From PA Chamber of Business & Industry

PA Chamber Government Affairs Vice President Sam Denisco joined House and Senate lawmakers and small business owners at a news conference last week in support of a package of bills that aim to help small businesses compete, as well as streamline state and federal tax policies to ease operational burdens for small business owners. 

The “Small Business Tax Fairness Package” includes the following bills that have earned the PA Chamber’s support:

• H.B. 105 would allow for “like-kind exchanges” that would empower small business owners to defer taxes when property is exchanged for similar property. Notably, Pennsylvania is the only state in the country that does not currently permit this.
• H.B. 333 would let small businesses take the full expensing deduction the year that an asset for their company is purchased, increasing the deduction from $25,000 to $1 million to match with federal tax law.
• H.B. 1603 would let small business owners use a net operating loss against a tax bill to get through leaner economic times. This is especially helpful to start-ups or cyclical businesses and is already an option made available to corporate taxpayers under state law.

On Nov. 15, a coalition of business advocates crossing all industry sectors sent a letter to House Finance Committee members urging their approval of these bills.  Two of the bills – H.B. 105 and H.B. 333 – were reported from the committee and await further consideration in the House; while H.B. 1603 still awaits consideration by the committee.

• Recently, the Danville Primary School in the Danville Area School District joined the Johns Hopkins University’s National Network of Partnership Schools, a nationwide program that helps create excellent schools where families, teachers, staff and community members work together to create successful students. This new designation encompasses many things, one of which is creating home learning areas for children. As part of this initiative, the Primary School is looking to purchase children’s desks for children in the school that may need assistance. If you or your organization is interested in assisting with this goal, please see the flyer, and for additional information or questions, contact June Heeter by email or at 570-394-8413. 

• The Danville Area Community Foundation, an affiliate of the Central Susquehanna Community Foundation, recently announced the creation of the Knouse Family Fund,
  

  Jean and Richard Knouse

  a donor-advised fund established by Richard and Jean Knouse in honor of their 50th wedding anniversary that will provide grants for charitable purposes in the Danville area and surrounding communities. Read more about Richard and Jean Knouse and this new fund in the full story. 

• BNI Central Pennsylvania, the Chamber’s newest member, will host an informational interest meeting for those interested in possibly becoming a part of a new chapter in Bloomsburg. The meeting will take place on Wednesday, Dec. 4, from 7-9 a.m., at the Hampton Inn Bloomsburg. See the Facebook event page for additional information and registration. 

• The Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center (NEPIRC) will hold a free four-hour seminar on leadership development on Thursday, Dec. 12, from 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. at the Central Susquehanna Community Foundation, 725 Front St., Berwick. This program helps individuals become stronger, more impactful leaders. While joining other managers and supervisors to discuss workplace challenges, attendees will explore topics that include Self-Awareness, Power & Authority, Risk & Failure, and Leadership Style. Using self-assessment tools and experiential learning, attendees will examine their strengths and weaknesses while exploring best practices of exceptional leaders. To register, and for a list of other locations of similar seminars, visit NEPIRC’s registration page. 

• Wild For Salmon will host a holiday tasting on Saturday, Dec. 14, from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. at its retail store located at 521 Montour Blvd. (Rt. 11), Bloomsburg. There will be samples of various holiday-inspired dishes and other festive samples available, as well as a couple of other vendors there as well. Visit the Facebook event for more information. 

• The dealerships that make up the Ken Pollock Auto Group, including Ken Pollock Ford Lincoln in Berwick, will be holding their annual coat drive through Dec. 17. They will be collecting gently used and new coats in all dizes at their dealerships and tire and auto center to help families in the local communities. All donations collected at Ken Pollock Ford Lincoln will go to Columbia County Head Start.

Legislation that would allow health care professionals to evaluate and treat patients remotely has been approved by both chambers of the State Legislature. Telemedicine is expected to improve access to health care, particularly specialists, and help control costs. The Chamber joined with Commonwealth Health and Geisinger in supporting this legislation.

Despite outstanding primary care facilities in our area, rural areas, and a lack of public transportation for the general public, can make access a challenge for a significant portion of the population. Additionally, wait times for specialized services, including behavioral health, can be months. Telemedicine would provide quicker access to services that could be life-saving.

Another benefit of telemedicine expressed by the health care industry is cost-control. Telemedicine is expected to reduce emergency room visits and expedite testing and diagnosis. Senate Bill 857 provides for appropriate insurance reimbursement for services that help patients more efficiently.

