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February 2012

www.TulareChamber.org

Save the Date:

February 6th - 6-9 p.m. Girls Night Out at the Tulare Youth Center February 14th - Farm Show Begins! February 14th - 6:30 p.m. A Night At Nashville. (559) 686-2074 February 20th - Governmental Affairs 12 p.m. at Apple Annies February 23rd - 6-8 p.m. A seminaron photography by photographer Brent Russell Paull at the Tulare Historical Museum. Learn Digital Photography

Update the
Also worth noting, the baseline revenue forecast is based on higher corporate profits and higher incomes from upper-income taxpayers, who are projected to be receiving higher wages Nina Akinand who may be advancPresident/CEO ing some of their capital gains incomes due to expiring lower federal income tax rates at the end of 2012.

Governors Budget Proposal Relies on Voter Approval of November Initiative

Legislative Analyst Says Revenue Estimates Bigger Question Mark Than Usual
Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. has proposed a $137.3 billion budget for 201213 that aims to close a projected $9.2 billion General Fund deficit by relying largely on tax increases from a November ballot initiative. Legislative Analyst Mac Taylor, in his review of the Governors budget proposal, credits the plan with continuing the states efforts to restore budgetary balance. Taylors report comments that the revenue estimates are a bigger question mark than usual due to uncertainty surrounding the economic recovery, and that his offices estimates of how much the tax increases will bring in are lower than the administrations. ed gross incomes for the personal income tax side.

Targeted Taxes
The Governor includes two additional targeted taxes on business to address other elements of his policy agenda. The administration has proposed a surcharge on employers totaling more than $470 million to finance future interest payments for funds borrowed from the federal government to pay Californias unemployment insurance benefits and repay the funds borrowed from the employee-financed disability fund. This proposal has not yet been formally released, and probably would require a two-thirds vote of the Legislature to pass. The administration is also including in the budget up to $1 billion in revenues from its new, controversial tax on capand-trade auction transactions in the Air Resources Boards greenhouse gas reduction program. The revenues would be used to invest in clean energy, low carbon transportation, natural resources protection, and sustainable infrastructure. Although the administration claims this is a fee, the intended uses of the proceeds leads many to believe that this levy will be a bona fide tax. Although the budget is not dependent on targeted tax increases, the Governor maintains his prior positions on a mandatory single sales factor and enterprise zone reform, promising to sponsor legislation to make these changes in order to provide tax benefits to manufacturers and small businesses.

Cuts/Tax Hikes
The Governor forecasts a $9.2 billion deficit in June 2013 before his proposed cuts and tax increases. He resolves this deficit and projects a year-end $1.1 billion reserve by increasing revenues, loans and transfers by $8.5 billion, cutting noneducation programs by $3.8 billion, and increasing K-14 spending by $2 billion more than the schools and community colleges would have otherwise received. The K-14 increase is a function of higher General Fund revenues from the new taxes. Put another way, the budget proposes $6 billion in new General Fund spending next year (assuming taxes pass). Of this, $4 billion is for K-12 education, $2 billion repays an earlier loan to local government, and about $900 million is for corrections, offset by reductions in health, welfare and child care. The Governor said his proposal has reduced the structural budget deficit from $20 billion to $5 billion.

2012 Officers
Chair of the Board Kohler & Clark Screw Products, Inc

Tax Initiative
The budget includes some targeted tax increases on business, but these are not critical to the Governors budget-balancing strategy. The major revenue increase proposals are in the Governors tax initiative, including for 201112 and 201213, $5.8 billion in new income taxes for high-income taxpayers, and $1.2 billion from a half-cent increase in the state sales-and-use tax. The only business tax proposal, requiring a two-thirds vote, is the extension of the tax on managed care plans, originally passed several years ago. Business is not unaffected by the Governors tax increase proposal, however. Businesses pay one-third of sales taxes, and net business and proprietors incomes are a significant share of adjust-

Art Clark

Immediate Past Chair Tulare Adult School Vice Chair of Membership Bacome Insurance

Marie Pinto

Chair Elect Citizens Business Bank Vice Chair of Finance M. Green & Co.

Philip Smith

Linda Nogues

Crystal Cota

Deanne Martin-Soares
Vice Chair of Governmental Affairs

2012 Board
Tulare Historical Museum International Agri-Center

Terry Brazil

Sue Ann Hillman

Tulare City Schools

Kerissa Postma-Chapman Crystal Cota

M. Green & Co. Land OLakes

Linda Nogues
Bacome Insurance Will Tiesiera Ford-Mercury, Inc.

