What State is Your City In?

Join the Metro Chamber for the Twentieth Annual State of the City Address on Monday, January 30, 2012, from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm at the Sacramento Convention Center.  Mayor Kevin Johnson will highlight issues that are important to the region and the business community as well as the city's accomplishments and future goals.  Visit http://www.metrochamber.org/ for more information.

Employer Reporting Requirements for W-2 & EITC

The State of California Employment Development Department reminds employers that they are required to prepare a federal Wage & Tax Statement (Form W-2) for each employee. 

For the 2011 tax year, this form must be provided to employees by January 31, 2012 [per Section 13050 of the California Unemployment Insurance Code (CUIC)].  Employers who fail to provide a Form W-2 to each employee, or who furnish a false or fraudulent statement, are subject to penalties under the CUIC. 

Information about Form W-2 reporting requirements and instructions for completing the form can be found on the IRS website at http://www.irs.gov/ or by calling the IRS at 800-829-3676.

Employers are also required to notify their employees about the availability of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC).  For more information, please visit the IRS website or www.edd.ca.gov/Payroll_Taxes/Year-End_Notification_Requirements.htm.

(Disclaimer:  Information provided in this blog posting is not intended to be, nor should it be construed as, legal or financial advice.)

Monster Bus Rolls Into Southgate Plaza

Going to school was never this cool! 

Take a wild ride in the Monster Bus at Southgate Plaza (Florin & Franklin). 

And if you need some Dramamine, be sure to visit the new pharmacy at the nearby 99 Ranch Market.

Year of the Dragon Celebrations Rescheduled

Due to anticipated heavy rains, the Little Saigon Street Festival Parade and the TET Festival originally scheduled for Saturday, January 21, 2012 have both been rescheduled to Saturday, February 4, 2012. 

The parade will begin at 9 am at the intesection of Fruitridge Road and Stockton Boulevard and will end at the intersection of Florin Road and Stockton Boulevard at approximately 11:15 am.  The parade is free and open to the general public.

For more information, please visit www.gsvacc.org/events, email parade@gsvacc.org, or call Elise at 916-538-9624.

Your Input Needed! Upcoming Public Transportation Service Hearings

You're invited to participate in an upcoming hearing on unmet needs for public transportation services in Sacramento, Sutter, Yolo and Yuba counties and the Sacramento Regional Transit District. The hearings will be held:

Wednesday, February 15, 2012, 6:00 PM
Sacramento Regional Transit District Auditorium
1400 29th Street, Sacramento, CA

Transit Access: RT Routes 30, 38, 67, 68, and RT Light Rail (Gold Line)

 

Tuesday, February 21, 2012, 2:00 PM
Folsom-Hilton Garden Inn, Natoma Room A
221 Iron Point Road, Folsom, CA

Transit Access: Folsom Stage Line Route 10 and RT Light Rail (Gold Line)

 

Monday, February 27, 2012, 4:00 PM
Yuba County Government Center, Marysville Room
915 8th Street, Marysville, CA

Transit Access: Yuba-Sutter Transit Routes 1 and 4

 

Tuesday, February 28, 2012, 2:00 PM
City of Galt Council Chambers
380 Civic Drive, Galt, CA

Transit Access: SCT/Link General Public - Dial-a-Ride and Highway 99 Express

 

Wednesday, February 29, 2012, 6:00 PM
City of Davis Council Chambers
23 Russell Blvd., Davis, CA

Transit Access: Yolobus Route 42 and Unitrans Routes M & Q

 

Thursday, April 19, 2012, 9:00 AM
SACOG Board Room
1415 L Street, Suite 300, Sacramento, CA

Transit Access: RT Routes 30, 31, 62, RT Light Rail; Yolobus Route 42; and Yuba-Sutter Transit Arrive - Highway 70 or 99 Commuter Route, Return - Midday Route

 

 

Each year the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG), the regional transportation planning agency, seeks feedback on local transit services [including those offered by Regional Transit, e-tran and e-van, Folsom Stage Line, Paratransit, Inc., SCT/Link (South Sacramento County Transit), Yolobus and Yolo Special (paratransit), and Yuba-Sutter Transit]. 

