Beaverton public schools. The Innovation Fund is designed to support
innovation in schools, targeted toward the delivery of quality education and leadership development.
The Nike School Innovation Fund will be an affiliate of the Portland Business Alliance Charitable Institute. The Charitable Institute is a 501(c)(3) corporation that supports programs consistent with the Portland region by providing strong
leadership, partnership and programs that encourage business growth and vitality. Programs currently under the umbrella of the Institute include the Citizens Crime Commission, Leaders Roundtable and the Campaign for Greater Portland.
Portland Public Schools will receive the first three Nike Innovation Grants a total of $1 million in the new effort. Superintendent Vicki Phillips said Nike's grants will be the largest contribution ever received by PPS from a
business.
Nike and its employees are already engaged and supportive of public schools, and the Innovation Fund builds on that effort. Nike has also initiated conversations with leadership of the Beaverton and the Hillsboro school districts to elicit
their ideas on innovative programs they wish to implement.
4. New VP of Government Affairs named
 On January 1, Bernie Bottomly joined the Alliance as the new Vice President for Government Relations and Economic Development.
"Bernie has a tremendous amount of knowledge about our community," said Sandra McDonough, President and CEO of the Alliance. "Bernie is very familiar with the business community's needs and has been active in several Alliance committees,
including the Government Relations Committee."
As the Vice President of Government Relations and Economic Development, Bernie manages the Alliance's government relations and economic development programs and initiatives. He also directs the implementation of advocacy programs and the
Alliance's local and federal legislative agenda.
For the past four years, Bottomly worked for Pacific Power, most recently managing community relations. Prior to joining Pacific Power, Bottomly handled government relations for TriMet for nine years. He also worked for former U.S.
Representative Les AuCoin in the congressman's Portland office. Bottomly serves on a number of boards and associations, including Oregon Mentors, the YMCA of Greater Portland, and the Columbia Corridor Association.
5. Alliance to publish new regional economic guide
 Don't miss your chance to be included in a new regional economic development magazine, promoting the region to prospective new
businesses and new employees. This spring, the Alliance will publish Business Images, a vibrant, newsstand-quality magazine that will showcase the best of the Portland region through its people, places and progressive business climate.
Business Images is a highly targeted marketing tool for businesses and developers that want to attract new employees and companies to the area. More than 12,500 copies of the magazine will be distributed through the Alliance and key local
businesses. Sales Representative Andrea Joiner is calling Alliance members throughout January to give them the opportunity to reserve advertising space. To contact her, call 503.552.6748.
6. Alliance members save $200 on PSU supervisor certificate
 The Alliance and Portland State University's Professional Development Center are teaming up again to offer a professional education opportunity for
supervisors employed by small and medium- sized businesses. The goal of the program is to cultivate innovative leaders who can strengthen their organization by using techniques tried and tested by colleagues in a variety of industries.
The Accelerated Supervision Certificate program is 40 hours of curriculum delivered over three-weeks. The program is designed around two basic principles: Group learning maximizes the students' ability to immediately apply new skills on
the job and new managers need compact learning opportunities rather than extended term programs.
The certificate program will be held January 17 through February 10 in the Oregon MBA facility at 200 SW Market. Alliance members can receive $200 off the price of tuition when they register. Online pre-registration is required:
www.pdc.pdx.edu/accel_supervision.
7. High winds and rain affect downtown foot traffic in December, sales still strong
Overall, foot traffic in downtown Portland was down 7 percent from a year ago, according to the Alliance's bi-annual pedestrian count. The Alliance conducted the count in 15 key downtown intersections on December 14, 15 and 16. Stormy
weather may be to blame for decreased foot traffic overall, as pedestrians had to endure high-wind speeds and torrential downpour, periodic hail and colder-than-normal temperatures. Despite the decrease in foot traffic, downtown retailers
reported a strong holiday season, with an average increase of 10 percent over last year's sales. Luxury retailers (jewelry, technology, high end apparel) reported a 15 to 20 percent increase over the 2005 holiday sales - the largest jump
in sales since 2000.
Several downtown intersections saw increased foot traffic in December, including SW 10th Avenue and Washington Street (up 32 percent), SW 3rd Avenue and Yamhill Street (up 15 percent), and SW 5th Avenue and Washington Street (up 10
percent).
The decrease in foot traffic at SW 5th Avenue and Morrison Street (down 18 percent) may be attributed to the construction underway at Meier & Frank Square. The largest decreases in pedestrian traffic were at SW 3rd Avenue and Taylor Street
(down 31 percent), and SW 4th Avenue and Morrison Street (down 21 percent).
