January
2009 Newsletter
Top
News
1. From the Chair: A New Year Brings New Leaders
2. Monthly poll question - what do you see
as the top priorities for the 2009 legislative session?
Public
Policy
3.
Get the inside scoop on 2009 legislative
session at January's Forum
4. Alliance
supports accelerated tax rebate for city businesses
Downtown
5. Downtown Marketing Initiative supports
retailers during holidays
6. Portland Mall Traffic Changes Start
January 12
7. Clean & Safe to help keep new "Portland
Loo" clean and safe
Green
Business
8. Green Business of the Month: Firestone
Complete Auto Care
9. Green Hour: CH2M Hill on leveraging your
company's sustainability
Member
Services
10. Alliance holiday open house draws a
crowd
11. Member-to-Member discount highlight:
Massagy Envy
12. New Member Profile: Reactive
Alliance
Events
13. Cornerstone Conversations: Savings
and Sustainability
14. Business After Hours at Ruth's Chris
Steakhouse
15. Identity Theft - Are you red flag ready?
Member
Events
16. Going into the Restaurant Business
Class - January 21
17. OAME Coffee & Issues - January 30
Member
News
18.
Wells Fargo receives top honors from Small
Business Administration
19. Intel energizes 1st solar electric
project at Hillsboro campus
20. Metro MultiFamily Housing Association
welcomes new board members
21. Upcoming
meetings
FROM
THE CHAIR
1. A
New Year Brings New Leaders
 By
Steve Holwerda, Chair,
Alliance Board of Directors
One new
commissioner on the Portland City Council. Ten new area mayors.
Seven new county commissioners in the four-county region.
Eighteen new state legislators. A new congressman. A new U.S.
Senator and a new President. Each newly elected official has
his or her own understanding of and experiences with or in
the business world. As the Portland Business Alliance and
the voice of our business community, we have the opportunity
to demonstrate the importance of jobs and economic development
to this new set of elected leaders.
At the
Alliance, we have been developing our advocacy strategy, building
relationships with these many new faces during the past few
months. We are already seeing the benefits of this outreach
especially within the City of Portland. Portland Mayor Sam
Adams has launched his first term by setting meetings with
business leaders, and he is working to secure disaster assistance
low-interest loans for businesses hurt by the December snowstorms.
Ensuring
all elected officials understand the value of what business
does for the community is critical to the health of our region.
Business growth means more jobs. More jobs mean more tax revenue
that fund important government programs and services like
our region's transportation system. For example, did you know
that payroll and other taxes provide TriMet with more than
$215 million each year, more than half of its total budget?
A regulatory environment that fosters the growth of current
employers and invites new companies to open or relocate here
means more family-wage jobs and a better way of life for us
all.
Throughout
the year, the Alliance will be reaching out to all elected
officials to talk about the many issues that create a positive
environment for business. Education and workforce development,
government spending and its funding priorities, transportation,
business taxes and other issues will be some of the topics
the Alliance will discussing with elected officials. You can
add your voice to the Alliance's advocacy efforts by participating
in the Government Relations Committee, the Small Business
Council, or any of other issue-focused committees.
You can
also submit letters or e-mails to elected officials or volunteer
to testify about a particular issue that impacts your business.
As a member-driven organization, we need your input and involvement
to demonstrate how public policy can help or hinder our region's
employers. To get involved contact Bernie Bottomly, Vice President
of Government Relations, at bbottomly@portlandalliance.com
or 503.552.6746.
Back
to the top
Back
to the top
PUBLIC
POLICY
3.
Get the inside scoop on 2009 legislative session at
January's Forum
Oregon's
legislative session begins during one of the worst economies,
challenging state lawmakers with finding money to run
state programs while tackling some of the state's biggest
issues like transportation and health care. What should
businesses be aware of entering into this session? Where
will some of the cuts and increases occur? State legislators
will give the Forum audience a sneak peak at what may
happen in Salem this biennium. Register
now >>
Panelists
include:
-
Peter
Buckley, Oregon Representative, District 5
-
Rick
Metsger, Oregon State Senator, District 26
-
Alan
Bates, Oregon State Senator, District 3
-
Betsy
Johnson, Oregon State Senator, District 16
4.
