City of Sacramento Online Survey for Utility Customers

The City of Sacramento Department of Utilities is seeking residential and commercial customer input on the department’s future services, programs and priorities.

The department provides city commercial water, sewer, drainage and related services, residential garbage, recycling, and solid waste services.    Increased federal and state mandates, including  water meters and water quality requirements, have left less discretionary funds for projects such as improvements to aging pipes. This in turn has impacted services offered to customers.

If you are a Sacramento city business or residential customer, please complete the survey by visiting http://www.YourUtilitiesYourVoice.com by October 3, 2011.  The department will also make presentations to community groups upon request.  For more information, please email info@yourutilitiesyourvoice.com. 

Stay Up-to-Date with EDD

It’s easier than ever to stay updated and informed abut programs and services offered by California’s Employment Development Department. 

Their FREE email subscription services provide the latest information about forms and publications, events, and announcements.  This includes:

·        Employment and Payroll Tax Information

·        Labor Market Information

·        Paid Family Leave Information

·        Workforce Investment Act and Wagner-Peyser Act.

To subscribe, go to the EDD home page at www.edd.ca.gov and select “Get E-mail Notices”, then select the option “I want to subscribe”.

FREE Tech Training for Small Biz & Start-Ups

Take your business to the next level with FREE technology training through California Resources and Training (CARAT). 
CARAT was founded in 1994 to integrate and build the capacity of the technical assistance industry in California. They will provide free technology training to small businesses through March 2012, covering topics such as:

·        Collaboration Management

·        Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

·        E-Marketing

·        E-Commerce

·        E-Procurement

·        Online Communications

·        Online Financial Management

·        Purchasing and Inventory Management

·        Website Development

·        Project Management Tools.

These trainings are designed for Existing Small Businesses, Home Based Businesses, Microenterprises, and Start Up Businesses. 
You can benefit by getting big business solutions for your small business, expanding your market presence, reaching new customers, managing operations, and making money through investment in technology. 

Visit http://www.caratnet.org for the training calendar featuring both web-based and classroom sessions near you.

October 1st: Celebrate Sacramento!

Don't miss Celebrate Sacramento, a FREE community festival presented by Assemblymember Roger Dickinson. 

This family-friendly event will be on Saturday, October 1, 2011, from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm, at the Florin Road Light Rail Station.  There will be live music and performances, arts and crafts, vendor booths, local cuisine, and kids' activities.

This is the festival's first year in South Sacramento, and the Florin Road Partnership is pleased to be a sponsor.

For more information, please call 916-446-7600 or visit www.CelebrateSacramentoFestivals.com.

Celebration Destination

Congratulations to Wienerschnitzel, the world's largest hot dog chain, on their 50th Anniversary!  Check out their der-licious menu at 2464 Florin Road, Sacramento, near 24th Street.

Are you a Florin Road corridor merchant or restaurant who is celebrating an anniversary this year?  We’d love to hear from you and give you a shout-out on our social media sites.  Email us at Florinroad@aol.com!

EDD Online Services for Employers

Did you know that the State of California’s Employment Development Department now offers expanded online services for employers and agents?  This includes:

·        Account balances and payment history

·        Viewing and printing returns electronically submitted after January 2011

·        Filing and amending returns

·        Viewing current rates for Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Employment  Training Tax (ETT)

·        Making debit or credit card payments for tax deposits and outstanding liabilities

·        Viewing correspondence sent by EDD

·        Granting or denying third party access to the account.

      Enrollment is required to use the service and Microsoft Silverlight 4 or higher must be installed on your computer.  Visit https://eddservices.edd.ca.gov to enroll.

FREE Business Webinars

Grow your business through a series of FREE webinars from Office Depot which feature industry experts.  Sessions run from 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm EST:

·        Tuesday, September 20, Finding Riches in Niches. Quick Start Keys to Success in Niche Marketing.  Presented by Susan Friedmann, bestselling author and niche marketing expert.

·        Tuesday, September 27, Planning for the Unexpected.  Presented by Ines Pierce, CEO of Pearce Global Partners, Inc.

·        Tuesday, October 4, Boost Your Sales.  Smart Tactics to Leverage the Power of Referrals.  Presented by Joanne Black, founder of No More Cold Calling.

·        Tuesday, October 11, Personalizing Your Pitch.  Pitching your business to different types of audiences.  Presented by Sam Horn, author of POP! and TongueFu!

For more information, or to register, please visit http://www.officedepot.com

Where Did YOU Shop Locally Today?

A July, 2011 national survey by American Express found that consumers say that about one-third of their discretionary spending is with independent local businesses.  Here are some more stats to get you to open your wallet:

Fifty-nine percent of respondents to a 2010 Intuit survey said they spend at least $100 a month at small businesses.  Ninety percent of the survey respondents said that small businesses are vital to the community and 65 percent wanted more small businesses in the area.

For every $100 spent in a locally owned independent business, $68 is returned to the community through taxes, payroll, and other operating expenses.

If just half the U.S. employed population spent $50 each week in a locally owned independent business, more than $42.6 billion in revenue would be generated. 

