OH: Ohio OKs casinos
Battered by a grim economy, job-hungry Ohioans approved casinos for Columbus and three other cities yesterday.
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Archive of Economy & Business on Wednesday November 04, 2009
OH: Ohio OKs casinos
Battered by a grim economy, job-hungry Ohioans approved casinos for Columbus and three other cities yesterday. Read More
FL: McCollum says Expedia, Orbitz cheated state, local governments out of tax revenue
Attorney General Bill McCollum filed suit Tuesday against two leading Internet travel firms, accusing Expedia and Orbitz of cheating the state and local governments out of millions of dollars in sales tax revenues from online hotel bookings. Read More
AK: State says it's keeping close eye on gas line project
State officials said Tuesday that they are closely monitoring a major pipeline company's progress on a North Slope gas line to ensure the state's multimillion-dollar stake in the project is well-spent. Read More
AL: Tea Party rally against health care bill scheduled for Wednesday
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. -- Huntsville's Tea Party movement is planning another rally Wednesday to protest proposed government-run health care. Read More
AL: Riley blasts claim of impending Indian casino bingo monopoly
The suggestion that Gov. Bob Riley's efforts to prohibit electronic bingo could leave Indian casinos with a statewide monopoly on the machines is a "baldfaced lie," Riley wrote in a letter to lawmakers last week. Read More
AL: Sparks -- banned substance found in imported fish
Alabama Agriculture and Industries Commissioner Ron Sparks says some fish being imported into Alabama have tested positive for a banned substance. Read More
AL: PSC approves Alabama Power rate cut for small businesses
Thousands of small businesses that rely on Alabama Power Co. will get a break on their electric bills in the new year. Savings for other customers may also be ahead. Read More
AL: UA loses trademark case against football game painter
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- A federal judge has ruled that artist Daniel Moore did not violate trademark laws by painting scenes of some of the most famous plays in Universi?ty of Alabama football history without licensing the work through the university. Read More
AR: State revenue falls in October
State general revenue fell $31.6 million in October compared with October 2008, the 10th month in the past 11 in which tax collections dropped in comparison with a year earlier, according to data released Tuesday by the state. Read More
AR: Report -- Stimulus funds saved or created 2,633 jobs in state
Federal stimulus funds have saved or created 2,633 jobs in Arkansas, according to a state report released today. Read More
AR: SWEPCO Asks for $17.8 Million Rate Increase
Southwestern Electric Power Co. Is asking the Arkansas Public Service Commission for a $17.8 million rate increase. Read More
AR: http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2009/nov/04/ahtd-announces-lane-closure-bridge-inspection/?news
MAUMELLE, Ark. -- State highway officials say motorists traveling between Mayflower and Maumelle on U.S. 365 should be alert to possible traffic backups on the highway for a couple of days. Read More
AR: $112 million in stimulus cash spent by state, report finds
Arkansas officials say more than a third of the $322 million federal stimulus money the state received this year has been spent. Read More
CA: Environmental groups turn in paperwork for DMV fee to fund California state parks
Hoping to break the recent cycle of proposed state parks closures, a coalition of California environmental groups took the first major step Tuesday toward qualifying a measure for next November's ballot that would roughly double the state parks budget by imposing a new annual fee on vehicle registration. Read More
CA: Water plan has local goodie
A nonprofit tolerance center in midtown Sacramento, championed by state Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, could get a vital economic boost from an unlikely source: a mammoth $10 billion water bond proposal. Read More
CO: GOP gubernatorial rivals outline what Colorado needs
Republican Scott McInnis won't debate his GOP rivals for fear it will damage party unity, but Tuesday night the former congressman challenged Democratic Gov. Bill Ritter to a series of debates. Read More
CO: Colorado's vast beetle-kill pine forests threaten power grid
One of the least-publicized aspect of the mountain pine bark beetle epidemic, which has decimated nearly 2 million acres of trees in Colorado, is the threat it poses to the region's power grid. Read More
CT: State needs $900 million to cover unemployment
The state government is expected to borrow upwards of $900 million from the federal government to cover unemployment checks for the jobless. Read More
CT: Vaccine distributor responds to Blumenthal inquiry on price gouging
A medical distributor on Tuesday said that his company did not receive enough seasonal flu vaccine to completely fill an order in Connecticut, and that demand for the vaccine in the Northeast and elsewhere has been sky-high. Read More