Lonnie Tiesiera Jerry Breckinridge

Tulare Police Department Legal Counsel Horswill, Mederos, & Soares

See Budget Proposal/4

Dominic Fontana
Valley Business Bank Tulare County Fair

Melissa Freitas Geoff Hinds

Dennis Mederos Traci Myers

Ex-Officio City of Tulare

Sequoia Valley Enterprise Zone Final Designation Announced

New Incentives for Tulare County Business
Businesses in Tulare County have something to celebrate! The California Department of Housing and Community Development has announced final designation of the Sequoia Valley Enterprise Zone, with a retro-active effective date of October 6, 2010. Businesses located within the zone boundaries are eligible to receive local and state tax incentives, including a hiring credit of up to $37,000, over a five year period, for each qualified employee hired. These incentives are designed to increase local job growth, business investment in the community, offer an improved quality of life, and contribute to the California economy, stated Paul Saldana, President & CEO of the Economic Development Corporation, the administering entity for the new zone. The State of California has 42 enterprise zones. The program is one of the most beneficial economic development tools that the state has. The zone benefits are targeted to economically distressed communities and it assists them with their efforts to attract new companies and retain companies who might be looking to relocate or expand out of the state of California. State benefits of the program include tax credits for hiring qualified employees, credits on sales and use tax paid for the purchase of qualified machinery and machinery parts, a 15-year net operating loss carryover, accelerated expense deductions, and preference points on state contracts. Lenders to zone businesses may be eligible to receive a net interest deduction. Local incentives include 21 day permit fast tracking and a 5 year, interest free development fee deferral program. The zone boundaries include the cities of Dinuba, Exeter, Lindsay, Farmersville, Porterville, Tulare, Visalia, Woodlake and the unincorporated communities of Traver, Goshen, Tipton, Pixley, Earlimart, Richgrove, Ducor, Terra Bella, Poplar, Ivanhoe, Strathmore, Orosi and Cutler. Our goal is for every eligible business to know about the program benefits and be able to utilize the incentives said Lori Dunagan, Enterprise Zone Manager. We will be having workshops to introduce the enterprise zone and explain how easy it is to access the benefits. The workshops are being presented in a partnership between the Economic Development Corporation serving Tulare County, the Workforce Investment Board of Tulare County, individual Chamber of Commerce offices and each city. For information about upcoming workshops, or the Enterprise Zone program, you can contact Lori Dunagan at 559.688.3388 or lori@ edctulare.com. A map of the zone boundaries and street range list is available at www.sequoiavalley.com.

Tulare Regional Medical Center

Viktoria Meyers

Professional Staff
Sherry Carson
Office Manager President / CEO

Nina Akin

Director of Membership and Sales Information Coordinator

Andi Cabrera

Linda Howarth

is the official monthly publication of the Tulare Chamber of Commerce 220 E. Tulare Ave. P.O. Box 1435 Tulare, CA 93275-1435 686-1547 email: info@tularechamber.org web: www.tularechamber.org For advertising information call: Colleen Ferreira (559) 735-3227 the update is published in partnership with the Tulare Advance-Register

the update

Consider Energy Efficiency Improvements When Purchasing an Existing Home By Gordon Smith
Home purchases are the biggest personal investment most of us will make in our lifetimes. In the Central Valley, next to mortgage payments, the biggest expense for many homeowners are their utility bills. These costs are continuing to escalate, with no end in sight. Other homeowner expenses that are often overlooked, are home repairs and major system replacements. Of these often overlooked expenses, the replacement of air conditioning systems are among the most costly, and least expected. Unfortunately, anyone who has experienced one of our summers knows that this is also a repair that cannot be put off. Wouldnt it be nice if the issues and concerns related to the costs of energy, repairs, and major system replacements could be reduced or eliminated? Well, there are several programs that can be coordinated during a home purchase, which could do just that. These programs provide cost effective funding or incentives for whole house energy upgrades. Incorporating a whole house energy upgrade during the purchase can actually help homebuyers reduce their monthly out-of-pocket costs by a figure that is greater than the monthly finance charges for the upgrades. Additionally, the homeowner benefits from increased comfort, durability, dependability, indoor air quality, wellbeing, and piece-of-mind. Furthermore, if Energy Upgrade California incentives are taken advantage of, up to $4,000 can come back to the purchaser sometime after the purchase and upgrades have been completed. The homebuyer is free to do what ever they want with this particular incentive, which they receive sometime after the purchase and upgrades have been completed. A side benefit of home buyers incorporating upgrades into their home purchases is stimulation of the local economy. This is accomplished through: creation of local jobs, increased revenues brought to the local economy, and increased discretionary income attributed to lower utility bills, which could be spent in the local community. Some of the available programs that can be coordinated within the home purchase are: Energy Efficiency Mortgages (EEMs), Streamlined 203K Loans, Full 203K Loans,, Fannie Mae HomePath, Fannie Mae HomeStyle, Weatherization, Mortgage Credit Certificate, and Energy Upgrade California incentives. In some cases, the use of a Facilitator can streamline the integration of some of these available programs. Homebuyers, Realtors, or Lenders interested in how these programs can be incorporated within a home purchase, can contact Gordon Smith at: gsmith@ecoact.org Gordon Smith is a regional program manager for Energy Upgrade California, the statewide program that is reducing energy use, saving homeowners money and creating local jobs. For more, visit www.EnergyUpgradeCA.org.

