In May 2009, Vermont adopted a standard offer program that serves as a small feed-in tariff. Although the program scored only a ‘D’ in feed-in tariff expert Paul Gipe’s recent analysis of North American feed-in tariff policies, it does contain many of the key components of a feed-in tariff policy.… Read More
The state of Oregon established a production incentive for renewable energy systems in 2009 and the state’s Public Utility Commission finalized rules in 2010 that will allow for up to 25 megawatts (MW) of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems to be installed by 2014. Although proponents of the legislation had hoped to develop a robust feed-in tariff in Oregon, the actual program has only small elements of a feed-in tariff. … Read More
Many retail chains earn profits at stores nationwide, but have developed an accounting scheme to evade paying their full share of state corporate income taxes. Tax experts believe the practice is costing states billions of dollars in lost revenue. It has also given chains an advantage over locally owned businesses, which must pay state income tax on all of their earnings. Twenty-three states are not vulnerable to these tax-evasion schemes, because they have enacted a policy known as combined reporting.… Read More
Small local and regional banks provide the majority of loans for small businesses. Expanding the nation’s network of small banks and preventing further consolidation in the banking industry is critical to ensuring access to credit for small businesses and new entrepreneurs. … Read More
Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) are mission-driven financial institutions that invest in businesses and community development in low-wealth areas.… Read More
Since it was created 2004, the Pennsylvania Fresh Food Financing Initiative (FFFI) has financed 84 grocery stores in underserved urban and rural communities across the state. Almost all of these stores are independent, locally owned businesses. They range from small greengrocers to natural foods cooperatives to large, full-service supermarkets.… Read More
One small but important part of the small business credit market are loans guaranteed by U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). The goal of federal SBA loan guarantees is to enable banks and other qualified lenders to make loans to small businesses that fall just shy of meeting conventional lending criteria, thus expanding the number of small businesses that are able to obtain financing. These guarantees cost taxpayers very little as the program costs, including defaults, are largely covered by fees charged to borrowers.… Read More
A growing number of states and cities are considering or enacting policies that move government bank accounts to small community banks and credit unions. These bills have two primary motivations: To withdraw public funds from big banks that have imposed high fees on customers and engaged in predatory mortgage lending, redlining, and other practices that destroy … Read More
This bill would give local banks and credit unions a 10 percent pricing preference on bids to manage both state and municipal bank accounts.… Read More