GA: Auditors -- MARTA made $119 million on lease deals
MARTA has made $119 million so far from transactions that officials recently feared would cost the agency a fortune, according to a special report that state auditors released this week. Read More
HI: Lawmakers advocate renegotiating teacher contract to restore cut days
A prominent House Democrat joined a group of minority Republicans calling for all sides to return to the bargaining table to restore public school days being cut because of state worker furloughs. Read More
HI: Disabled facing 33% benefit cut
Four months into the fiscal year, the state is cutting the monthly cash benefit to 5,055 poor, temporarily disabled people by a third — to $300 — so the program won't run out of money before June. Read More
HI: Groups want special session to cancel Furlough Fridays
With House Democrats set to caucus tomorrow, parent groups are peppering legislators with phone calls pushing for a special session to restore funding for education and stop Furlough Fridays at public schools. Read More
HI: Maui Land dropping pineapple production
Hawaii will be left with just one big grower of pineapple, Dole Food Co., and a handful of small farms next month when Maui Land & Pineapple ends production of what was once the state's single biggest cash crop. Read More
IA: Iowa school funding faces $543 million challenge
Gov. Chet Culver and legislative budget architects will face a $543 million gap in funding for K-12 public schools when they begin assembling a fiscal 2011 spending plan next session. Read More
IA: Lottery won't propose video gambling
Iowa Lottery Chief Executive Terry Rich said Tuesday he won't lobby state lawmakers to return video gambling machines to retail outlets, but he'll offer advice if it's requested during the coming legislative session. Read More
IA: Culver switches up staff, names new spokeswoman
A spokesman for Iowa Gov. Chet Culver is heading to a new job at the state's education department and the economic development spokeswoman who had to deal with reporters' questions on the film tax credit scandal will now speak for Culver. Read More
ID: Some small business owners say economy getting worse
A survey of small business owners in the United States shows that small businesses continue to struggle despite increasing optimism on Wall Street. Read More
ID: Idaho lawmakers meet Wednesday on health reform
Congress might not vote on health care legislation until 2010, but that hasn't stopped Idaho lawmakers from debating the issue - and how the state should respond, if something actually is passed. Read More
IL: New state law allows for more tinted windows, but not as dark
Workers at window-tinting shops say they're gearing up for a surge in business because of a new state law that lets Illinois motorists drive a car with more tinted windows than ever. Read More
IL: Foreclosure filings spike in collar counties
Once commonly viewed as a problem affecting low-income urban neighborhoods, new data show the greatest percentage increases in foreclosures are occurring not within the city of Chicago, where they declined during the third quarter, but in the suburban collar counties, which are using their limited means to help residents. Read More
IL: Warren Buffett buys Burlington Northern for $34B
Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc. on Tuesday agreed to buy Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp., a mainstay of Chicago's freight rail industry, making a $34 billion bet on the future of the U.S. economy. Read More
IL: Freight expectations -- Warren Buffett goes 'all-in' with $34B bet on railroads and the economy
NEW YORK -- The biggest name in investing is making what he calls an "all-in wager" on the U.S. economy — $34 billion to own a railroad that hauls everything from corn to cars across the country. Read More
IN: Putting the squeeze on state office space
More than 1,000 state employees will relocate under the state's office consolidation plan in the next two years. Read More
KS: Parkinson -- Feds need to solve power line problem
More federal guidance is needed if Kansas — and the rest of the country — is to build the transmission lines needed to carry wind energy and meet growing energy demands. Read More
KS: Kansas, Washington back Boeing for tanker contract
With hundreds of new jobs at stake, Kansas officials are keeping an eye on the competition for an Air Force contract to build a new refueling plane. Read More
KS: State Board of Education to review budgets, studies on district consolidation
The State Board of Education is scheduled next week to hear several updates on financing Kansas' 293 school districts. Read More
KY: Beshear: 34 new jobs for mine safety, permitting
DEBORD, Ky. — The state will hire 15 mine-safety inspectors and 19 mine permit application reviewers to clear backlogs in those offices, Gov. Steve Beshear announced Tuesday. Read More
KY: 'Yes' and 'no' vote on alcohol sales in Pike Co.
