President Obama Hails Auto Industry Successes, Calls on Senate Republican Leaders to 'Stop Holding America's Small Businesses Hostage to Politics'

In this week's address -- delivered from the General Motors automobile assembly plant in Detroit/Hamtramck, Mich. -- President Barack Obama praised the successes of the auto industry's restructuring. When his Administration decided to invest in the American car companies, some said such a move was bound to fail. But since GM and Chrysler have emerged from bankruptcy, the auto industry has added 55,000 jobs -- the strongest growth in 10 years -- and, for the first time since 2004, all three companies are operating at a profit.

The President also called on Republican leaders in the Senate to stop blocking a vote on a bill helping small businesses. Even though this bill will help the nation's recovery, and has been endorsed by groups such as the Chamber of Commerce and the National Federation of Independent Business [NFIB], the Republican Senate leadership continues to hold it hostage to politics by denying an up-or-down vote on the bill.

To view the video of President Obama's weekly address, go to: http://bit.ly/Video07312010

To read the transcript of the President's weekly address, please visit: http://bit.ly/Transcript07312010

To learn more about H.R. 5297 -- The Small Business Jobs and Credit Bill of 2010, go to: http://bit.ly/HR5297

SOURCES: Library of Congress, The White House [photo by Pete Souza]
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SBA Administrator Explains Important Health Care Tax Credit Info for Small Businesses

Administrator Karen Mills [pictured], of the U.S. Small Business Administration [SBA], has just written an open letter to small-business owners across the United States, explaining the immediate benefits available to small businesses as part of the Affordable Care Act.

Following, is the full text of her letter:

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Dear Small-Business Owner,

For decades, access to affordable health insurance has been the No. 1 concern of small-business owners. To help you address that concern and provide quality, affordable coverage for your employees, the new Affordable Care Act gives you a number of new tools and benefits.

The most immediate benefit you should know about is the tax credit to help you pay for up to 35 percent of your employee premiums starting this tax year. An estimated 4 million small businesses may qualify for these tax credits, totaling about $40 billion over the next 10 years. Go here to learn more about the tax credit, including new information that explains how this federal credit is in addition to state-level credits you might receive, and how dental and vision coverage are also eligible for the federal credit.

The Affordable Care Act also included reporting requirements if you pay another business $600 or more, starting with 2013 filings. Small-business groups have voiced concerns about the possible burden this places on people like you. That’s why the IRS is already planning to exempt from this requirement your transactions that use credit and debit cards.

Also, the IRS, SBA and others in the Administration are looking for additional ways to minimize burdens and avoid duplicative reporting. We welcome your comments and input as we move forward together to address implementation issues under the new law.

Over the last 16 months, this Administration has taken steps to provide tax relief that puts more money in the hands of small-business owners like you -- including write-offs for new equipment, credits for hiring unemployed workers, and capital-gains exclusions for small-business investors. We know that sensible tax relief like this will help you grow your business, create new jobs, and continue drive America’s economic recovery.

With warm regards,

Karen Mills

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For detailed information about the new Small Business Health Care Tax Credit, visit IRS.gov: http://bit.ly/SmallBizTaxCredit.

SOURCES: Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Small Business Administration, The White House
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Life is good® Holds Pumpkin Festivals Across America

GoodBiz113 profilee Life is good® ["Life is good® Festivals Unite Communities, Help Kids Face Unfair Challenges"] is at it again. With the help of generous communities across the country, Life is good Pumpkin Festivals will go even further in 2007 than in a record-setting 2006. In 2006, the good folks of Boston set a new Guinness World Record by carving and lighting 30,128 jack-o'-lanterns at a single festival in Boston, Mass.

Pumpkin Festivals Across America
Thanks to LIG partners at Newland Communities, the Life is good Pumpkin Festival will be celebrated in eight different states from coast to coast this year. Eleven festivals will take place this Saturday, Oct. 20. Bring your pumpkin and best smile to the festival nearest you. Visit the Newland Communities festival website for information on their efforts.

