The Griffin Method reports an extensive budget increases for the SBA as detailed in a Senate news release. On March 14, the Senate reported that it will increase funding for the Small Business Administration (SBA) in the 2009 budget blueprint by adding $100 million above the President’s request.
This action reverses six years of budget cuts, resulting in a boost for America’s 27 million small businesses.
It restores or adds additional funding for increased loan oversight and reduced fees, microloans, contracting assistance, Small Business Development Centers, Women’s Business Centers, veterans outreach programs, and technical assistance programs, among others. Both Democratic Presidential nominees voted for the proposal, and the Republican nominee for President did not vote on the action.
The Senate’s budget would increase funding for greater SBA oversight of lenders in the 7(a) program by providing $9 million. The 7(a) and 504 loan programs are the largest source of long-term capital for small businesses, helping create or retain over 824,000 jobs last year.
SBA’s $3.6 million in funding for Microloans is restored (from zero) and Microloan Technical Assistance gets $20 million (the President’s 2009 budget sought to eliminate these). For 2008, small businesses received more than $31 million in microloans, proportionally helping more women and minorities than other programs. Also $5 million (from zero) restores the New Markets Venture Capital and New Markets Technical Assistance programs. These programs promote economic development and the creation of job opportunities through equity investments in low-income areas.
Several of SBA’s Entrepreneurial Development and Outreach Programs will be enhanced. Small Business Development Centers will increase to $105 million, up from $87 million. The 950 SBDC offices around the country provided counseling to 600,665 businesses last year.
Women's Business Centers got $17 million, increased from $11.9 million. There are 95 Women’s Business Centers providing business assistance to socially and economically disadvantaged women and men (in 2007 WBCs helped 147,000 businesses).
A veterans entrepreneurship bill signed into law in February 2008 established a grant program for SBDCs to provide more information to veterans about small business resources, and now SBA’s Veterans Programs will be increased to $2.3 million (up from $743,000) and SBDCs to $3.25 million. Native American Outreach will increase $2 million (up from $730,000). U.S. Export Assistance Centers will increase to $8 million (from $6.4 million). These centers help small businesses compete and succeed in the global marketplace.
Contracting Programs and Assistance will be provided additional support as funding for SBA’s Procurement Center Representatives is increased to $11.6 million (from $6.6 million). PCRs monitor federal contracts and “break out” contracts for small firms. 7(j) Technical Assistance Program funding is increased to $5.5 million (from $1.5 million) and provides small disadvantaged businesses with training in financing, business development, management, accounting, and marketing.
HUBZones will increase $5 million (from $1 million). Historically Underutilized Business Zones create incentives for contracting with small firms to create jobs in underserved communities.
Of course, all of this has to pass the House and get signed into law by the President before it becomes reality.
The Griffin Method is a full service-consulting firm assisting businesses to compete for federal contracts. Their home page can be reached at http://www.thegriffinmethod.com/index.php .
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Friday, April 4, 2008
Cost of a penny
Did you know it costs $0.017 to make a penny? And it costs ten cents to make a nickel. This problem goes away when it comes to the higher denominations. The Mint wants the authority to adjust the metal content of the coins it manufactures without having to go to Congress and getting a law passed each time. I think it would be possible to pass a law granting them this authority and which would still provide restrictions which would ensure the proper value of the coins we use for trade.
We have been using promissory paper for decades. Why does our coinage have to be "worth" the same as the item that we are buying? It is even a pretense these days that we are getting a 50 cent item in exchange for a piece of metal worth 50 cents when we hand over a 50 cent coin.
As long as our coins are "pretty" and feel substantial enough (which is why aluminum probably would not do), oh, and can not be counterfeited easily, then that should be all that matters.
What does matter is the value of a dollar in the world of trade and markets. That value depends on the perceived value of our products and the strength of our economy.
I think we should go ahead and give the Mint the authority they are asking for to make the coins out of whatever metal they choose within certain restraints.
We have been using promissory paper for decades. Why does our coinage have to be "worth" the same as the item that we are buying? It is even a pretense these days that we are getting a 50 cent item in exchange for a piece of metal worth 50 cents when we hand over a 50 cent coin.
As long as our coins are "pretty" and feel substantial enough (which is why aluminum probably would not do), oh, and can not be counterfeited easily, then that should be all that matters.
What does matter is the value of a dollar in the world of trade and markets. That value depends on the perceived value of our products and the strength of our economy.
I think we should go ahead and give the Mint the authority they are asking for to make the coins out of whatever metal they choose within certain restraints.