PIKEVILLE, Ky. -- Voters in Coal Run Village, on U.S. 23 just north of Pikeville, approved a ballot measure that would allow alcohol to be sold by the drink, only in conjunction with a meal purchase, at restaurants that have 50 seats or more and derive 70 percent of their revenue from food sales, said Pike Deputy Clerk Pam King. Read More
LA: Panel hears 'slush fund' criticisms, defenses
State Treasurer John Kennedy pushed Tuesday to purge legislators' special projects from the state budget. Read More
MA: Families seek coverage for hearing aids
Health insurance companies in Massachusetts are not required to pick up the cost of children's hearing aids, but if Josephine Lee of Georgetown and other parents have their way, that's going to change. Read More
MD: State hopes to update child support guidelines
BALTIMORE, Md. -- Maryland's child support guidelines are based on economic data from the 1970s -- something the state Department of Human Resources hopes to change next year. Read More
MD: Annapolis considers 'renewable energy park'
BALTIMORE, Md. -- Hoping to make some green out of going green, Annapolis officials are weighing an ambitious plan to convert an old municipal dump into a "renewable energy park" that would generate enough electricity to supply all of the power the state capital consumes, using landfill gas, yard waste and the sun's rays for fuel. Read More
MD: Constellation, EDF moving forward with nuclear sale
Constellation Energy and Electricite de France are moving quickly to close their nuclear power deal under conditions imposed by the state Public Service Commission, including a $100 rebate for Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. ratepayers. Read More
ME: HUD -- No federal funds used in Brewer land deal
BREWER, Maine — A U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development review of the financial books at Brewer Housing Authority revealed that only local revenues were used in a recent land purchase between the housing authority and its former board chairman. Read More
MI: GM reports U.S. sales rose 4.1%; Lansing-made crossovers do well
It was the first year-over-year gain since January 2008. Read More
MI: Granholm warns of 20% budget cuts
Gov. Jennifer Granholm warned Tuesday of a possible 20% cut in state spending next year, a draconian step after billions in cuts since 2003 already have dented police and fire services, pushed schools toward insolvency and reduced oversight of prison inmates. Read More
MS: University merger talks
Private discussions of potential university mergers continue among lawmakers as the 2010 legislative session approaches, but some leaders are hoping to quash any actual consideration of a proposal. Read More
MS: Making schools healthier -- State taking great strides
Pine Belt school officials say their districts have played a vital part in Mississippi's efforts to stop selling fatty foods and beverages in public schools. Read More
MS: Miss. arts figures picked for honor
Bluesman David "Honeyboy" Edwards, 94, a Shaw native who took Mississippi's music around the world yet still brings it home, will be recognized for lifetime achievement by the state's highest arts honor in February. Read More
MT: Hathaway aid may not go as far
The Hathaway Scholarship Fund dollars won't stretch as far as they do now if the University of Wyoming Board of Trustees approves a tuition increase, key legislators say. Read More
MT: Panel actions impact school districts
A legislative committee voted Tuesday for no increase in the cost-of-living adjustment for the state's K-12 public schools for next year. Read More
MT: Montana Supreme Court rules against injured workers in multimillion-dollar case
The Montana Supreme Court Tuesday upheld a state law cutting off workers' compensation benefits for injured, disabled workers at retirement age. Read More
MT: Montana political, ag leaders want lower shipping rates from new BNSF owner Buffett
Some Montana political and agricultural leaders said Tuesday they hope the state's farmers will see lower grain shipping rates as a result of the purchase of Burlington Northern Santa Fe by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Read More
NC: Poultry giant cuts deal
Columbia Farms will pay a $1.5 million fine and will be required to change its hiring practices under an agreement that will allow it to avoid a criminal conviction on federal immigration charges. Read More
NC: Funeral board failed to keep minutes
The N.C. Board of Funeral Service didn't keep minutes of its closed sessions as required by state law, according to a report released Tuesday by the state Auditor's Office. Read More
NC: Wright's conviction is upheld
RALEIGH -- The N.C. Court of Appeals has upheld the conviction of former state Rep. Thomas E. Wright on three felony counts of obtaining property by false pretenses for taking out a fraudulent bank loan and depositing contributions intended for charity into his personal bank account. Read More
NC: Rules would help avoid foreclosure
The N.C. Office of the Commissioner of Banks has proposed new regulations that would stop foreclosure once a homeowner asks for a loan modification. Read More
ND: No local impact is expected with Buffett's purchase
Getting purchased by one of the world's most successful investors wins some attention for a company, but BNSF 's new ownership should not have an immediate impact on the railroad. Read More
ND: More North Dakotans report income of $1M or more
More North Dakota residents reported incomes of $1 million or more last year thanks to the state's booming oil patch. Read More
ND: Jobs are out there — if you're qualified