Two more Life is good Pumpkin Festivals will take place the following weekend -- on Saturday, Oct. 27, and Sunday, Oct. 28. Those festivals will be held in Dallas, Tex., and in Hudson, Ohio. Click on the links below for information on all of these fantastic events:

ARIZONA
Goodyear, AZ -- http://www.newlandpumpkinfestival.com/

CALIFORNIA
Rocklin, CA -- http://www.newlandpumpkinfestival.com/
San Diego, CA -- http://www.newlandpumpkinfestival.com/

FLORIDA
Apollo Beach, FL -- http://www.newlandpumpkinfestival.com/
Tampa, FL -- http://www.newlandpumpkinfestival.com/

GEORGIA
Flowery Branch, GA -- http://www.newlandpumpkinfestival.com/

MARYLAND
Clarksburg, MD -- http://www.newlandpumpkinfestival.com/

OHIO
Hudson, OH -- www.firstandmainhudson.com/Events/index.aspx

TEXAS
Dallas, TX -- http://www.dallaspumpkinfestival.com/
Humble, TX -- http://www.newlandpumpkinfestival.com/
Katy, TX -- http://www.newlandpumpkinfestival.com/
Pflugerville, TX -- http://www.newlandpumpkinfestival.com/

VIRGINIA
Ladysmith, VA -- http://www.newlandpumpkinfestival.com/

Spotlight on HomeAid
HomeAid, a leading national nonprofit provider of housing for today's homeless, is the major beneficiary of Life is good Pumpkin Festivals hosted by Newland Communities this year. HomeAid builds and renovates multi-unit homes for America's temporarily homeless while they rebuild their lives. The organization has provided housing for more than 75,000 individuals around the country.

Festival funds will be provided to HomeAid projects targeting children and families with children. For more information on HomeAid, click here.

Buy a Festival Tee!
Can't make it to a Life is good Pumpkin Festival this year? Add a 2007 Pumpkin Festival Tee to your wardrobe and support kids in need!

Per usual, Life is good will donate 100% of the profit from fundraiser T-shirt sales to children's charities. Short- and long-sleeve Pumpkin Festival Tees -- in fresh, new colors and sizes for the whole family -- can be purchased here.

Photo: The Center for Digital Imaging Arts at Boston University [CDIA]
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Sept. 20: Jacksonville Jaguars to Host 5th Annual Taste of the NFL Fundraiser to Help Fight Hunger

This Thursday, Sept. 20, the Jacksonville Jaguars will host their Fifth Annual Taste of the NFL "party with a purpose" to benefit LSS Second Harvest Food Bank.

The event kicks off with a reception at 6 p.m. in the Crown Royal Touchdown Club West, in Jacksonville Municipal Stadium. At 7 p.m., guests will enjoy a six-course dinner and wine pairings prepared by chefs of some of the area's top eateries:
* Charles Charbonneau, executive chef of the Sawgrass Marriott Resort and Spa
* Shane Cheshire, executive chef partner of Shay T's Catering Concepts
* Tom Gray, executive chef and partner of Bistro AIX
* Liz Grenamyer, owner-chef of Catering by Liz
* Tom Hoch
* Matthew Medure, owner-chef of Matthew's Restaurant

Tickets are $250 per person. All proceeds go to LSS Second Harvest Food Bank, a program of Lutheran Social Services. Last year, the event raised nearly $112,000 in net revenue -- which translates to more than 415,000 meals for hungry families in Northeast Florida.

LSS works in cooperation with over 500 community-based nonprofit partner agencies that serve individuals and families in need in 17 counties in Northeast Florida: Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Clay, Columbia, Dixie, Duval, Flagler, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Lafayette, Levy, Nassau, Putnam, St. Johns, Suwannee, Union.

This event is one of several local Taste of the NFL fundraisers held in NFL cities throughout the U.S. -- about which GoodBiz113 originally reported about in January ["Cuisine Concepts at Heart of Taste of the NFL -- AKA 'Super Bowl Party...With a Purpose' -- to Tackle Hunger in America"]. Individually and collectively, the gatherings -- plus TNFL's big Super Bowl Eve gala -- raise millions of dollars to raise awareness about hunger in America and to help feed hungry people of all ages.

For more information and/or tickets for Thursday night's annual fundraising event, call 904.739.7074; or, visit http://www.lssjax.org/.

Sources: LSS Second Harvest Food Bank, Taste of the NFL
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