PERMIT NO. 232 TULARE, CA

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PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

tulare chamber the update

February Calendar
Our Ambassador Meeting for February will be cancelled.

Give Your Community A Reason To Shop Local In 2012!

Lets transform your community into a retail destination, draw traffic and encourage sales. NOTE: If your merchants are not moving forward, it means theyre standing still, and that is not a healthy competitive position. Lets aim to improve the economic health of your neighborhoods, your localities and your shopping corridors. 1. Shopping local creates jobs. Shops in your town create local employment and self-employment. These people in turn spend in the local economy. 2. Local independent shops invest more in your communities. Local businesses are proportionally more generous in their support of local charities, schools, and community events. So supporting local shops means a financial contribution to your community. 3. Local shops sell great products at affordable prices. Some people get out of the habit of shopping locally and are then surprised by the range of products available. 4. Shopping locally saves you time and money. You travel less, saving on time and fuel. 5. Shopping locally retains your communities. People dont like losing shops and services in small towns but dont equate this with how they spend their money. 6. Shopping locally retains your distinctiveness. Independent shops create distinctive shopping experiences and stock different products. Local businesses respond more quickly to the needs of local customers, stocking products to meet changing population needs. 7. Shopping locally saves the environment. Local shops often stock a high percentage of locally sourced goods that do not require long-distance transportation, helping to reduce our global footprint. 8. Local shops are for everyone. Most people can get to their local shops easily. This is especially important for the elderly, young people and others who rely on public transportation. 9. Local shops value you more. Evidence from numerous surveys show people receive better customer care and service locally. These businesses survive by their reputation and repeat business, which means you get a higher standard of service. 10. Shopping local saves services. Private and public sector services cluster around shops. As shops disappear so do hairdressers, banks, restaurants and other businesses. Consumers can pledge to Think, Shop, Buy, Local and commit to patronizing businesses near where they live and work. Local stores employ your neighbors, pay taxes that support your schools and improve your roads, and contribute to local non-profit groups. Together we can strengthen relationships that improve our quality of life. So next time before you make a purchase, Think, Shop, Buy, Local.

February 6th

6-9PM Girls Night Out at the Tulare Youth Center

February 14th February 14th February 20th February 20th

Farm Show Begins! 6:30PM A Night At Nashville. (559) 686-2074 Governmental Affairs 12PM at Apple Annies The Chamber office will be closed

February 23rd

6-8PM Photographer Brent Russell Paull will conduct a seminar on photography at the Tulare Historical Museum. Learn Digital Photography
Please send your event dates to lhowarth@tularechamber.org.

Congratulations and thank you to the following new members that invested in the Chamber during the month of December.
Ruth Medlin Civic Minded Individual

Welcome Aboard New Member

Governmental Affairs: Small Businesses are the Backbone of the Economy

Small businesses are the backbone of the economy. They make-up a significant share of the states economic production and provide a good portion of the ongoing hiring, which in turn enables businesses to grow. Unemployment decreases when business is able to thrive. A thriving business climate occurs when opportunities are recognized by entrepreneurs ready to invest. There is a delicate balance between a healthy business climate, supported by necessary government involvement and an unhealthy climate burdened with unwarranted regulations. When the business climate becomes unhealthy it does not allow small businesses to thrive, because the once opportunistic business owner reduces his/her risks by slowing growth or moving out of the unhealthy climate. In analyzing the California Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) ending June 30th, 2010 it is obvious what continues to impact businesses - fees and penalties. Fees and penalties increased a whopping 225.6% in the period from 2000 to 2009. This of course generates large revenue for the state in the short term, but may hinder it in the long-term . Personal income in the productive private sector increased 9.9%, while private sector jobs decreased by 25%. Californias public sector employment income grew by 66.4% and public sector jobs increased almost 25%. All of these numbers do not bode well for the California business environment to see a vast improvement. Currently Californias business climate ranks near the bottom. Many businesses have left our great state and we need that bleeding to stop. But unfortunately our legislature continues to make more laws and enact more regulation. Regulations are partially enforced through fees and penalties. In 2011 we had 700 new laws implemented; 2012 saw that number increase to 761 new laws. With most of these new laws come a multitude of new regulations to implement the new laws. . Some of these regulations are implemented by a small group of people that we dont even get the opportunity to elect. One area of business that has been targeted heavily with fees and penalties is the farming and dairy industry. These industries are key drivers in our local economy and those owners and all other business owners should educate themselves on many of these new laws and ultimately the new regulations. (Calchamber. com for 2012 laws) Unfortunately many of us Deanne MartinSoares will find out about these new laws and regulations only upon when being served with a lawsuit, cited by a police officer, or told by our accountant or attorney when we are already facing penalties. The only way to make change happen is to become educated in the process of what is making California so toxic for business. It will then be important for your voice to be heard. The goal of the Chamber of Commerce Governmental Affairs Committee is to assist you in developing awareness. This months meeting will be held on February 20th at Apple Annies at 12:00, where we will explain the difference between legislation and regulation and the process used to implement laws that could impact your business.