Though North Dakota's unemployment rate may be half the national figure, the state, like the national job market, has to find qualified people to fill good-paying career jobs that are in demand. Read More
NE: Committee discusses budget shortfall as special session looms
The Appropriations Committee's two-hour talk, a day before the start of the session, was as much about the long term as the short-term fix. Read More
NE: Nature center hires program coordinator
ALMA, Neb. -- The Nebraska Nature & Visitor Center has hired Dan Glomski as its program coordinator. Glomski, former curator of astronomy at Hastings Museum, has more than 20 years of experience in providing science-based programming. Read More
NE: Attorneys say BSDC suit should be dismissed
A federal lawsuit filed by guardians of residents moved from a troubled center for the developmentally disabled doesn't prove rights violations and should be dismissed, attorneys for the state argued in court documents filed this week. Read More
NE: Commodity board advocates up in arms
Gov. Dave Heineman and the Nebraska Farm Bureau Federation are often on the same page in their policy preferences. Read More
NH: Revenue misses state's target
State revenue continues to come in slightly below the Legislature's predictions. Read More
NJ: How Corzine lost
Gov Corzine never quite fit the profile of a white knight — not with the beard and the bald spot and the predilection for sweater vests — but when he rolled into office four years ago, he seemed a better bet than most to tame New Jersey's runaway spending and property taxes. Read More
NJ: Budget gap will haunt new leader
New Jersey's new chief executive, Governor-elect Chris Christie, will once again face record high property taxes — what voters say is the state's most pressing issue — all the while trying to balance a state budget already projected to be $8 billion short. Read More
NJ: Open space question passes
Voters on Tuesday narrowly decided the state should take on $400 million more in debt to preserve open space, despite state budget cuts and the dismal economy. Read More
NM: State budget crisis -- Capital outlay projects face freeze
Gov. Bill Richardson's administration has canceled grants and agreements between local governments and the state Department of Finance and Administration for capital outlay projects, causing concern among city officials about what will happen to their ongoing projects. Read More
NM: Another round for state booze tax?
When lawmakers return to Santa Fe in January to consider ways to cover the state's budget deficit, one likely target is raising taxes on alcoholic beverages. Read More
NV: Nevada judge approves Wal-Mart wages settlement
LAS VEGAS — Wal-Mart Stores Inc. received final approval on Monday of a settlement in which it will pay between $65 million and $85 million to resolve wage-and-hour violations alleged by millions of workers. Read More
OH: Statewide measures
A look at how the statewide measures fared in each of Ohio's 88 counties. Read More
OH: Livestock-care board, help for veterans sail through
Ohio voters agreed yesterday to create a state board to protect the state's $93 billion-a-year agribusiness industry and overwhelmingly approved giving $200 million in bonuses to military veterans. Read More
OH: Ohio receives energy-efficiency stimulus grants
Ohio is getting nearly $30.5 million in federal stimulus money to improve energy efficiency in the industrial sector, officials announced today. Read More
OH: Strickland to Senate -- Get moving
The Ohio Senate should stop dawdling and either pass a House-approved bill to balance the state budget by delaying an income-tax cut or propose a viable alternative, Gov. Ted Strickland said today. Read More
OH: FirstEnergy CEO Anthony Alexander predicts rising electricity bills
CLEVELAND -- Electricity prices in northern Ohio are lower today than they have been in years. But don't count on them staying that way. Read More
OH: Livestock-care board, help for veterans sail through
Ohio voters agreed yesterday to create a state board to protect the state's $93 billion-a-year agribusiness industry and overwhelmingly approved giving $200 million in bonuses to military veterans. Read More
OK: Lawmakers seek funding answers for Oklahoma seniors
On the eve of a state Capitol rally expected to attract more than 100 older Oklahomans, legislators scurried Tuesday to suggest ways to restore cuts to some senior nutrition programs. Read More
OK: Edmond safety course goes statewide
EDMUND, OKla. -- Grant money will go to purchase a truck and trailer to be used for a mobile classroom, 2 motorcycles and overtime pay for the officers to travel across the state to teach motorcyclists. Read More
OR: Oregon curbs controversial tax breaks for wind and solar firms
Oregon energy officials released new rules Tuesday aimed at curbing a controversial state program that grants lucrative tax subsidies for wind, solar and other renewable power plants. Read More
OR: Falling gas prices help Northwest Natural boost profits
Despite the economic slowdown's depressing effect on customer demand, Northwest Natural Gas Co. has been able to boost profits this year by purchasing gas for far less than it forecasted last fall. Read More
PA: Nutter, Rendell blast SEPTA union for surprise strike
As hundreds of thousands of commuters and schoolchildren braced for a second day without public transit, Gov. Rendell and Mayor Nutter chastised union leaders for calling the surprise predawn strike. Read More
PA: Tuition could increase 4 percent for State System students
A tuition increase of up to 4 percent affecting 117,000 students at the 14 state-owned universities could occur next fall under budgetary plans approved yesterday by the State System of Higher Education. Read More
PA: Universities to ask state for $483 million