The Alliance conducts the pedestrian counts on behalf of Portland Downtown Services, Inc. The purpose of collecting the information during the bi-annual pedestrian counts is to track population in front of available retail space or in key
retail areas. During December, the Portland Department of Transportation also counted vehicular traffic on the same intersections. The full pedestrian count report is available on the Alliance web site at
www.portlandalliance.com.
8. TriMet contracts with the Sidewalk Ambassadors
 To help ease the transition of the bus mall to its new location on 3rd and 4th avenues, TriMet has contracted with the Alliance's Sidewalk
Ambassadors to distribute information and answer questions from people and businesses about the move on January 14.
Although their duties with TriMet officially began December 27, the Ambassadors have been fielding questions about the transition for several months. In the first three days of their TriMet work, the Ambassadors handed out nearly 900
brochures and maps, and fielded more than 600 questions from bus riders, according to Sidewalk Ambassador Coordinator Vicente Guzman-Orozco.
"The people we talk to know that something is happening but don't have all the details," said Ambassador Ben Sandberg. "Most people are very grateful for the map and information we give them."
9. Portland to be featured on the Travel Channel January 15
Set your DVRs. The Travel Channel program "Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations" is scheduled to air its Pacific Northwest episode on Monday, January 15. The episode features footage of Portland, including Anthony's visit to the Velveteria
Museum of Velvet Paintings.
"Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations" typically airs on the Travel Channel on Mondays at 10 p.m. Pacific Time. However, as TV schedules are subject to change.
10. Cornerstones for Success:
Secret Techniques for Optimizing Your Time
Thursday, January 11
Jupiter Hotel, 800 E. Burnside
4 - 6:30 p.m.
How do you juggle deadlines, meetings, a heavy workload and other demands? Good time management can mean the difference between success and failure in business.
Start the new year off right with new tools for managing your time efficiently. Come learn from a team of busy professionals and business coaches to find out how they manage busy schedules. They will offer useful tips to reduce stress and
be more productive in 2007.
Food provided by: Doug Fir
Wine provided by: Wine and Chocolate
Series Sponsors:
11. January Forum: The Business of Professional Sports
Wednesday, January 17
Governor Hotel, 614 S.W. 11th Avenue
7:30-8:45 a.m.
Professional sports, facilities and franchises are important engines of economic development for urban areas. They contribute millions of dollars annually and create hundreds of jobs. In Portland, the Trail Blazers, LumberJax and Champ Car
events draw thousands of tourists and generate millions of tourism dollars for the region.
Moderator:
Drew Mahalic, CEO Oregon Sports Authority
Speakers:
Steve Patterson, President, Portland Trail Blazers
Angela Batinovich, Managing Partner, Portland LumberJax
Mike Nealy, President, Global Events Group
Event Sponsor: Global Events Group
Series Sponsors:
January Fitness Tip: Live your best life
By Sherri and Alex McMillan
Most people get a surge of energy in January and over commit themselves to an exercise or nutrition plan. If you've had a difficult time working out at all over this last year, it's in your best interest to be conservative.
For example, if you decide you're going to start exercising five days a week, you may succeed in the first few weeks. But as life catches up, you may find yourself skipping workouts, and by the end of a week, you may have only completed
three or four. But three or four workouts are fabulous and better than you were doing before.
Be realistic. Set a goal that you know you can achieve and this will give you the momentum to continue forward. Remember, consistency is the key. It's not what you do throughout January that matters. It's whether you can stay on
track when the memories of New Year's Eve are long gone.
Let's talk about nutrition. After you've over indulged in all the holiday goodies, it's easy to say you will never eat chocolate or junk food again. But soon your cravings s will return.
To succeed you have to eliminate the all-or-nothing approach. Instead of focusing on all the foods you can't eat, focus on daily goals such as, "Today, I have to eat two different fruits and three different vegetables" or "Today, I have to
consume five smaller meals and snacks instead of two large meals." Or perhaps you will decide that you can have two free days each week to enjoy some of your favorite foods. Set yourself up for success.
Sherri and Alex McMillan own Northwest Personal Training & Fitness Education and have been in the fitness industry for more than 18 years. They were recently awarded the 2006 IDEA International Fitness Directors of the
Year. Visit their web site at
www.nwpersonaltraining.com. |
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Economic Updates
12. State and local unemployment rises, despite strong holiday hiring
The Portland metro area's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.9 percent in November compared with 4.7 percent in October. Last year's rate was 5.5 percent. An estimated 53,800 area residents were unemployed; 4,900 fewer than a year
ago.
Oregon's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 5.3 percent in November compared with 5.1 percent in October. The national unemployment rate was 4.5 percent, essentially unchanged from October.
The Portland metro area gained more jobs than typical for this time of year, resulting in a seasonally adjusted gain of 1,900. Total non-farm employment totaled 1,014,100; up 20,900 over year-ago (+2.1 percent).
Holiday hiring had another strong month in November, as retailers added 3,600 jobs following a gain of 1,200 in October.