The legislation was approved by the Senate in later October with only one dissenting vote. An amended version passed in the House in November by a 111-77 vote. Representatives Kurt Masser and David Millard voted in favor. The amended bill is now back in the Senate for a concurrence vote.

From PA Chamber of Business & Industry

Legislation passed the Senate on Nov. 20 which would incrementally increase Pennsylvania’s minimum wage rate from $7.25 an hour to $9.50 by 2022, in exchange for Governor Wolf rescinding a plan to dramatically increase the threshold for overtime eligibility beyond the federal level. Senate Bill 79 was approved by a 42-7 vote. Senator Gordner voted in favor of the bill.

The PA Chamber has strenuously opposed the Administration’s proposal to greatly expand the population of employees eligible for overtime pay, or time-and-half for any hours worked over 40 in a week. Specifically, the proposed rule would nearly double the salary level over which employees may potentially qualify for a so-called “white collar” exemption. The PA Chamber has been a leading voice against this proposal, which has been strongly opposed by many sectors of the employer community – particularly nonprofits, educational institutions and small businesses that cannot afford such a dramatic expansion and would be forced to convert salaried employees into hourly positions so hours can be closely monitored and overtime avoided. The Board of the Columbia Montour Chamber also recently restated its opposition to the plan. The bill also includes important overtime regulatory reform long sought by the PA Chamber to better align federal and state overtime laws and help employers comply with the law.

While the PA Chamber remains concerned with the negative employment impacts of a mandatory increase to what are usually entry-level wages, the compromise bill’s gradual increase to $9.50 has been structured in a way to help mitigate the negative impacts and is certainly more reasonable than previous proposals.  Senate Bill 79 notably does not include an increase to or elimination of Pennsylvania’s tipped wage system or a requirement that the minimum wage automatically increase every year.

The PA Chamber’s position on S.B. 79 was mentioned in several news articles that covered legislative action on the compromise.  A Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article states that the PA Chamber views the bill as an acceptable tradeoff for Gov. Wolf dropping the overtime eligibility expansion; with Government Affairs Director Alex Halper saying, “Overall, it’s a compromise that we’re not opposing … It [the proposed overtime eligibility rule change] was a significant concern for many employers and stopping it has been a top priority for us.”  Another article in the Associated Press noted that while the PA Chamber has long opposed an increase in the minimum wage, the organization “has backed a compromise on raising minimum wage as the lesser of two evils.”

The bill now awaits consideration by the state House, where its fate is uncertain.

From Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way

Giving Tuesday began in 2012 as a social media hashtag to increase the amount of charitable giving done throughout the holiday season. Since its inception, Giving Tuesday has grown into the largest charitable giving movement in the world. Every year, Giving Tuesday takes place the Tuesday immediately following Thanksgiving, which this year is Tuesday, Dec. 3. 

This year, the Central Susquehanna Community Foundation, Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way, United Way of Columbia and Montour Counties, Berwick Area United Way, and the Ronald McDonald House of Danville came together to discuss the need for a regional, collaborative giving Tuesday campaign.

So, for Giving Tuesday this year, nonprofit organizations throughout Central PA (Columbia, Montour, Northumberland, Union, and Snyder Counties) are teaming up to generate a wave of charitable giving.

Each partner agency provides vital resources to their communities including health, education, mentorship, financial support. The group of partnered agencies will be collecting donations through the website www.centralpagivingtuesday.org, or individuals can choose, through the website, to donate to the agency of their choice. This collaborative campaign is being sponsored by The Daily Item.

“We are hoping that with this cohesive effort across all media channels, non-profits participating in the Regional Giving Tuesday will be in a better position to raise donor dollars because of the concentrated marketing effort,” said Holly Morrison, Central Susquehanna Community Foundation executive director. 

The following Chamber members are participating in this collaboration for Giving Tuesday, and anyone interested can make donations on giving Tuesday to these organizations through centralpagivingtuesday.org.