The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education will ask Gov. Ed Rendell to approve $483 million for the 14 state-owned universities for 2010-11, a spokesman said Tuesday. Read More
PA: Universities say table-games lag may impact tuition
Pennsylvania State, Temple, and two other state-related universities said yesterday that the delay in approving table-games legislation in Harrisburg could affect tuition rates, starting in January. Read More
RI: New R.I. law banning indoor prostitution leads some spas to close
Word that Rhode Island's governor signed legislation Tuesday afternoon to outlaw indoor prostitution traveled quickly through the state's community of sex workers, leaving many of the women who work at Asian "spas" on edge and their employers angry and without customers. Read More
SD: BNSF deal raises consolidation fears
South Dakota's largest freight rail carrier, Burlington Northern Santa Fe, soon will be part of Warren Buffett's marquee holding company, Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Read More
TN: Per diem rises 8.1% for Tenn. legislators
Tennessee legislators will get another $14 a day in expenses as they come to the Capitol to wrestle with drastic state budget cuts that could force layoffs. Read More
TN: TBI wants local police to pay for lab tests
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation wants to start charging local police agencies for testing done at the state's crime labs. Read More
TN: Stimulus hides TN budget woes; departments face up to 9 percent cuts
The stock market is up. The federal government is spending. The economy appears to be growing. But Gov. Phil Bredesen is asking state departments to cut their budgets by as much as 9 percent next year, a move that probably will trigger another round of layoffs and curb some services. Read More
TX: From college cash to beach access, 11 amendments pass
Texas voters took a modest but significant step Tuesday toward lifting more of the state's public universities into the ranks of major national research institutions by approving a constitutional amendment freeing up about $500 million from a dormant higher education account. Read More
TX: Measure to protect Bullis passes
With lackluster voter turnout, Texans approved a constitutional amendment written with Fort Sam Houston's Camp Bullis in mind. Read More
TX: Democrat joins gubernatorial race, says he'll spend $10 million in primary
Houston hair care executive Farouk Shami said Tuesday that he's definitely running for governor and that he'll put in $10 million for the Democratic primary alone. Read More
US: White House tally appears to overstate stimulus jobs
The number of jobs the Obama administration credits to federal stimulus money could be overstated by at least 20,000 of the 640,000 claimed, a Wall Street Journal analysis found. Read More
UT: House panel OKs bill to ban importing foreign N-waste
A House subcommittee endorsed Tuesday a bill to ban importing foreign, low-level radioactive waste — which would block an EnergySolutions proposal to import 20,000 tons of it from Italy, process it in Tennessee and dump it in Utah's western desert. Read More
UT: State senator says initiative would force him out
A leading Utah state senator with nearly 30 years in the Legislature says he will be forced out of office if a citizen initiative on legislative ethics passes. Read More
VT: SEA, NEA rip state's use of high-priced consultant
Two of the state's largest unions criticized the Douglas Administration Tuesday for inking a high-dollar contract with a Connecticut consulting firm at a time when fiscal woes have led to the recent layoffs of at least 25 state employees. Read More
WA: Eyman's latest proposal failing by healthy margin
Tim Eyman's revenue-cap measure, Initiative 1033, was losing by double digits with half of the votes counted statewide Tuesday evening. Read More
WI: Wis. Republicans rail against insurance provisions
Republican legislators are trying to muster support for a bill that would repeal new minimum car insurance levels. Read More
WV: State predicts $100 million budget shortfall
Lagging tax revenues are threatening West Virginia state government with a budget deficit, but Gov. Joe Manchin does not yet plan to lay off public workers, ax programs or raise taxes to keep the books balanced. Read More
WV: W.Va. receives $9.6M to improve energy efficiency
U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced the state's share of more than $38 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds on Tuesday. Read More
WV: Lawmakers praise changes at DHHR, hope more on way
Several state lawmakers on Tuesday praised West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources Secretary Patsy Hardy for making personnel moves at the agency, saying they hope the shuffle signals that more changes are in store. Read More
WY: Index points to higher unemployment
Wyoming is expected to continue feeling an economic downdraft in the months ahead. Read More
High court might review employer sanctions
The ability of Arizona to go after companies that hire undocumented workers could depend on the views of the Obama administration. Read More
Spending limits, gambling top fiscal 2009 ballot measures
 The national spotlight may be focused Nov. 3 on elections for governor in New Jersey and Virginia, but voters elsewhere could take action to profoundly change the way their states get and spend taxpayers’ money.
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Weekly wrap: Rating agency slams Conn. on borrowing
Agency lowers Conn. credit outlook; federal broadband grants will be delayed a month; and confusion continues on stimulus job claims. Read More |
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