Thank you to the following businesses and individuals who renewed their membership during the month of December.
A&W Restaurants California Office Liquidators Lane Engineers Inc. Personnel Solutions Unlimited, LLC Rabobank Tulare Sousa & Sousa Dairy TOL, INC B.J.Perch Construction Manuel & Dollie Faria Martinho Construction, Inc. Minyards Auto Parts Phillips Law Firm Carmen Pinheiro T-N-T Quick Lube, Wash & Smog Thiesen Dueker Financial Consulting Group Tulare County Office of Education Tulare Industrial Site Development Foundation Village Profile Vincent Sola Partnership Visalia Rawhide Baseball Club Zoom Imaging Solutions, Inc. Agnaldos Welding, Inc. Cool Hand Lukes Steakhouse & Saloon Curti Family, Inc. DeRose, Anthony Lampe Dodge Chrysler Jeep of Tulare Mid Valley Cotton Growers, Inc. Serafines Italian Catering George Watte & Sons

Members Renew Chamber Investment

401k Participants Get the Skinny on Fees and Expenses

Weve all heard theres no free lunch, but recent survey of plan participants revealed a startling fact: most people believe they pay nothing for their 401(k) plan. That misperception should change beginning sometime in 2012, when qualified plan participants will begin to receive detailed information in their quarterly statement about the fees and expenses charged to their plan. This fee disclosure is designed to help employees assess the value they receive by participating in their plan, and to help them compare the investment options offered under the plan on an apples-to-apples basis. The proposed regulations, which the U.S. Department of Labor is coordinating with the Securities and Exchange Commission, are expected to include the requirement that your plan sponsor issue two types of disclosure plan-level and investment-level facts and figures: Plan-level information likely will include: General plan information, explaining how to give investment instructions, provide a current list of investment options (with any related investment restrictions), and describe any available brokerage windows that allow you to select investments beyond those designated by the plan; Administrative expenses information, telling you how general plan expenses are charged to or deducted from your individual account, such as fees and expenses for accounting, legal and recordkeeping services; and Individual expenses information, showing what fees are charged personally to you as a result of actions taken in your account, such as fees for loans or processing of qualified domestic relations orders. Investment-related Information likely will include: Performance data, providing returns for one-, five- and ten-year peri-

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ods for each investment under the plan that does not offer a fixed rate of return; Benchmark returns, allowing you to compare investment performance of each option under your plan against broad-based securities indexes; and Investment-related fees and expenses, expressing what you pay each quarter, as both a percentage of assets and dollar-and-cents amount for each $1,000 invested. Easy-to-read comparisons Making sense of investment documents can be confusing. Under the proposed regs, investment-related information should be displayed in comparative chart or similar format. This is designed to make it easier for you to comparison shop the investment options offered under your plan. Updates regarding your investment options may be posted to a plan Internet website address, and your plan administrator must provide a general glossary of terms to help you understand Email Blast your investment options. Please contact us if you have any questions. Paladin Investment Group 559-6254005 www.paladininvestmentgroup.com Call for details: 559-799-4744 or email: info@mc-solutions.com