Blogged with the Flock Browser
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Australia May Outlaw Laser Pointers
Doesn't the legislature in Australia have anything more important to deal with these days?
They were used against planes last week. I'm sure criminals also used cars in Australia last week. Will the country ban them next? On the other hand, I'm sick and tired of laser pointers myself. On the third hand, the cats of Australia will be terribly disappointed....
They were used against planes last week. I'm sure criminals also used cars in Australia last week. Will the country ban them next? On the other hand, I'm sick and tired of laser pointers myself. On the third hand, the cats of Australia will be terribly disappointed....
Blogged with the Flock Browser
Cubans savor new freedoms
In the last week, new President Raul Castro has legalized cell phone use for ordinary Cubans; granted Cubans access to previously off-limits tourist hotels; and legalized the sale within Cuba of microwaves, DVD players and personal computers. Cubans are welcoming the change, even if the costs are out of their reach.
Blogged with the Flock Browser
Thursday, January 10, 2008
What if they opened a school and nobody enrolled?
Concerned that not enough young people apply for jobs with the Federal Government, many people are discussing the establishment of an undergraduate academy along the lines of the military academies for the purpose of training future public service employees.
What I would like to know is why do they think that establishing a school would solve this problem. There are many excellent colleges and universities with established programs for instructions in the skills required to be a public servant. If these programs are not currently graduating enough qualified students, why would the creation of an additional school accomplish this?
The problem is not with the education establishment. As usual, it is with the federal government. Ask any young person who has thought of working for the government. If you were to graduate and you were offered two jobs, one with the federal government and one with the private sector, both with the same salary, and you were told that you could start work with the private firm in a month, but you would have to wait a year to work for the federal government while they checked your background, which job would you take? The hiring process for those trying to apply for a job with the federal government is in shambles. This is where they need to start working to solve the problem of getting the required number of employees. We definitely do not need to establish a tax-supported public service academy.
What I would like to know is why do they think that establishing a school would solve this problem. There are many excellent colleges and universities with established programs for instructions in the skills required to be a public servant. If these programs are not currently graduating enough qualified students, why would the creation of an additional school accomplish this?
The problem is not with the education establishment. As usual, it is with the federal government. Ask any young person who has thought of working for the government. If you were to graduate and you were offered two jobs, one with the federal government and one with the private sector, both with the same salary, and you were told that you could start work with the private firm in a month, but you would have to wait a year to work for the federal government while they checked your background, which job would you take? The hiring process for those trying to apply for a job with the federal government is in shambles. This is where they need to start working to solve the problem of getting the required number of employees. We definitely do not need to establish a tax-supported public service academy.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
"I Am Not Afraid" campaign
Downsize DC has an area on their web site which allows people to compose an email to their U.S. representatives telling them that Congress has overreacted to the events of 9/11.
To quote from the web site:
It might do some good to let your Congressional representatives know your opinion in this matter. I would recommend going to this web site and completing the email and sending it in. The web site makes it very easy to do. Just click on the title of this post to go to the site.
To quote from the web site:
There is really only one way to win a war on terrorism. Stop being afraid!
Achieving this victory does not require large armies, invasions, illegal spying, torture, detention camps, Kangaroo courts, or multi-billion dollar Congressional appropriations. Neither does it require us to shred the Bill of Rights or the Geneva Conventions. All it requires is a little backbone. And a little common sense.
The minute the first politician proposed the first imposition on the Bill of Rights, or the first call to invade Iraq, or the first request for large new bureaucracies to fight the anemic mosquito, the terrorists won, and we lost.
And they've been winning, and we've been losing, ever since.
Can we stop being afraid?
Can you?
It might do some good to let your Congressional representatives know your opinion in this matter. I would recommend going to this web site and completing the email and sending it in. The web site makes it very easy to do. Just click on the title of this post to go to the site.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Teen records interrogation - Detective may land in jail
A teen suspect's snap decision to secretly record his interrogation with an MP3 player has resulted in a perjury case against a veteran detective and a plea deal for the teen.
Unaware of the recording, Detective Christopher Perino insisted under oath at a trial in April that suspect Erik Crespo wasn't questioned about a shooting in the Bronx.
But the defense confronted the detective with a transcript it said proved he had spent more than an hour unsuccessfully trying to persuade Crespo to confess.
Perino was arraigned today on 12 counts of first-degree perjury and freed on bail.
It is getting easier to watch the watchers. We must insist on as much openness and transparency in government as possible. Police interrogation rooms should always been equipped with audio and video recording equipment, just like many police cars are these days.
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