In this week’s Must Know
- Micro Biz Beats Big Biz – Must Read
- CAMEO and Members in the News
- The Goodies: This week’s highlight includes a “Shop Local and Micro Guide” for the holidays.
Micro Biz Beats Big Biz – Must Read
Sunday’s (Dec 2) front page story in The New York Times, “As Companies Seek Tax Deals, Governments Pay High Price,” vindicates our position that cities should invest in locally owned businesses.
A Times investigation has examined and tallied thousands of local incentives granted nationwide and has found that states, counties and cities are giving up more than $80 billion each year to companies…. The cost of the awards is certainly far higher. A full accounting, The Times discovered, is not possible because the incentives are granted by thousands of government agencies and officials, and many do not know the value of all their awards. Nor do they know if the money was worth it because they rarely track how many jobs are created. Even where officials do track incentives, they acknowledge that it is impossible to know whether the jobs would have been created without the aid.
Wow! Imagine the job creation and economic stability of local governments if they invested a fraction of the money they now give away to corporations – free buildings, tax breaks and other financial incentives – into the micro sector.
If you’re excited as we are to have this data, write a letter to the editor at letters@nytimes.com. It needs to be less than 150 words.
Other resources:
- California’s corporate giveaways
- Terry Gross, hosts of Fresh Air, interviews Louise Story about “The United States of Subsidies“
CAMEO and Members in the News
Listen to Claudia on TheSelfEmployed.com’s podcast about micro business. You can also check out our op-ed on the same website that makes the case for a Self-Employment Assistance program in California.
Roberto Barragan of VEDC says to a KCET reporter about self-employment, “People aren’t waiting for the next big company to come to L.A. to get hired… Maybe my unemployment is going to run out. I have to do something for myself and my family. And I have an idea.” – Couldn’t said it better ourselves!
The North Bay Business Journal writes about the Oakland Business Development Corp (OBDC) expansion to points north of Oakland.
The San Francisco Chronicle features AnewAmerica’s efforts to help low-income immigrants create their own jobs.
The Goodies
New opportunities for trainings, conference information, funding, scholarships, and other information that have crossed our desks since the last Must Know: I have posted a running tab of current Goodies on the CAMEO website that lists items that were in past emails. Check it out to make sure you’re not missing anything, like grants whose deadlines are still alive!
Holiday Guide: Support Micro during the holidays! Find out how with our “Shop Local and Micro Guide“. If your organization is hosting a holiday fair or has compiled a list of businesses selling goodies for the season, then please let us know.
AEO and FIELD Membership Discount: You save $100 on AEO membership and $100 on a one-year MicroTracker Premium Plan subscription – that’s a total value of $500 for only $300! Learn more about the AEO/FIELD Membership Bundle. This is a must-buy, if you are not already an AEO member!
Free Media Training: American Sustainable Business Council holds two remaining media trainings. December 11 is op-eds and letters to the editor; and December 18 is broadcast. All webinars are from 12-1:30 p.m. PT. Learn more and find out how to register.
Free Webinar: ASBC hosts “Support the Marketplace Fairness Act and Level the Playing for Main Street Businesses” on December 10, 2012 at 11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. PST // 2:00-3:30 p.m. EST. Progress is being made in the US Senate to require online and catalog retailers (‘remote sellers’) to collect sales tax, just like local retailers are required to do. Register.
Free Webinar:: CFED hosts “Fundraising Resources for IDA Programs” on Friday, December 14,12:30-1:30 p.m. PST // 3:30-4:30 p.m. EST. Learn about CFED’s three “Tools for Success” fundraising resources to help you identify, cultivate and secure sustainable financial resources for your IDA program.