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MEMBER NEWS
Thank you for your support, Nick Galvan Band Director Live Oak Middle School 980 N. Laspina St. All contributions should be sent to Live Oak Middle School. Checks payable to: Live Oak P.T.O. - memo: Band Trailer Donation [ Cabrillo Civic Clubs of California is now accepting Scholarship applications from high school seniors who are: Portuguese decent U.S. Citizen or permanent resident * 3.50 GPA or higher Applications can be picked up at all Tulare County High School Counseling office or online at www.cabrillocivicclubs.org deadline is March 15th 2012. For more Information contact: Dulcie Nunes at 559 688-8070. [ Grandmas House is having its 4th Annual Friends of Grandmas House Dinner. This is a time to celebrate and showcase the accomplishments of 2011. An exciting program has been planned for this event. This years theme is Empowering the Village to Bridge the Gap. The Keynote speaker: Dr. Michael Sompayrac, principal of Edna Batey Elementary School, in the Elk Grove Unified School District. [ This event is a Fundraiser to continue the academic support that we provide for students in the Tulare School District. It is also a time when we will have an opportunity to showcase the work that we do and reveal the next phase of Grandmas House which benefit 7-8 grade students. The tickets are only $25.00 You can purchase a table for 8 at $200. For tickets call (559)687-0925, (559) 300-4693 or go to our website and pay through PayPal: www.grandmas-house.org [ Grandmas House is having its 4th Annual Friends of Grandmas House Dinner. This is a time to celebrate and showcase the accomplishments of 2011. An exciting program has been planned for this event. This years theme is Empowering the Village to Bridge the Gap. The Keynote speaker: Dr. Michael Sompayrac, principal of Edna Batey Elementary School, in the Elk Grove Unified School District. This event is a Fundraiser to continue the academic support that we provide for students in the Tulare School District. It is also a time when we will have an opportunity to showcase the work that we do and reveal the next phase of Grandmas House which benefit 7-8 grade students. The tickets are only $25.00 You can purchase a table for 8 at $200. For tickets call (559)687-0925, (559) 300-4693 or go to our website and pay through PayPal: www.grandmas-house.org [ Classic Charter offers a greener ride, and more luxury with its newest 2012 MCI J4500. Chris Riddington sees it all the time: A passenger steps onto one of our coaches, takes a look around and says, This sure isnt the bus I rode to college! Its a frequent experience for Riddington, President of San Joaquin Valley based Classic Charter. People are turning over a whole new leaf when it comes to motor coach travel because now they can do it in style. What coach riders may not realize is that coach travel is one of the greenest transportation options in existence today. According to the American Bus Association, each 56-passenger coach is seven times more energy- and fuelefficient than a single passenger automobile. Each coach provides 206.6 passenger miles per gallon of fuel; a single occupant driving a car on average gets only 27.2 miles to the gallon. Thats why Riddington is particularly excited about Classic Charters newest MCI J4500, the first in its all-MCI coach fleet to feature 2010 EPA-compliant engine technology. Classics newest coach is even greener than previous models, offering near-zero emissions. Between 2012 and 2023, all coaches in California will need to meet 2010 emission standards and our newest J4500 is our first step in converting to an all-green fleet, said Riddington. What the passenger will see first, however, is pure luxury. Built by Motor Coach Industries, the J4500 coach experience starts with its patented spiral stairway and full-kneeling suspension that makes boarding easy for all ages. Once passengers are seated, they get to enjoy scenery-sized windows and tiered theatre seating that assures panoramic views for the entire ride. Classic Charters latest J4500 carries 58 passengers, features three-point seatbelts and offers 110-volt outlets at every seat. The result is easier work and play for business, school and group clients. As long as you give them good service and a well-built coach, it really opens peoples eyes to the pleasure of going by coach, says Riddington. Classic Charters first coach was an MC-5 and its stayed with many MCI models since. Its about the reliability and good service. I grew up with MCI and it has treated us and our customers well, said Riddington, whose father Les Riddington founded the company in February of 1985. Today Classic Charter employs 75 workers and is proud to be serving the Central Valley for over 26 years. Classic Charters website is www.classiccharter.com. [ Photographer Brent Russell Paull will conduct two seminars on photography at the Tulare Historical Museum. Learn Digital Photography will be from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, February 23, and Nature & Wildlife Class will be from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, March 8, in the museums Heritage Room. The Learn Digital Photography seminar will build an understanding of digital photography from basic concepts through advanced techniques. Mr. Paull will teach camera use and operations, lenses and equipment, tripods, understanding light and exposure, learning composition, etc. The Nature and Wildlife Photography class takes you step-by-step through learning how to take great out door and wildlife images. Learn about the right equipment, how your camera looks at light, composition rules to follow, field tactics and photo craft, and many other professional techniques in nature and wildlife photography. With the California Coast and parks like Yosemite so close learn how to take beautiful images of what you see, not just snapshots. The cost is $20 per class. Reservations and payment are requested in advance. Mail your payment to the Tulare Historical Museum, P.O. Box 248, Tulare CA 93274; or call (559) 6862074.

