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Calendar of Events
Upcoming events
- Van Buren Chamber - Classes for 2012(9 days)
- 2012 Ladies' Conference(9 days)
- 2012 Ladies' Conference(10 days)
- February 21, 2012 Business After Hours Hosted By Tim's Auto Body.(13 days)
- Leadercast 2012(86 days)
Special Ribbon Cutting on Tuesday!
Ribbon Cutting
Cozy Quilts
Tomorrow, Tuesday, July 26, 2011
10:00 am
10017 Silver Maple Drive *
Mulberry
479-997-5689
Beautiful cotton fabrics, quilting services and so much more.
Join us for delightful refreshments at this Grand Opening
How do I find Cozy Quilts & Things?
DRIVING DIRECTIONS:
From I-40, take exit 20 (Dyer/Mulberry) and turn left onto GeorgiaRidge
Georgia Ridge turns into Chastain
Turn Right onto Booth (which is a dirt road)
Turn Right onto Silver Maple Rd (you will drive up into her driveway)
There are signs for Cozy Quilts at every turning point
Van Buren Chamber of Commerce
Janie Simmons (cell phone number 479-285-1480)
A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS
Every six months the Chamber hosts a New Member Breakfast (or lunch). This is a networking event for our new members and gives them an opportunity to share information about their businesses and learn more about others. Our July New Member Breakfast had approximately 40 people in attendance. Thank you to Mayor Bob Freeman and to County Judge John Hall for being our special guests.
The event was made possible by our wonderful sponsors.
Benefit Bank
Consolidated Printing
Gary’s CollisionCenter
Lumber One
Pepper Source
SPMI
Simmons First National Bank
Swaim Office Products
Mark this one down!
August Business After Hours
BancorpSouth
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Taste of CrawfordCounty
August 9, 2011
Van Buren High School
11 a.m. – 1 p.m. or 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Benefiting CASA of CrawfordCounty
Tickets are $8 in advance or $ 10 at the door.
Call 474-4300 for more information.
Save the Date:
September 19, 2011
Forth Annual Chamber Golf Tournament
Eagle Crest Golf Course
New State Tax Laws Go Into Effect
The State Chamber/AIA wants you to be aware of three new state tax laws which we were instrumental in getting passed during the 88th General Assembly.
Two of the laws go into effect on Tuesday, July 26 and the other went into effect on Friday, July 1.
Act 861 – Statutory Changes in Law – Sets Minimum and Maximum Unemployment Insurance (UI) Benefits; Changes UI Eligibility Rules, Saving Employers $60 to $75 million annually. (Introduced by State Senator Jonathan Dismang and State Representative Davy Carter as SB 593). Effective Date: July 26, 2011.
Minimum Weekly Benefit Amount
- Currently indexed at 12 percent of average weekly wage.
- Effective 7-1-12: Displace indexing with fixed rate of $81.
Arkansas Department of Workforce Services (ADWS) estimated savings: $3.5 million
Maximum Weekly Benefit Amount
- Currently indexed at 66.6 percent of average weekly wage.
- Effective 7-1-12: Displace indexing with fixed rate of $451
ADWS estimated savings: $13.5 million
Weeks of eligibility to draw benefits from State Unemployment Insurance (UI) Fund
· Reduce from 26 weeks to 25 weeks.
ADWS estimated savings: $5.0 million
Qualifying and Requalifying Wages
· Increase from 27 times weekly benefit amount in two quarters to 35 times weekly benefit amount in two quarters.
ADWS estimated savings: $25.0 million
Disqualification for Misconduct
· Delay “sunset” of current disqualification.
· Currently disqualified until after 30 days of covered employment.
· Upon sunset, disqualification will return to eight-week disqualification.
ADWS estimated savings: $19.0 million
Disqualifications for Serious Misconduct
- Includes dishonesty, willful violation of safety rules, intoxication, failing drug test.
- Currently at 10-week disqualification.
- Disqualification will continue until claimant earns 35 times weekly benefit amount in two quarters.