Alliance supports accelerated tax rebate for city businesses
One
of Mayor Potter's last actions was to accelerate the rebate
for the city's Business License Fee, which was switched
from a fee paid in advance of doing business to an after
the fact business tax last August. The Alliance board endorsed
Mayor Potter's proposal and the city council approved it
in mid-December. The accelerated rebate, which affects roughly
30,000 businesses throughout the city, varies in dollar
amount.
This
switch to an after the fact tax, which was also supported
by the Alliance, eliminated the doubling up of the tax liability
in the first year of an entity doing business in the city
and required a final tax calculation and payment in the
final year of doing business in the city. To be fair to
existing businesses, a credit was granted beginning in tax
year 2008 equal to the amount the business paid in their
first year of business. This credit would originally have
been taken by businesses over five tax years.
Due
to the current economic downturn and the need to assist
Portland businesses during this rough period, the city reviewed
its financial position and determined that it could accelerate
the payment of the first year adjustment credit to the 2008
tax year instead of the planned five tax years.
Back
to the top
DOWNTOWN
5.
Downtown Marketing Initiative supports retailers during
holidays
The
Downtown Marketing Initiative (DMI) implemented a multifaceted
campaign to support downtown retailers this year. Television
and radio spots along with strategic print and transit advertising
promoted downtown to residents throughout the region, promoting
the unique retailers and special experiences found downtown.
In coordination with the Downtown Retail Council, DMI also
developed a retail promotion called "Seek the Unique," which
highlighted specific neighborhoods, stores and gifts only
found downtown.
You
can still see the advertising spots as well as the "Seek
the Unique" retail promotion on DMI's Web site: www.downtownportland.org.
DMI also teamed up with the Portland Department of Transportation
to provide real-time Smart Park available space information.
Another partner in the holiday initiative was with the Portland
Institute for Contemporary Art on "Snow," an interactive
art installation, located in the vacant retail space at
SW 6th and Alder.
Various
aspects of the campaign were featured in news outlets such
as KGW, Portland Tribune, and The Oregonian.
Back
to the top
6.
Portland Mall Traffic Changes Start January 12
As
the Portland Mall Light Rail Project enters 2009, major
changes for pedestrians, motorists and cyclists are coming
to 5th and 6th avenues. The first change takes place January
12, when bus operators will train in the new transit lanes
and with the new traffic signals:
Parking
will be removed from these training blocks, and training
buses will not be accepting passengers. Training will continue
until bus service begins on the Mall May 24. Motorists and
cyclists should only travel in the left-side traffic lane
on both 5th and 6th avenues. The right side transit lanes
are only for buses and light rail trains. Always stay to
the left of the bumpy, white divider between the traffic
and the transit lanes.
Back
to the top
7.
Clean & Safe to help keep new "Portland Loo" clean and safe
Over
the past year, Alliance staff has been working closely with
the City of Portland on developing a plan to open 24-hour
public restrooms in downtown. Commissioner Randy Leonard
has spearheaded the effort and facilitated development of
what he has termed "The Portland Loo", incorporating crime
prevention through environmental design techniques with
ease of maintenance and utility principles. The first unit
is located in front of the Greyhound Station in Old Town
Chinatown. The city is contracting with the Alliance to
provide cleaning services, and the police and Clean & Safe
will regularly patrol the area to ensure appropriate usage
of the unit.
Back
to the top
GREEN
BUSINESS
8.
Green Business of the Month: Firestone Complete Auto Care
 Earlier
this year, all 17 Firestone Complete Auto Care store locations
in the greater Portland area began offering customers a "greener"
oil change service. The environmentally friendly oil change
service uses a recycled, twice refined, high-quality motor
oil product called EcoPower. The re-refined motor oil, which
meets or exceeds the highest North American standards for
motor oil performance in gasoline engines, requires up to
85 percent less energy to produce than regular motor oil.