February 2012 page 3

Member News

Slide on your cowboy boots and bring your appetite on Friday, February 24, when the Tulare Historical Museum goes country with A Night in Nashville. Our annual spring dinner party will have a western flare this year and include live entertainment for a foot-stompin good time. The festivities will start at 6:30 p.m. with a chuck wagon-style dinner with all the country fixins. Then, youll be entertained by Jerry Hall and Trick Shot, one of the most popular country-western bands in the San Joaquin Valley. Tickets to this event are $50 per person or $400 for a table of eight. Seating is limited to 112, and we expect a sellout!! Reserve your seats today by calling the museum, 559-6862074, or ordering them from our website tularehistoricalmuseum.org. Jerry Hall and Trick Shot were formed more than 30 years ago. They have opened for Pam Tillis and Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers. They have performed with The Sons of the Pioneers, The Sons of the San Joaquin, and rodeo stars Larry Mahan and Montie Montana, Jr. They have five albums and numerous videos on YouTube.

The museum is located at 444 W. Tulare Ave., Tulare. Hours of operation are 10:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m. Thursday Saturday. In addition to our regular hours, we will be open the third Sunday of the month for free, during the months of September May to correlate with our Sunday @ 2:00 program. Admission is $5.00 for adults, $3.00 for seniors 55+ and Southern California Automobile Club members, $2.00 for students, and free for Tulare City Historical Society members and children under 5 years old. If you have any questions, please call: (559) 686-2074 or to request a photo, email lthullen@ tularehistoricalmuseum.org. [ At Quality Paint and Body, we have specially trained I-CAR Certified technicians that perform all of the limited lifetime guarantee work on our vehicles. Should you find yourself completing some paint repair work yourself, please do not make these mistakes! Do not use regular sandpaper! This is much too rough and there is specially designed sandpaper made for vehicle repair. Be sure to use fresh paint! Using old paint can result in peeling and cracking as it will not adhere properly. Never use nail polish as a substitute for clear coat! While this may seem like a cheaper alternative, the nail polish is not designed to last or shield your vehicle like the automotive clear coat will be. Paper towels or bath towels should not be used on a car surface! The fibers of these materials are too coarse and may scratch the paint on the vehicle. Instead, choose a microfiber cloth specifically designed to be used on automobiles.

The museum is located at 444 W. Tulare Ave., Tulare. Hours of operation are 10:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m. Thursday Saturday. In addition to our regular hours, we will be open the third Sunday of the month for free from 12:30-4:00 p.m., during the months of September May to correlate with our Sunday @ 2:00 program Admission is $5.00 for adults, $3.00 for seniors 55+ and Southern California Automobile Club members, $2.00 for students, and free for Tulare City Historical Society members and children under 5 years old. [ Tickets are now available for Girls Night Out, schedule for Monday, February 6th at the Tulare Youth Center from 6pm-9pm. The event, which is designed for ladies of all ages and hosted by the Tulare Teens-On-Board program as a Meals on Wheels Fundraiser, includes a fashion show, dance performances, 50+ vendors, local celebrities, refreshments & door prizes, free goodie bags to the first 100 children and much more! Admission is $10 per adult; $5 for children 12 & under, ages 2 years and under is free. All proceeds to benefit the Tulare Meals on Wheels program. Purchase your tickets before they sell out by visiting the Tulare Senior Community Center, 201 North F St. Call Hollie at 685-2330 for details. Vendors space still available. [

With two locations (Visalia and Tulare) now available to serve you, Quality Paint and Body is a great choice for getting a superior repair in a timely manner. Feel free to give us a call anytime at 559-734-3501 (Visalia and surrounding areas) or 559-687-2800 (Tulare and surrounding areas) to see how we can help get your vehicle repaired with our 100% satisfaction guarantee and lifetime warranty on all work (as long as you own the vehicle)!

We need your support! Live Oak Marching Band and Colorguard is looking to purchase an equipment trailer and rolling racks for uniforms and equipment. As our band and colorguard grow, traveling becomes more difficult. We have more and more equipment needed to perform. The Live Oak Band Boosters are asking for your help to provide the necessary funds to purchase the trailer and materials. We are looking to raise $10,000 to purchase the necessary items from local Tulare businesses. Contributions of material and labor will also be very helpful. Once the trailer is obtained, we will need to transform the interior of the trailer into a secure and durable transport for our band and colorguard instruments, safety equipment, snacks, refreshments and first-aid supplies while we travel. Your support will insure that the students and staff will have all the necessary supplies on-hand, required to provide a safe and enjoyable trip to and from events. Our marching band and colorguard are asked to represent Live Oak Middle School and the City of Tulare at many events throughout the year. Please help us become on of Tulares finest by contributing to the Live Oak Middle School Band Trailer Fund.
DONT MISS OUT!!!