 

SACOG asks if people need to make trips by transit but have difficulty because of issues like where transit goes or doesn't go, the schedule or cost. SACOG accepts unmet transit needs comments from any area in the counties of Sacramento, Sutter, Yolo and Yuba.  They want to know the transit needs that are most important to the public and about suggested changes that could provide improved public transportation services if/when funds become available.

For questions or more information, check out http://www.sacog.org/transit/unmet.cfm
or contact Barbara VaughanBechtold at SACOG at 916-340-6275 or bvaughanbechtold@sacog.org.

Cover Your Asphalt!

There are lots of reasons to CYA (Cover Your Asphalt) with shade:

·         Reduce pavement temperature by up to 36 degrees (wow!)

·         Decrease parking lot runoff containing hazardous oil, grease, and metals

·         Lower fuel tank temperatures up to 7 degrees and temperatures inside vehicles by up to 47 degrees (yow!)

·         Increase customer satisfaction and increase business profits by up to 12 percent.

A demonstration CYA project is in progress at the parking lot of Florin Road Bingo at 24^th Street and Florin Road in Sacramento.  Last month, 25 Chinese pistache trees were planted there and will be provided a regular water source until the trees are established.   

This is a joint effort of the Sacramento Tree Foundation and the Sacramento Metro Chamber’s 2011 Leadership Sacramento class.  In August they held a luau themed fundraiser at the bingo hall to raise funds for this project.  Once completed, the project will serve as an example that other businesses can emulate throughout the Sacramento region. 

The project is already receiving local recognition, having been featured in the September 2011 issue of Comstock’s Magazine and the August 12, 2011 edition of the Sacramento Business Journal.

Kudos to all the hardworking folks who coordinated this project!

New Tenants Coming to Florin Towne Centre

Word on the street is that some exciting changes are coming to Florin Towne Centre (the former Florin Mall):

Sizzler plans to open by early Spring of this year. (Keep your fingers crossed that this dry weather holds!) 

A restaurant is interested in the space formerly occupied by Eatza Pizza.  We hear that it's a new concept out of the San Francisco Bay Area.  Any guesses? (hint:  It's NOT pizza.)

And another soon-to-be-disclosed restaurant is looking to open at Florin Towne Centre.  (Wow, good thing the centre is also home to 24 Hour Fitness!)

Chase Bank plans to expand their presence in our business district by opening a second branch. Don't worry, we're told that the Chase branch at Southgate Plaza is doing well and plans to stay open.

Interior and exterior renovations are in the works for the Sears building.  (We're hearing that easier access to and from the rest of the centre is part of the plan.)

Look for holiday and community events throughout the year to draw shoppers to Florin Towne Centre.  (Yup, that means photo ops with the Easter Bunny and Santa!) 

Workplace Posting Obligations

Attention Business Owners and Managers -

Are you up-to-date with your workplace posting obligations?  State and federal regulations require employers to display various posters and notices to inform their employees of certain laws and regulations pertaining to employment and working conditions.  The posting are usually available at no cost from the requiring agency and can often be downloaded and printed online. 

Shown below are links to some of the required postings.  Please note that additional posting requirements apply to some workplaces.  Be sure to read the "frequently asked questions (FAQ)" pages at these sites for more information or contact each agency directly.  (Disclaimer:  This blog entry is not intended to be all-inclusive nor is it intended to offer legal advice.)

California Department of Industrial Relations:  http://www.dir.ca.gov/wpnodb.html

Cal/OSHA:  http://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/puborder.asp

California Employment Development Department:  http://www.edd.ca.gov/disability/Employer_Requirements.htm

For policyholders of State Compensation Insurance Fund:  http://www.statefundca.com/