EcoPower
is also made from existing used oil stocks and helps conserve
the earth's limited natural resources and supports environmental
sustainability. Firestone Complete Auto Care closes the loop
on oil recycling by ensuring that oil removed from vehicles
during oil changes is sent to a re-refiner so it can be reused.
Protecting
the environment is a top priority Firestone Complete Auto
Care and was first in the automotive repair industry to commit
to using steel wheel weights instead of traditional lead wheel
weights. Throughout the country, store locations recycle tires,
car batteries, oil and oil filters, antifreeze, Freon, and
many other automotive products. Community members also have
the opportunity to bring used oil and automotive batteries
from do-it-yourself (DIY) projects to Firestone Complete Auto
Care store locations for proper recycling at no cost to the
consumer.
Back
to the top
9.
Green Hour: CH2M Hill on leveraging your company's sustainability
Thursday,
January 29, 2009
5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
As a leader
in sustainability, Oregon has a strong reputation for "walking
the talk." In fact, many businesses use our image as a calling
card for expanding their markets across the country and around
the world. In these challenging economic times, how do we
use the "Oregon Advantage" to generate new business opportunities?
What is your company's advantage and how might you tap into
Portland's sustainable ethos to better leverage your business?
Register
now >>
Join us
for a conversation about this topic at Green Hour on January
29th at CH2M HILL's offices. Come and network and learn about
how CH2M HILL is helping companies leverage leading edge green
technologies and strategies-locally and around the globe.
Back
to the top
MEMBER
SERVICES
10. Alliance
holiday open house draws a crowd
Lisa LeSage, Lew Goldfarb and Becka Martinez-Griffin
from the Lewis & Clark
Small Business Legal Clinic chat with Board Chair Steve Holwerda
and Board Member Clayton Hering.
The
Alliance offices were bursting at the seams with more than
200 members and prospective members at its annual holiday
open house. With food and drink scattered throughout the office
space, members networked with each other and chatted with
staff.
"This
event continues to grow every year," said Steve Holwerda,
Alliance Board Chair. "With new, old and prospective members
in attendance, it is a great opportunity to get to know the
many wonderful people that make up the Alliance."
Back
to the top
11. Member-to-Member
discount highlight: Massage Envy
Start
the New Year off relaxed and refreshed withMassage Envy who
is offering a $39 one-hour massage for Alliance members. Go
to the Members Only section of the Alliance Web site to check
out this and other great discounts. www.portlandalliance.com/membersonly
Back
to the top
12.
New Member Profile: Reactive
The Alliance's Peggy Anderson and Reactive's
Courtney Leboeuf pose with dancers from
the Oregon Ballet's Nutcracker at the unveiling of Reactive's
interactive "Snow" installation.
Reactive
has pioneered an innovative approach to outdoor and retail
marketing, allowing customers to interact with client's brands
and promotions directly from the retail window. In today's
media saturated world, more compelling and cost effective
solutions are needed to connect with customers.
Reactive's
methods break through the clutter and reach into the minds
of each individual visiting retail locations. Beyond being
an effective sales tool, their solutions help you stand out
from the competition and build brands in powerful new ways.
Reactive is helping shape the future in out-of-home retail
marketing. Their expertise and creativity allow them to transform
retail storefronts and buildings into vibrant interactive
showcases that grab the attention of consumers.
Digital
media advertising is the wave of the future. It's engaging,
cost-efficient and more companies are finding there's no limit
on how you can use it. Explore Reactive's solutions and capabilities
at: www.goReactive.com.
Back
to the top
ALLIANCE
EVENTS
13.
Cornerstone Conversations: Savings and Sustainability
Start
off 2009 on the right foot - one that is green and saves money!
Two sustainability experts - Sarah Hall, Wells Fargo's
Program Director of Green Practices, and Megan Stein,
Program Manager for the City of Portland's Office of Sustainable
Development - will kick off the discussion about smart
moves you can make that save money and reduce your environmental
footprint.
You
can start the discussion now at the Cornerstones
Conversation blog.