So, where did YOU shop locally today?

(Sources:  American Express, Intuit, The 3/50 Project, The Sacramento Bee, Sacramento Business Journal) 

9/22 Sacramento Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce Mixer

The Sacramento Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce and Union Bank are hosting an exciting networking event on Thursday, September 22, from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm at Union Bank, 700 L Street, Sacramento. 

Meet with local small business owners and find out about the Chamber's programs and services.  Admission is free for chamber members and $20 for non-members. 

Register online at http://www.sacasiancc.org/ or call the Chamber at 916-446-7883.

9/14 and 9/28 Community Partnership Meetings

The City of Sacramento is hosting a series of meetings to facilitate broad communication between the City and the community on issues, policies and priorities.  At this month’s Community Partnership Meetings, you can:

·         Meet the new City Manager

·         Find out about New Council District Boundaries

·         Learn how to create a Neighborhood Newsletter.

For Council District 8, the meeting is Wednesday, September 14, 2011 at the Pannell Meadowview Community Center, 2450 Meadowview Road, Sacramento.

For Council District 5, the meeting is Wednesday, September 28, 2011 at the Oak Park Community Center, 3415 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd, Sacramento.

The meetings are from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm.  Staff from the City of Sacramento’s Neighborhood Services Department will be available at 6:00 pm to assist you with your neighborhood questions and concerns.  For more information, please call 916-808-6789.

Help Launch a New Generation of Business Leaders

Junior Achievement of Sacramento is seeking business people to volunteer in the classroom. 

JA is a national organization that helps K-12 students with financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship skills.  The organization provides the curriculum and training but needs volunteers who can give a "real world" perspective.  The programs will be hosted at 13 schools this fall, primarily in El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento and Yolo counties. 

For more info, call Nelson at 916-480-2770, ext. 13 or visit http://www.jasac.org/.

North Franklin District Biz Assoc Annual Mtng

Our friends at the North Franklin District Business Association are holding their Annual Meeting this Friday, September 16 from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm.  The location is the Franklin Business Center, 7000 Franklin Boulevard, Suite 500, Sacramento.

The association will be recognizing numerous businesses who have been on the boulevard and in their district for over 50 years.  Several individuals and organizations who have helped the association and the community in general will also be honored. 

This is a popular event and seats go quickly, so reserve yours today by calling Kathy at 916-455-2124.

9/14 Social Media for Small Biz Workshop

Learn how your small business can benefit by using social media to build relationships with customers, drive traffic to events and products, create a positive buzz for your company, and more.   

Register for the "Social Media for Small Businesses" workshop offered by the Northeastern California Small Business Development Center - Greater Sacramento.  Topics will include Facebook, Twitter, Linked-in, and email marketing.  The cost is $40 and includes resource materials.

The workshop is Wednesday, September 14, 2011, from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm at the SBDC office at 1410 Ethan Way, Sacramento. 

Register at http://sbdc.net/workshops-and-registration.htm

FREE September Seminars for Businesses

Get two valuable topics in one FREE seminar from Paychex on Tuesday, September 13, 2011, from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm.  A continental breakfast will be served.  For seminar locations and reservations, visit www.paychex.com/localseminars or call toll free 1-877-321-8581.
Top HR Issues:

• Hiring Practices
• Fair Labor Standards Act
• Employee Handbooks
• Harassment
• Family and Medical Leave Act
• Workers' Compensation
• Employee Discipline and Termination
• Protected Activities and Retaliation

Safe Harbor for 401(k) Plans:

• Non-discrimination testing
• Employer options
• Tax-deductible employer contributions

Can't attend a local seminar?  Then check out Paychex's FREE Web seminars, both live and recorded at http://www.paychex.com/.

• What Every Business Should Know About 401(k) Plans, Thursday, September 15, 2011, 2:00 pm to 2:45 pm ET.  Topics include the basics of 401(k) plans, advantages for businesses and participants, steps to set up an effective plan, and how a third-party administrator can simplify the process.

• Navigating Health Insurance Options for Businesses, Wednesday, September 28, 2011, 2:00 pm to 2:45 pm ET.  Learn about whether group or individual insurance best meets your needs and budget, how offering health insurance can benefit you and your employees, and the key considerations for an effective health insurance plan.

Results of Florin Road Business Walk

The Florin Road Partnership and the City of Sacramento hosted the Florin Road Business Walk on May 19, 2011.  Fifty representatives visited nearly 165 businesses in our district asking owners and managers about their operations.  Here are some of the results:

Overall Business Conditions:
43% stated that their business is holding steady
14% stated that their business is doing well

What Merchants Like Most About the Florin Road Corridor:
49% said the area's clientele and demographics
33% said location
18% said proximity to restaurants, schools, and neighborhoods

To address the issues raised during this and other recent business walks in South Sacramento, the City of Sacramento along with the Florin Road Partnership, the Stockton Boulevard Partnership, and the Greater Sacramento Vietnamese-American Chamber of Commerce are partnering to present a business seminar this fall.  Further information will be posted soon on this blog and on our website at http://www.florinroad.com/.