Senate Passes Small-Business Aid Bill

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Senate passed long-delayed legislation Thursday designed to open up credit to small businesses and award them with other incentives to expand and hire new workers.


The measure would establish a $30 billion government fund to help open up lending for credit-starved small businesses, cut their taxes and boost Small Business Administration loan programs. The new loan fund would be available to community banks to encourage lending to small businesses. Supporters say banks should be able to use the fund to leverage up to $300 billion in loans. This legislation would also aid lending by lowering Small Business Administration loan program fees and raising loan guarantee and lending limits.

"This small business jobs bill would give small businesses $12 billion in tax cuts. It would increase small business lending. It would help small business owners to get private capital to finance expansion and hire new workers," said Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont. "And all these things would help small businesses to create as many as a half a million jobs."

After Senate passage, the bill would return the measure to the House, which is likely to approve it for Obama's signature.

The small business tax cuts in the bill include breaks for restaurant owners and retailers who remodel their stores or build new ones. Long-term investors in some small businesses would be exempt from paying capital gains taxes. But in the near term, the bulk of the tax cuts would actually go to big companies to allow them to more quickly recover the costs of capital improvements through depreciation. The measure also would allow small business owners to deduct the costs of health insurance for themselves and their families from self-employment taxes, but only for the 2010 tax year.

Much of the bill would be paid for by allowing taxpayers to convert 401(k) and government retirement accounts into Roth accounts, in which they pay taxes up front on the money they contribute, enabling them to withdraw it tax-free after they retire.

Learn how to do basic business research @ Pueblo West Library, Tuesday, May 25th 6pm

Whether you're starting a business, growing a business, or just thinking about your business options, you need to do research. Who and where would my customers be? What is the demand for my services or products? Who are my competitors? How much can I expect to earn in my first year? What are the latest trends in management? What kind of green business can I develop? Is it feasible to open an additional location? These are all important elements to establishing and growing a business. The library is the place to go!

This session will give a thorough introduction to doing business research at the library, including using books, magazines and electronic sources. Free and open to the public. For information and to rsvp call 719-562-5667 or email Cindy.Shimizu@pueblolibrary.org.

Camp Bow Wow lets the fur fly

http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_15044550

The recession drives many Americans to libraries for employment assistance

More reasons to support your local library

The recession drives many Americans to libraries for employment assistance

Get your free credit report @ Pueblo libraries

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires each of the nationwide consumer reporting companies to provide you with a free copy of your credit report, at your request, once every 12 months. Come to this session to learn step-by-step how to request your free credit report using the Internet, and learn more about how your credit report is used by banks and credit companies and strategies to improve your credit. Where possible, attendees can request and print copies of their credit reports during this session. A session will be offered at each of the branches of the Pueblo Library Disrict.

Monday, April 26 @ 6:30pm - Lamb Branch, 2525 S. Pueblo Blvd.
Tuesday, April 27 @ 6pm - Pueblo West Branch, 298 S. Joe Martinez Blvd.
Wednesday, April 28 @ 6pm - Barkman Branch, 1300 Jerry Murphy Blvd.
Thursday, April 29 @ 6pm - Rawlings Branch, 100 E. Abriendo Ave.

Please RSVP by calling or emailing Cindy Shimizu 562-5667, Cindy.Shimizu@pueblolibrary.org.

For Earth Day, look at Great Green Jobs

Great Green Careers connects employers and job seekers in the green jobs industries. The green job market includes energy (wind, solar, geothermal, tidal, biomass, and others), environment (ecology, health and safety, parks, abatement, and others), skilled trades (heating and cooling, electrical, plumbing, building automation), and transportation.

4 Tips for Getting a Job With Bad Credit - Careers Articles

4 Tips for Getting a Job With Bad Credit - Careers Articles

Start-Up Business Advice Provided for Entrepreneurs

Online Web Chat, Thursday, April 22, 2010, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., MDT


WASHINGTON – The SBA’s Web Chat will highlight assistance to entrepreneurs who want to start a business, and need to know the right strategies to have in place to achieve success. Participants can learn what it takes to start a business, where to go for information and assistance, why they need a business plan, how to get funding and the truth about the “free money” myth.

WHO: Barry McKinley, an experienced SCORE Counselor at Orange County California SCORE will host the April Web chat on “Small Business Start-Up -- Ask the Expert.” McKinley will answer questions about what first steps to take to start a business, and how and when to get a small business idea off the ground.

In addition, participants can learn about the resources available to help set up a business.

WHAT: SBA’s Web chat series, providing small business owners with an opportunity to discuss relevant business issues online with experts, industry leaders and successful entrepreneurs. Chat participants will have direct, real-time access to the Web chats via questions they submit online in advance and during the live session, with instant answers.