Back
to the top
14.
Business After Hours: Ruth's Chris Steakhouse
Wednesday,
January 14
5 - 7 p.m.
Ruth's
Chris Steakhouse sears its steaks to perfection at 1800 degrees
and tops them with fresh butter to they sizzle all the way
to customers' tables. Sound good? Then come by the next Business
After Hours event. Register
now >>
Business
After Hours offers an opportunity to create new business relationships
by networking in a relaxed setting that offers delicious appetizers,
door prizes, and refreshments from the no-host bar. If you
are interested in hosting Business After Hours, contact Merlin
Varaday at 503.552.6759 or mvaraday@portlandalliance.com.
Back
to the top
15.
Identity Theft - Are you red flag ready?
Wednesday,
January 28
7:30 - 9 a.m.
The Portland
Business Alliance and Sue B. Martines, a Certified ID Theft
Risk Management Specialist present: Identity Theft - Are You
Red Flag Ready? This event is set for 7:00 a.m., Wednesday,
January 28 and was created for business professionals interested
in protecting their businesses and employees and in learning
more about reasonable safeguards to limit liabilities. Register
now >>
Back
to the top
MEMBER
EVENTS
16.
Going into the Restaurant Business Class - January 21
"Going
into the Restaurant Business" is part of the Small Business
Development Center's Going Into Business Series. For those
considering opening a restaurant, this class will cover the
basic feasibility and tasks involved in opening a restaurant.
Wednesday, January 21, 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Small Business
Development Center at Portland Community College, 2025 Lloyd
Center, Portland.
Back
to the top
17.
OAME Coffee & Issues - January 30
The Oregon
Association of Minority Entrepreneurs' Coffee and Issues Forum,
held the last Friday of each month, brings minority and small
business owners and managers together with experts and leaders
in business, government and other areas vital to business
growth to share common issues and learn about business trends,
opportunities and resources. Guest speakers give updates on
issues related to the community or tips to entrepreneurs.
This event is free and open to the public. 7:00 a.m.-8:00
a.m., OAME, 4134 N. Vancouver Avenue, Portland.
Back
to the top
MEMBER
NEWS
18.
Wells Fargo receives top honors from Small Business Administration
The
Small Business Administration office for Oregon has named
Wells Fargo as the number one lender (in dollar volume) to
businesses in Oregon and SW Washington for 2008. The same
SBA office also recently honored the bank as the number one
lender to minority businesses in the region.
Back
to the top
19.
Intel energizes 1st solar electric project at Hillsboro campus
Intel's
first solar electric installation in the world is in Oregon.
A 100kW electric PV system at Intel's Jones Farm campus in
Hillsboro was energized for the first time on Dec. 15, 2008.
The Intel Oregon system will be in the top 10 percent of solar
electric facilities in Oregon. Over 25 years, the Jones Farm
solar system, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency, will offset an estimated 4,069,441 lbs of CO2, the
leading greenhouse gas. The energizing action on Dec. 15 will
test whether the system works properly. Intel will then seek
certification of the project by PGE before formally turning
on the system and sending the power it generates to Intel's
Jones Farm Campus.
Back
to the top
20.
Metro MultiFamily Housing Association welcomes new board members
Metro
MultiFamily Housing Association started off its "Year of Service"
with four new executive board members. Greg Knakal of Princeton
Property Management takes the reigns as president with Gary
Fisher of Background Investigations, Inc. as vice president,
Steve Rose of Bristol Equities as Secretary and Liz Zuanich
of Princeton Property Management as Treasurer. Jill Keoppel
of Income Property Management will stay on the board as Immediate
Past President. More about the organization can be found at:
www.metromultifamily.com.
Back
to the top
21.
Upcoming Meetings
January
9, President's Council, noon
January 13, Communications Committee, 9:30 am
January
13, Transportation Committee, noon
January
14, Sustainability Committee, 7:30 am
January 15, Public Safety Committee, 8 am
January 27, Central City Standing Committee, noon
January 28, Small Business Council, 4 pm
Back
to the top
|