United Way will host a food booth at the Annual World Ag Expo. The money raised from this major fundraiser supports local nonprofit organizations throughout Tulare County that provide quality affordable childcare, support for families, and assistance to the elderly and people with disabilities. For lunch, we will be serving tri-tip sandwiches, our famous chili beans, fried bologna sandwiches, Frito boats with all the fixings, cookies, and sodas. Our breakfast menu features tri-tip burritos and big muffins. We are offering presale tickets printed with your company name, see the sample below. The cost is $7 which equals a $2 discount per ticket! If you would like to purchase tickets to give to your customers and employees, please complete the form below and return via email or fax by: January 30, 2012 Thank you, Darlene Mayfield United Way of Tulare County darlene@unitedwaytc.org or / fax 559-685-9541
Name (Please Print) Phone Company (as you would like it to appear) Email Address Address # of tickets City, State, Zip Payment enclosed Please, send me an invoice Signature Date S

United Way of Tulare County Presale tickets are a great way to plan out your expenses for the week of the Expo and a great way to treat your customers and/ or employees to lunch! The advanced tickets worked very well and made lunch very easy for all of our people and guests involved with the show. Thank you so much for having this program available. The food was excellent ... -- Show visitor

Annual World Ag Expo United Way of Tulare County S Meal Ticket A A tri-tipM breakfast burrito or tri-tip sandwich, M homemade chili beans & drink P P Complements of Your Name HereL L
We are located on the corner of South Greenbelt and J St E E

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Thanks for your support!

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page 4 February 2012

NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES

tulare chamber the update

Annual Awards
Sue Ann Hillman
Once again at our Annual Awards I left out a very important Board of Director. This is twice this has happened and I would like to make a formal apology to her in our Newsletter. Sue Ann Hillman brings to our Board her knowledge and experience of running a large corporation and is a valuable asset to our Board. Accept my sincere apology.

Our 2012 Chamber Installation was a wonderful evening and we couldnt have done it with the following Title Sponsors
Acclaim Auto Body Bank of the Sierra Citizens Business Bank International Agri Center JD Heiskell Lagomarsino Group Land O Lakes RES.COM Pest Control Saputo Southern CA Gas Company Tulare Advance Register Tachi Hotel & Casino Tulare Outlet Center Tulare Regional Medical Center Valley Business Bank. As well as a gracious thank you to our Associate Sponsors Educational Employees Credit Union Farm Credit West Joe and Marie Pinto Law Office of Horswill, Mederos & Soares Magnolia Health Corp Skip Barwick Realty Supervisor Pete Vanderpoel III TF Tire. We would also like to thank all the wonderful businesses of our membership that decorated one if not two tables for this event; Acclaim Auto & Truck Accessories Bank of Sierra Bret Stuber CPA City of Tulare Educational Employees Credit Union (Tucoemas) Gowin Green Landscaping Grandmas House-A Vision of Hope International Agri Center J.D. Heiskell K-TIP Land O Lakes Magnolia Health Corp Marie Pinto Morris Levin & Son Paladin Investment Groupl Premier Real Estate Rabobank Relay For Life Roma Lodge State Farm Tachi Palace TF Tire Tucoemas Federal Credit Union Tulare County Farm Bureau Tulare County Federal Credit Union Tulare Outlet Center Tulare Regional Medical Center Valley Business Bank Wells Fargo Bank Will Tiesiera Ford

Budget Proposal
(continued from page 1)
If the tax increases do not pass in November, the Governor has proposed a contingency plan to reduce spending by $5.4 billion beginning in 2013. Major reductions will be to K-14 education ($4.8 billion), higher education ($400 million), courts ($150 million), and various public safety programs, mostly in the Resources Agency ($28 million).

Tax Initiative
The budget includes some targeted tax increases on business, but these are not critical to the Governors budget-balancing strategy. The major revenue increase proposals are in the Governors tax initiative, including for 201112 and 201213, $5.8 billion in new income taxes for high-income taxpayers, and $1.2 billion from a half-cent increase in the state sales-and-use tax. The only business tax proposal, requiring a two-thirds vote, is the extension of the tax on managed care plans, originally passed several years ago. Business is not unaffected by the Governors tax increase proposal, however. Businesses pay one-third of sales taxes, and net business and proprietors incomes are a significant share of adjusted gross incomes for the personal income tax side.