ADWS estimated savings: No estimate
Disqualification for Refusal to Accept Suitable Job Offer
- Currently an eight-week disqualification.
- Disqualification will continue until claimant has 30 days of covered employment.
ADWS estimated savings: $0.5 million
Definitions of Misconduct
- Misconduct is violation of any behavioral standard vis-à-vis a performance standard.
- Poor job performance can be misconduct.
- Attendance can be misconduct.
ADWS estimated savings: No estimate
Act 754 of 2011 – An Act to Decrease the Sales and Use Tax on Natural Gas and Electricity Used by Manufacturers (introduced by State Senator Bill Sample and State Representative Lane Jean). Effective Date: July 1, 2011
Overview. The Arkansas sales and use tax rate on electricity and natural gas used in an “actual manufacturing process” has been reduced since 2007, as follows:
Date State Tax Rate
Before July 1, 2007 6.0%
July 1, 2007-June 30, 2008 4.5%
July 1, 2008-June 30, 2009 4.0%
July 1, 2009-June 30, 2011 3.25%
New Rate Relief. Act 754 of 2011 further reduces the state tax rate as follows:
Effective July 1, 2011 2.75%
Qualifying Manufacturers. In order to qualify, a manufacturer must still fall within NAICS Sections 31, 32 or 33 or fall within the new category of manufacturers qualifying for relief described below.
Qualifying Uses. No change. Only electricity and natural gas used to power machinery and equipment or provide energy used in actual production or assembly or to support actual production or assembly qualify for the reduced rate. See DFA Rule 2007-5 “Reduced Sales Tax Rate for Natural Gas or Electricity Used Directly in the Manufacturing Process.”
Application and Compliance Process. No change.
· File Form ET-185 ARC Reduced Rate Application/Recertification.
· Direct Pay Permit holders remit at correct rate with monthly excise tax returns.
· Other qualifying manufacturers either make arrangements to remit correct tax rate through their utilities or file DFA Form ET-185 R Application for Refund of Overpayment for excess taxes collected by utilities on sales.
Rate Relief for Electric Generators. Act 754 of 2011 also expands the definition of manufacturers qualifying for rate relief to include generators of electric power that fall within NAICS Section 22, and use natural gas to operate a new or existing electric generating facility using combined-cycle gas turbine technology. For these generators only, the tax rate on natural gas and electricity used to operate the combined cycle turbine facility will be as follows:
Date State Tax Rate
Before January 1, 2012 6.0%
Jan. 1, 2012-Dec. 31, 2012 5.25%
Jan. 1, 2013-Dec. 31, 2013 4.25%
Effective Jan. 1, 2014 2.75%
Effective Date. The Act is effective July 1, 2011.
Act 585 of 2011 – An Act to Expedite Administrative Tax Appeals and Promote Access to Justice (introduced by State Senator Jake Files as SB 332). Effective Date: July 26, 2011.
Hearings on Appeals. The primary purpose of the Act is to shorten the increasing period of time between filing an administrative appeal with the Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) and the administrative hearing. The Act makes the following changes in procedure:
· The Act requires DFA to promptly deliver all tax protests filed with the Department to the Office of Hearings and Appeals for docketing and scheduling. In the past, protests were first assigned to a DFA attorney and the timing of any further action depended on the attorney’s schedule.
· If it is not possible for the hearing officer to hold a hearing and issue a decision within 180 days after the protest is filed for reasons beyond the taxpayer’s control, all interest will automatically be waived from the date of filing the protest until the date of final assessment.
Director Review. Under present law, the Director of DFA also has authority to reverse hearing decisions and there has been no time limit on such action.
· The Act requires the Director to act on requests for revision within 60 days after a request for revision is filed, by either the taxpayer or Revenue Legal Counsel.
· The Act also authorizes the Director to hold supplemental proceedings on a request for revision.
Judicial Review. Finally, the Act provides that a taxpayer may be awarded reasonable attorney fees if the Director reverses a hearing decision, a court reverses the action of the Director, and the court finds the Director’s revision was without a reasonable basis in law and fact.
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