AGAPE
Berwick Area YMCA
Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble
Cats in Bloom
Central Susquehanna Community Foundation
Columbia Child Development Program
Columbia County Traveling Library
Danville Child Development Center
The Exchange
Foundation of the Columbia Montour Chamber of Commerce
Greenwood Friends School
Ronald McDonald House of Danville
Thomas Beaver Free Library
United Way of Columbia and Montour Counties

Shared Work Program Slides (pdf)
UC 101 Slides (pdf)

Attendees had an opportunity to learn more about the Shared Work Program, an alternative to layoffs that can potentially help organizations reduce their recruiting and retention costs, and also heard a presentation on the unemployment compensation system titled UC 101 at the Chamber’s final educational seminar of the year, held on Nov. 13 at LCBC Church in Bloomsburg. 

The event was organized with PA CareerLink Columbia/Montour Counties and sponsored by PPL Electric Utilities. Breakfast was provided by Ponduce Farms. 

Both PowerPoint presentations can be viewed in PDFs using the links above. To learn more about these subjects, follow the general contact information at the end of the slides, or you can also contact the presenter directly at 570-565-3024 or by email. 

From Central Susquehanna Community Foundation

The Danville Area Community Foundation (DACF) presented $35,020 to local nonprofit organizations during a celebratory breakfast held last month at The Meadows Community Center at Maria Joseph Continuing Care Community. These grants were awarded through the DACF’s recent competitive grantround supported by the following DACF funds: Ackerman Family Fund, The Booth Family Fund, Eleanor M. Burke Fund, Holdren Family Fund, Bonnie Johnson Fund in Memory of Ragnar and Dorothy Johnson, Robert and Geraldine Marks Family Fund, May Family Fund, Metzer Fund, Joan and Fred Miller Family Fund, Neighbors Helping Neighbors Fund, Terry and Sandy O’Rourke Family Fund, The Seebold Family Fund, and the Jim and Jackie Shutt Fund.

The DACF administers a total of 69 endowed and pass-through funds investing over $240,000 annually to local nonprofits and students. These funds include scholarship, donor-advised, field-of-interest, designated, agency and unrestricted funds. A complete listing of DACF funds can be found on the Foundation’s website csgiving.org.

This year’s grant recipients included seven Chamber members:

• Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble – Organization Support, $1,000
• Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble – Bringing Theatre Arts to Underserved Students, $1,000
• Central Susquehanna Sight Services, Inc. – 2019/2020 Prevention of Blindness and Support for the Blind Initiative, $1,500
• Central Susquehanna Community Foundation – Youth in Philanthropy – Danville High School 2019-2020, $2,370
• Christ Memorial Episcopal Church – Danville Area Diaper Bank, $1,000
• Danville Area Community Center – Organization Support, $2,000
• Danville Area Community Center – Keeping DACC Fresh! $2,000
• Danville Business Alliance – Organization Support, $1,000
• Danville Business Alliance – Canal Park Redevelopment Project, $1,500
• Danville Child Development Center – DCDC’s Out of School Time program: Ensuring High Quality Afterschool Environments, $2,000
• Fellowship of Christian Athletes – Organization Support, $500
• Good Samaritan Mission – Back to School Shopping Program, $1,000
• Lenny Hambro Foundation DBA Hearts in Harmony – Instrument Repair, $500
• PA Swarm – 2019 Youth Support, $1,000
• Pennsylvania Pets Inc. – Spay and Neuter Project for Danville and surrounding Areas, $500
• Pennsylvania SPCA – Danville Veterinary Clinic Expansion, $1,000
• Ronald McDonald House of Danville, Inc. – Share-A-Night Program, $500
• Shape of Justice Inc. – Menstrual Hygiene Products for Danville Area, $750
• Shiloh United Church of Christ – Danville/Riverside Area Food Bank, $250
• Susquehanna Valley Law Enforcement Camp Cadet – Danville Cadets, $1,000
• Thomas Beaver Free Library – Window replacement, $3,600
• Thomas Beaver Free Library – Organization Support, $2,250
• Thomas Beaver Free Library – Educational Purposes, $400
• Transitional Housing and Care Center of Columbia and Montour County – Organization Support, $500
• Transitional Housing and Care Center of Columbia and Montour County – Operation Clean Sleep, $2,000
• Transitional Housing and Care Center of Columbia and Montour County – Sewer Project, $1,000
• Zing Productions – Organization Support, $1,400
• Zing Productions – Community Outreach, Technical Performance Upgrades, $1,000

Earlier in 2019, the following grants were also awarded:

• $8,900 to Danville Area Community Center supported by the Robert and Mary Snyder Fund
• $3,000 to Geisinger Health System Foundation support by the Deutsch Family Fund for Geisinger Nurses

The Danville Area Community Foundation’s mission is to provide for charitable needs in the Danville area. DACF is an affiliate of the Central Susquehanna Community Foundation (CSCF) which administers DACF’s grant and scholarship programs.

