January 3, 2011
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
-- Our sincerest wishes for a healthy and prosperous new year. While it
is difficult to forecast, as your businesses improve, let’s all consider
how we can contribute to putting unemployed Volusians back to work.
Their productivity not only ensures a company’s success but also
contributes to the improved health of the whole community. Let’s make it
an ascending spiral and invest in our county.
SUPPORT THE ST.
JOHNS RIVER; BUY A SPECIALTY LICENSE PLATE -- The St. Johns River
specialty license plate is a great way to support the preservation,
protection and restoration of Florida's American Heritage River. Part of
the proceeds from the sale of each plate will be used to support St.
Johns River Alliance programs.
TAX SAVINGS FOR
ENERGY EFFICIENCY -- Here's a list of four of the green energy
provisions in H.R. 4853, otherwise known as the Middle Class Tax Relief
Act of 2010: 1. Extension of the tax credit for homebuilders for any
home built that uses 50 percent or less energy for heating and cooling.
2. A tax credit capped at $500 to any homeowner who makes approved
energy-efficiency improvements. But there's a catch. The types of
improvements are categorized and capped within the overall $500 credit.
For instance, there is a limit on “building envelope” improvements such
as insulation, better roofs or better windows. You can deduct 10 percent
of the cost of all of these improvements, but the credit cap for these
dedications is $200, which can be exceeded pretty quickly. 3. A $150
credit can be obtained for installing pre-approved natural gas and oil
furnaces and propane hot water boilers. 4. A $300 credit is available
for a category called the “energy efficient building property.” The
credit is for homes that are heated by approved electric heating pumps,
natural gas systems, propane systems, oil systems, central air systems
and biomass heating and water heating systems. To find what systems fit
into this category, begin your research with a tax specialist.
SOLAR TRAINING
AT DAYTONA STATE COLLEGE -- The Center for Community and
Professional Education at Daytona State College will offer a training
program on the basics of solar thermal technology. The first program
will be January 5-7 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. A second training course will
include the basics of solar installation including photo voltaic, solar
thermal and hot water. This session will be January 10-14 from 9 a.m. to
5 p.m. These sessions will cover tax incentives, sales and marketing,
getting into the solar electric business, products and systems review,
mounting hardware, grounding, etc. Funding subsidies to an employee or a
business may be available through the Center for Business Excellence (CBE).
Call the CBE at 386-323-7079 for eligibility regarding these educational
programs. For additional information, call 386-506-3858 or email
kristb@daytonastate.edu.
ENTERPRISE
FLORIDA OFFERS NEW INFOTECH MARKET NEWSLETTER – Enterprise Florida,
the state’s economic development organization, has announced a new
Florida Infotech Market Brief newsletter. If you’re interested in
modeling, simulation and training; photonics/optics; digital media; or
software and computer systems, this new publication may be for you. For
information or to subscribe go to:
myeflorida.com/mk/get/it_mb.
SBA OFFERS FREE
ONLINE TRAINING COURSES – The Small Business Administration offers
free online training courses. Topics include starting a business;
finance and accounting; government contracting; SBA loan programs;
business planning; surviving a slow economy; marketing and advertising,
among others. For more information go to:
sba.gov/training/index.html.
QUOTE OF THE
WEEK – “A diplomat is a man who always remembers a woman's birthday
but never remembers her age." -- Robert Frost
NEWS ITEMS
WANTED! – Please send your business news items to Dave Byron,
Volusia County Community Information Director, 123 W. Indiana Ave.,
DeLand, 32720-4612, by fax at (386) 822-5072 or by e-mail at
dbyron@co.volusia.fl.us.