WHEN: April 22, 2010, 11 a.m. MDT

McKinley will answer questions for one hour.

HOW: Participants can join the live Web chat by going online to http://www.sba.gov/, and clicking “Online Business Chat.” Web chat participants may post questions before the April 22nd chat by visiting http://web.sba.gov/livemeeting/Apr10 and posting their questions online.

To review archives of past Web chats, visit online at http://www.sba.gov/tools/monthlywebchat/index.html

New York Times - The importance of financial literacy

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/10/your-money/10money.html?8dpc

Get Money Smart, Colorado!

Pay yourself first; start saving today. Don't spend more than you make. Budget your money. Your credit past is your credit future.

April is National Financial Literacy Month, and a partnership in Colorado called Money Smart Colorado is offering classes and workshops on how to become a smart money manager. Pueblo City-County Library District is a partner, and as part of Money Smart Colorado Week, April 24-30, is offering sessions at each of the branches on "Get your free credit report." Participants will learn how to request their free credit report and learn more about how their credit report is used by banks and credit companies, and strategies to improve their credit.

Dates, times, and locations are:
April 26th @ 6:30pm, Lamb Branch, 2525 S. Pueblo Blvd.,
April 27th @ 6pm, Pueblo West Branch,
April 28th @ 6pm, Barkman Branch, 1300 Jerry Murphy Blvd.,
April 29th @ 6pm, Rawlings Branch

To reserve a spot for any of these sessions, contact Cindy Shimizu 719-562-5667, Cindy.Shimizu@pueblolibrary.org.

"Show me the money!" lenders panel @ Mi Casa Resource Center Wed. 3/31 @ 5:30pm

Mi Casa-Southern Colorado Women's Business Center and SCORE are hosting this informative seminar especially for small business owners needing access to financial resources. Learn where to find and get funds for small businesses. Hear what a panel of lenders have to say about

• grants for businesses
• micro-loans
• commercial bank loans
• SBA loans
• private investment groups
• and more!

Q&A session will follow panel presentation.

DATE: Wednesday, March 31st
TIME: 5:30-8:30pm
PLACE: Mi Casa Resource Center, 1249 E. Routt, Pueblo
COST: FREE!!

Please RSVP by Monday, March 29th by calling 719-542-0091 or emailing lcandelario@micasaresourcecenter.org

9 Ways to Prepare for Growth and Success - Preparing for Business Growth - Entrepreneur.com

9 Ways to Prepare for Growth and Success - Preparing for Business Growth - Entrepreneur.com

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Writing an effective business plan, Monday, March 15 @ 6:30pm, Lamb Branch

Join Alfonso Garcia, small business consultant from Mi Casa Resource Center, for an instructional session on how to write a business plan that will be an effective tool for starting your small business.

For more information or to sign up for this free session that is open to the public, call 562-5670 by March 12 to reserve a spot.

Please participate in a survey

If you live in Pueblo County, please complete a survey through Zoomerang. We would like to know more about the types of interests out there, how to better serve the community, and connect with business and vocational experts to provide services and programs to members of the library community.

Thank you!

It's tax time! 2009 taxes for small business owners

Tuesday, February 9 @ 6pm
Pueblo West Library

Joe Chainey, a Certified Bookkeeper and Advanced Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor, will present a session on the latest tax code changes and discuss the ins and outs of small business taxes. Please bring your note pads and questions!

Joe leads the Pueblo office of Your CFO, Inc. Joe received his Bachelor's in Accounting Degree from Franklin University, and he began testing for the CPA exam in October 2008. He is enrolled in the MBA program at University of Phoenix. Joe has held positions as a public accountant and payroll accountant, in addition to owning his own business and serving in the armed forces. In his position at Your CFO, Inc., Joe assists in tax preparation for individuals and businesses, monthly accounting, payroll, QuickBooks support and other special projects.

Reserve a spot by contacting Cindy Shimizu (719) 562-5667, Cindy.Shimizu@pueblolibrary.org

Grow your business online, Tuesday, December 8 @ 6pm

Growing your business has been challenging in recent years, especially with the economy being hit so hard. Gone are the days of easy leads from Yellowpages ads, newspaper ads, and even magazine ads. Today, if your business can’t be found on the Internet, you are missing a lot of potential and profitable customers. It can be overwhelming to try to figure out how to get online and do it all yourself. You can pick up books, buy online courses, attend seminars to try to learn how to do it, but there is a steep learning curve and an overabundance of information. You are busy running a business, likely a lean shop, often working many more hours now than ever in the past.

That’s where Mel Hirsch comes in. She will teach you some of the inside secrets to getting found online, what you can do without spending a fortune or taking a month of your time on the computer and how to totally dominate your competition.