From PA Chamber of Business & Industry

Last week, the state’s Independent Fiscal Office released its Five Year Economic and Budget Outlook and while revenue collections continue to come in strong, the agency warns that the state is facing potential budget deficits in the near future. 

For the current 2019-20 Fiscal Year, the IFO is projecting that the state could face a potential $409 million shortfall, with that number growing to $1.3 billion for the 2022-23 Fiscal Year.  The IFO takes a variety of factors into consideration when creating its future projections, including: mandatory and non-mandatory expenditures; economic forecast projections; and changing demographics – particularly the state’s aging population.  Additionally, the use of one-time revenue sources to balance that annual state spending plan; as well as supplemental budget requests also play a role in the structural imbalance.

According to the IFO, the state’s mandated expenditures are expected to outpace revenue collections for each of the next five years.

• The November issue of Danville Child Development Center’s newsletter is available. 

• Recently, the Danville Primary School in the Danville Area School District joined the Johns Hopkins University’s National Network of Partnership Schools, a nationwide program that helps create excellent schools where families, teachers, staff and community members work together to create successful students. This new designation encompasses many things, one of which is creating home learning areas for children. As part of this initiative, the Primary School is looking to purchase children’s desks for children in the school that may need assistance. If you or your organization is interested in assisting with this goal, please see the flyer, and for additional information or questions, contact June Heeter by email or at 570-394-8413. 

• BNI Central Pennsylvania, the Chamber’s newest member, will host an informational interest meeting for those interested in possibly becoming a part of a new chapter in Bloomsburg. The meeting will take place on Wednesday, Dec. 4, from 7-9 a.m., at the Hampton Inn Bloomsburg. See the Facebook event page for additional information and registration. 

• The Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center (NEPIRC) will hold a free four-hour seminar on leadership development on Thursday, Dec. 12, from 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. at the Central Susquehanna Community Foundation, 725 Front St., Berwick. This program helps individuals become stronger, more impactful leaders. While joining other managers and supervisors to discuss workplace challenges, attendees will explore topics that include Self-Awareness, Power & Authority, Risk & Failure, and Leadership Style. Using self-assessment tools and experiential learning, attendees will examine their strengths and weaknesses while exploring best practices of exceptional leaders. To register, and for a list of other locations of similar seminars, visit NEPIRC’s registration page. 

• Wild For Salmon will host a holiday tasting on Saturday, Dec. 14, from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. at its retail store located at 521 Montour Blvd. (Rt. 11), Bloomsburg. There will be samples of various holiday-inspired dishes and other festive samples available, as well as a couple of other vendors there as well. Visit the Facebook event for more information. 

Governor Tom Wolf is expected to pull his plan to increase the threshold for overtime eligibility if the legislature passes an increase in Pennsylvania’s minimum wage. On Monday, Nov. 18, the Senate Labor & Industry unanimously advanced a bill that would gradually increase the minimum wage to $9.50 an hour by Jan. 1, 2022. This would be a compromise from the $12 rate Wolf has been calling for since he took office.

Senate Bill 79 would increase Pennsylvania’s minimum wage from the current federal level of $7.25 to $8.00 an hour beginning July 1, 2020, then to $8.50 beginning Jan. 1, 2021, $9.00 beginning July 1, 2021, and $9.50 beginning Jan. 1, 2022, with no escalator beyond that. The legislation does not change the application of the tipped wage.

In exchange for the increase, the Governor is expected to drop his plan to increase the overtime eligibility threshold from the current level of $23,660 to $45,500 in three years. A new federal threshold of $35,568 is already scheduled to take effect Jan. 1. The Chamber’s Board of Directors voted to oppose the Governor’s proposal, as additional increases as the state level would create an excessive burden on businesses and inconsistency for employers that operate in multiple states.

While the Senate is expected to approve the minimum wage proposal, House leadership has not indicated support. The PA Chamber of Business and Industry is not supporting the legislation, but president Gene Barr feels that a modest increase in the minimum wage is an appropriate trade to avoid a dramatic increase in the overtime threshold which is expected to have significantly more negative impacts on employers and employees.