Source: Amy Vander Vliet, Regional Economist,
www.QualityInfo.org
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Member Updates
13. Alliance member wins BBB award
Congratulations to Alliance member Northwest Personal Training & Fitness for receiving the Better Business Bureau's 2006 Large Business of the Year award. The Better Business Bureau awards honor Oregon and Southwest Washington
businesses for their commitment to excellence in the marketplace. Hundreds of companies nominated by the public were narrowed down to 10 finalists. Each business was judged based on customer service, innovative business practices and
community involvement.
14. Pete and Mary Mark lead publication of book of Portland photographs
 The photographs in Portland: The View from Here illustrate why Portland has earned its reputation as one of the nation's most vibrant and
livable cities. The photos also pay tribute to individuals who have left their historic mark on Portland. For more than 160 years, visionary men and women have invested unstintingly in Portland - by starting their businesses here, by
spending their careers in public service, and by their generous philanthropy.
Portland comes alive in the photographs of Robert Reynolds. Reynolds explored every corner of the city - and flew above it in a helicopter - to capture these unique, colorful and iconic images of our city.
Alliance member Pete Mark and his wife Mary are major sponsors of this book. Other Alliance members who are sponsors include 200 Market Associates Limited Partnership, Ball Janik LLP, Bank of America, City Center Parking, Columbia
Sportswear Company, Lufthansa, Tom Moyer, NW Natural, Pacific Power, Portland and Western Railroad, Portland Oregon Visitors Association, Jordan D. Schnitzer, The Gordon D. Sondland and Katherine J. Durant Foundation and U.S. Bank.
Portland: The View from Here is available at
Powell's Books, The Portland Art Museum Gift Shop, and other independent book stores around Portland.
15. SBA to present loan financing workshop in January
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will be holding a free session on financing a small business on January 18, 11:15 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. at 601 SW Second Avenue, Suite 950.
The loan briefing is presented by a SBA loan specialist and will cover financing options to start or grow a small business. Topics will include: SBA loan guarantee program, credit requirements, use of proceeds, how to approach a lender and
loan proposal assistance.
Time permitting there will be a mini-tour of the business resource center. No early registration is required. For additional information, call 503.326.2682.
16. Oregon Health Care Reform Summit, January 18 at Hilton's Grand Ballroom
Oregon Health Forum, along with Northwest Health Foundation, CodeBlueNow! and American Leadership Forum of Oregon, are convening a health care reform summit on January 18, 2007. The event will be held in the downtown Hilton's Grand
Ballroom, with a reception from 5:00 to 5:45 p.m., and program from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. For detailed information, visit
http://www.healthforum.org/events/summit.html or call 503.226.7870.
17. MHCC Offers Legal Seminars for Small Businesses
In partnership with Schwabe Williamson and Wyatt, Mt. Hood Community College is offering a series of two-hour seminars for businesses on a wide range of legal topics. Classes are 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The cost is $10 per class.
Pre-registration is required; contact Melanie at 503.491.7585 or download a registration form at
www.mhcc.edu/pages/2646.asp.
January 16: Implementation of Business Laws
January 23: Environmental Law and Changes
January 30: Checklist of Top Ten Issues for Commercial Tenants
February 6: Ten Ways to Avoid Getting Sued by Employees & Ex Employees
February 13: Sustainability and Hazardous Material Compliance Made Easy
February 20 Top Ten Pitfalls Every Small Business Can Avoid
February 27: Corporations vs. LLCs and Other Practical Tips for Starting a Business
March 7: Changes in Tax Laws for Small Business
March 14: Getting Ready to Sell Your Business for a Great Profit
18. Powell's donates books to local schools
Thanks to Powell's School Book Challenge, public schools in Portland and Beaverton will receive a donation of 31,580 books.
Through the Challenge, customers were invited to purchase $5.95 "book pledges," each pledge was a donation of one book for Portland and Beaverton schools. Customers bought 3,158 pledges, which will be given to school librarians in the form
of a credit toward the purchase of books for their respective schools.
For every book pledge customers purchased through the Challenge, Powell's bought 10 additional books covering a wide range of topics - including picture books and novels; history, math, and social science; dictionaries, reference, and
language learning tools - for school libraries. This summer Portland and Beaverton school librarians will have an opportunity to choose from these books at a special event held by Schoolhouse Supplies, a non-profit "free store" for
teachers.
19. Upcoming Meetings
January 12, President's Council, noon
January 16, Communications Committee, noon
January 16, Cornerstones for Success Committee, 3:30 pm
January 23, Public Safety Sub-Committee, 8 am
January 24, Government Relations Committee, 7:30
January 24, Small Business Council, 3 pm
20.
Print a copy of this month's Calendar of Events or
view online calendar
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