Old site category
"When . . . a large development wants to be in your town, you see the tax values surrounding that. . . I think the tendency is to think this is really going to give us a solid foundation," George Fowler, mayor of Pineville, North Carolina, told the Charlotte Observer. "But you don’t realize at that particular point the impact it’s going to have on the services you have to provide."… Read More
Big retailers are increasingly coming under fire from small and mid-sized manufacturers. Last month, more than 1,000 employees and owners of small manufacturing firms attended a rally in Connecticut to denounce Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Target, and other chains for forcing large manufacturers to move their factories to China. … Read More
By forming alliances, independent businesses can regain their central role in our economy.… Read More
A new coalition of more than 70 independent businesses in the Phoenix metro area is urging residents to "Think Independently, Buy Locally." The coalition, known as Arizona Chain Reaction, grew out of a conversation between Michael Monti, owner of Monti’s restaurant, and Kimber Lanning, owner of Stinkweed, an alternative music store. At first, they simply wanted to get about ten local businesses together to buy advertising as a group. … Read More
Twenty locally owned businesses—including restaurants, a record store, a grocer, a hardware dealer, clothing stores, a gift shop, and a bookstore—participated in this year’s second annual Independents Week celebration. The event is designed to broaden awareness of the value independent businesses and encourage residents to shop locally.… Read More
A citizens group in Aurora, New York, has fought off Wal-Mart twice, first in 1996 and again in 2000. Now, with rumors circulating that the company may return for a third attempt, Aurora Citizens for Smart Growth is pushing for a permanent law banning stores over 55,000 square feet. That’s about one-third the size of the stores Wal-Mart previously proposed. Bruce Davidson of the citizens group says the size cap is needed to maintain the character of the community and its small, locally owned businesses.… Read More
In April, the Montana legislature narrowly defeated a bill to levy a tax on the revenue of big box retailers. Supported by most Democrats and a handful of Republicans, the legislation would have imposed a 1 percent tax on the revenue of retailers with more than $20 million in annual sales, a 1.5 percent tax on those with more than $30 million in sales, and a 2 percent tax on those with over $40 million.… Read More
Many retail chains, including Victoria’s Secret and Toys "R" Us, earn profits at stores nationwide, but have developed an accounting scheme to evade paying their full-share of corporate income taxes in more than half the states. Tax experts believe the practice is costing states billions of dollars in lost revenue. It is likely one factor behind the decline in state corporate income tax receipts. … Read More
Under a measure introduced by San Francisco Board of Supervisors President Matt Gonzalez, the city would notify neighbors whenever a pharmacy or coffee shop wants to open nearby. Residents would have 30 days to request that the proposed store be subject to a public hearing and formal review by the Planning Commission. Such reviews are normally required only for major demolition or construction, or when there is a change of use, such as from residential to commercial. … Read More