Government Reorganization
The Governor proposes comprehensive reorganization of the executive branch, including: reducing the overall number of agencies and departments; further reorganizing economic development programs, in effect reassembling many of the components of the old Trade and Commerce Agency; creating a new Business and Consumer Services Agency that includes the various business regulatory agencies from the existing Business, Transportation and Housing Agency and the State and Consumer Services Agency; creating a new stand-alone Transportation Agency and including within it the departments of Transportation, Motor Vehicles, HighSpeed Rail Authority, the Highway Patrol, the California Transportation Commission and the Board of Pilot Commissioners; creating a Department of Revenue that consolidates the tax collection functions of the Franchise Tax Board and Employment Development Department, but not including the Board of Equalization; eliminating the departments of Mental Health and Alcohol and Drug Programs and folding their functions into the Department of Health Care Services; and eliminating the Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board. Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. has proposed a $137.3 billion budget for 201213 that aims to close a projected $9.2 billion General Fund deficit by relying largely on tax increases from a November ballot initiative. Legislative Analyst Mac Taylor, in his review of the Governors budget proposal, credits the plan with continuing the states efforts to restore budgetary balance. Taylors report comments that the revenue estimates are a bigger question mark than usual due to uncertainty surrounding the economic recovery, and that his offices estimates of how much the tax increases will bring in are lower than the administrations.

Targeted Taxes
The Governor includes two additional targeted taxes on business to address other elements of his policy agenda. The administration has proposed a surcharge on employers totaling more than $470 million to finance future interest payments for funds borrowed from the federal government to pay Californias unemployment insurance benefits and repay the funds borrowed from the employee-financed disability fund. This proposal has not yet been formally released, and probably would require a two-thirds vote of the Legislature to pass. The administration is also including in the budget up to $1 billion in revenues from its new, controversial tax on capand-trade auction transactions in the Air Resources Boards greenhouse gas reduction program. The revenues would be used to invest in clean energy, low carbon transportation, natural resources protection, and sustainable infrastructure. Although the administration claims this is a fee, the intended uses of the proceeds leads many to believe that this levy will be a bona fide tax. Although the budget is not dependent on targeted tax increases, the Governor maintains his prior positions on a mandatory single sales factor and enterprise zone reform, promising to sponsor legislation to make these changes in order to provide tax benefits to manufacturers and small businesses. Also worth noting, the baseline revenue forecast is based on higher corporate profits and higher incomes from upperincome taxpayers, who are projected to be receiving higher wages and who may be advancing some of their capital gains incomes due to expiring lower federal income tax rates at the end of 2012.

deficit in June 2013 before his proposed cuts and tax increases. He resolves this deficit and projects a year-end $1.1 billion reserve by increasing revenues, loans and transfers by $8.5 billion, cutting noneducation programs by $3.8 billion, and increasing K-14 spending by $2 billion more than the schools and community colleges would have otherwise received. The K-14 increase is a function of higher General Fund revenues from the new taxes. Put another way, the budget proposes $6 billion in new General Fund spending next year (assuming taxes pass). Of this, $4 billion is for K-12 education, $2 billion repays an earlier loan to local government, and about $900 million is for corrections, offset by reductions in health, welfare and child care. The Governor said his proposal has reduced the structural budget deficit from $20 billion to $5 billion. If the tax increases do not pass in November, the Governor has proposed a contingency plan to reduce spending by $5.4 billion beginning in 2013. Major reductions will be to K-14 education ($4.8 billion), higher education ($400 million), courts ($150 million), and various public safety programs, mostly in the Resources Agency ($28 million).

old Trade and Commerce Agency; creating a new Business and Consumer Services Agency that includes the various business regulatory agencies from the existing Business, Transportation and Housing Agency and the State and Consumer Services Agency; creating a new stand-alone Transportation Agency and including within it the departments of Transportation, Motor Vehicles, HighSpeed Rail Authority, the Highway Patrol, the California Transportation Commission and the Board of Pilot Commissioners; creating a Department of Revenue that consolidates the tax collection functions of the Franchise Tax Board and Employment Development Department, but not including the Board of Equalization; eliminating the departments of Mental Health and Alcohol and Drug Programs and folding their functions into the Department of Health Care Services; and eliminating the Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board.

Legislative Analyst Review

The Legislative Analyst notes that the state budget already depends on volatile income tax payments by the states wealthiest individuals and that the Governor proposes high-income individuals pay more for the next few years. If the analysts revenue estimates are closer to target than the administrations, the analysts review notes, the Legislature will have to pursue billions of dollars more in budget-balancing solutions.

Government Reorganization
The Governor proposes comprehensive reorganization of the executive branch, including: reducing the overall number of agencies and departments; further reorganizing economic development programs, in effect reassembling many of the components of the

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Cuts/Tax Hikes
The Governor forecasts a $9.2 billion

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