Mel has a lifetime of business experience, being born into a fourth generation grocery family in Pueblo, and she has been self-employed most of her adult life. She has been working in online marketing since 2004, and now works full-time doing online marketing for local businesses.

Please call or email to reserve a spot: Cindy Shimizu 562-5667 or Cindy.Shimizu@pueblolibrary.org.

This session is free and open to the public.

November events: Jobseeking 101 and Money for your new business

Jobseeking 101 - Saturday, November 14th, 11am

Join Diana Martinez, operations manager from Express Employment for this useful session that will include information about the basics of job-hunting: how to search for jobs, how to prepare a resume, how to dress for an interview, and how to interview. She will also discuss how an employment agency works. Bring your questions and get some helpful hints on landing a good job.

Money for your new business - Tuesday, November 17th, 6pm

Bill Keathley, Loan Officer for the Southern Colorado Economic Development District (SCEDD), will discuss the Business Loan Fund loans available for small business in Colorado. The Business Loan Funds (BLF) are funded through the Colorado Office of Economic Development.

For more information or to sign up for these sessions, contact Cindy Shimizu (719) 562-5667 Cindy.Shimizu@pueblolibrary.org

Sessions are held at Pueblo West Library and are free and open to the public

Green is the new black for business

There are many ways businesses can get on board the green revolution. As business owners, you can take big steps like going solar, which can be - believe it or not - nearly cost-neutral. In Colorado, the State authorizes counties and municipalities to offer property and sales tax rebates or credits to home and business owners who install renewable energy systems. And if you are customers of Xcel or Black Hills Energy, there are rebate programs offering up to $35,000. Add up rebates and incentives, and you can have a solar system up and running with very little out-of-pocket expenditure.

If you're not ready to take the solar plunge, there are other ways you can green up your business.

• Switch to energy-efficient computer use, including turning computers and peripherals off at night, installing and using only the essential programs for your business operations and avoiding - if possible - programs that use excessive graphics that require high-performance graphics cards, and buying greener models.
• Recharge batteries, recycle as much as possible, and reuse paper if possible.
• Use green cleaning products.
• Have an energy audit of your facility or offices.
• If you have a company car or fleet, consider buying hybrids or vehicles that get higher mileage.

For more details about these and other ways to green your business, the library has several excellent books: 101 Ways to turn your business green, by Rich Mintzer; Green to gold, by Esty & Winston; and True green @ work by McKay, Bonnin, & Wallace.

So you want to run a small business, part 2 - Franchising 101

Join Cindy Rayfield from FranNet and learn about the intricacies of starting a franchise business. Session will be Tuesday, September 15 at 6pm at Pueblo West Library. For more information or to sign up call Cindy Shimizu 719-562-5667.

SBA Launches New Online Training Course: ‘How to Win Federal Contracts’

WASHINGTON ─ The U.S. Small Business Administration today launched a new online training course to help strengthen access to contracting opportunities for small businesses, including those owned by women, minorities, disadvantaged individuals and veterans.

The training course, “Recovery Act Opportunities: How to Win Federal Contracts,” is part of a federal government-wide initiative announced last month by President Obama and being led by SBA and the Department of Commerce.

“The SBA online training course can help businesses access the federal purchasing system and position themselves to compete for the commercial opportunities offered by government contracting,” SBA Administrator Karen G. Mills said.

In announcing the government-wide initiative, President Obama reiterated his Administration’s commitment to providing “our Nation’s small businesses with maximum practicable opportunity to participate in federal government contracting.” As part of the initiative, federal agency procurement officers are participating in more than 200 events over the next several weeks to help connect small businesses with contracting opportunities. Additionally, SBA and Commerce are expanding their outreach to contracting officials across the federal government to ensure they have the tools to meet their annual contracting goals and increase opportunities to small businesses, including those owned by veterans, women and minorities, as well as those in designated HUBZones.

As part of the outreach to small businesses, the comprehensive online course uses both audio and script to provide information about the federal marketplace, contract rules and, most importantly, how to sell to the government and where to find contract and Recovery Act opportunities. The new training portal is a free online training course designed to assist entrepreneurs during this period of economic recovery. This self-paced, instructional guide provides an overview of the federal procurement process.

The Recovery Act Opportunities course is available on SBA’s Web site at www.sba.gov or directly at www.sba.gov/fedcontractingtraining. The course is indexed by subject matter to allow ease of use, and it includes multiple direct links to additional contracting resources.

The Recovery Act Opportunities course includes direct links that highlight the best contracting resources and engages small business owners in the contracting process. The course also includes practical and fundamental steps to engage business owners in the federal contracting arena.

It is one of more than 24 online tutorials offered by the SBA, and is available 24/7.

For more information please visit www.sba.gov.