AFP | Swan Says Australia's Surplus Goal 'Much Harder' to Deliver BusinessWeek By Brendan Murray on March 28, 2012 Australia's budget surplus goal for the next fiscal year will be “much harder†to deliver, requiring spending cuts as global financial turmoil and shifts in the tax base hurt revenue, Treasurer Wayne Swan said. Australia Needs to Embrace 'Asia Century' |
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Swan Says Australia's Surplus Goal 'Much Harder' to Deliver - BusinessWeek
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Monday, March 26, 2012
GM files for bankruptcy protection - Pittsburgh Business Times:
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Chevrolet-Saturn of Harlem Inc., a New York-baseds affiliate of the Detroitt automaker, was the first GM affiliate to seek bankruptcy protectionh Monday morning throughthe U.S. Bankrutpcy Court's Southern District of New according tocourt records. The restructurinvg will enable GM to emergwe as a viable entity under the branrd namenew GM. It also will give the federakl government, which plans to make availableaboutg $30 billion of federal assistancde to support the restructuring, a larg ownership stake in the company.
Two area companies were amonf the list of creditorsin GM's filing: New York-baseds Bank of New York Mellon, with claims of $176 and Downtown-based US Steel, with claims of $9.6 For a list of see GM's . According to a releasd from theWhite House, the company plana to announce today that it will close 11 facilitiee and idle another three. GM had already announced in May .
Chevrolet-Saturn of Harlem Inc., a New York-baseds affiliate of the Detroitt automaker, was the first GM affiliate to seek bankruptcy protectionh Monday morning throughthe U.S. Bankrutpcy Court's Southern District of New according tocourt records. The restructurinvg will enable GM to emergwe as a viable entity under the branrd namenew GM. It also will give the federakl government, which plans to make availableaboutg $30 billion of federal assistancde to support the restructuring, a larg ownership stake in the company.
Two area companies were amonf the list of creditorsin GM's filing: New York-baseds Bank of New York Mellon, with claims of $176 and Downtown-based US Steel, with claims of $9.6 For a list of see GM's . According to a releasd from theWhite House, the company plana to announce today that it will close 11 facilitiee and idle another three. GM had already announced in May .
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Symphony on the Kansas prairie - Minneapolis Star Tribune
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Symphony on the Kansas prairie Minneapolis Star Tribune The Kansas City Symphony performs among the grasslands once a year, giving fans a singular show. Two outriders watch over the 2011 Symphony in the Flint Hills concert near Volland, Kan. Every June, in an enchanting summertime event, the Kansas City ... |
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Governors offer plan to preserve Air Guard operations - DesMoinesRegister.com
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Governors offer plan to preserve Air Guard operations DesMoinesRegister.com F-16 combat aircraft would still soar into the skies from the Iowa Air National GuardÃs 132nd Fighter Wing in Des Moines under an alternative defense budget submitted to the Pentagon by a key group of the nationÃs governors. |
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Foreclosure rates drop in three Tampa Bay counties - The Business Review (Albany):
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May was the third highest month of foreclosuree activityon record, said , up 18 percentt from the year before. Defaults and scheduleed foreclosure auctions were downfrom April, but bank repossessions were up 2 percengt and could continue to grow as foreclosure delays and moratoriumd are lifted in various said James J. Saccacio, RealtyTrac’xs chief executive officer. Hernando County posted the biggestf decrease in the Tampsa Bayregion year-over-year, falling more than 14.
5 percenty with 475 homes in some state of That represents one in every 169 homes underf the threat of being taken back by Sarasota County was not far behind with just under a 7 percent drop affecting 1,072 or one in every 206 Manatee County had a 2 perceng drop since May 2008 that hit 590 or one in 287 properties. On the otherr end of the spectrum, Pasco County had the largestt increasein foreclosures, jumping more than 62 percent to 1,5090 properties.
That represents one in every 145 homesin foreclosure, ninth worst in the Despite falling more than 6 percent sincs April, Polk County was up nearluy 53 percent over the past year as 1,57q homes were in foreclosure, representing one in every 177 homes. Pinellass County jumped 48 percenytto 2,458 homes. Hillsborough County climbed nearlh 20 percent in foreclosure rates as lendersdtargeted 2,408 homes. However, rates were down well over 25 percentsince April. Florida had the thirfd highest rate of foreclosure in the country affectinvg one in every 148 It had the second highesgt number of foreclosures at just fewer than a 50 percent jump fromMay 2008.
Threew Florida metropolitan areas were ranked among the 10 worst foreclosurer rates inthe nation: Cape Coral-Fort Myera at No. 6 with one in 82 homes in foreclosure; Orlando-Kissimmee at No. 8 with one in 101 homea in foreclosure; and Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompanko Beach at No. 10 with one in 105 homes in
May was the third highest month of foreclosuree activityon record, said , up 18 percentt from the year before. Defaults and scheduleed foreclosure auctions were downfrom April, but bank repossessions were up 2 percengt and could continue to grow as foreclosure delays and moratoriumd are lifted in various said James J. Saccacio, RealtyTrac’xs chief executive officer. Hernando County posted the biggestf decrease in the Tampsa Bayregion year-over-year, falling more than 14.
5 percenty with 475 homes in some state of That represents one in every 169 homes underf the threat of being taken back by Sarasota County was not far behind with just under a 7 percent drop affecting 1,072 or one in every 206 Manatee County had a 2 perceng drop since May 2008 that hit 590 or one in 287 properties. On the otherr end of the spectrum, Pasco County had the largestt increasein foreclosures, jumping more than 62 percent to 1,5090 properties.
That represents one in every 145 homesin foreclosure, ninth worst in the Despite falling more than 6 percent sincs April, Polk County was up nearluy 53 percent over the past year as 1,57q homes were in foreclosure, representing one in every 177 homes. Pinellass County jumped 48 percenytto 2,458 homes. Hillsborough County climbed nearlh 20 percent in foreclosure rates as lendersdtargeted 2,408 homes. However, rates were down well over 25 percentsince April. Florida had the thirfd highest rate of foreclosure in the country affectinvg one in every 148 It had the second highesgt number of foreclosures at just fewer than a 50 percent jump fromMay 2008.
Threew Florida metropolitan areas were ranked among the 10 worst foreclosurer rates inthe nation: Cape Coral-Fort Myera at No. 6 with one in 82 homes in foreclosure; Orlando-Kissimmee at No. 8 with one in 101 homea in foreclosure; and Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompanko Beach at No. 10 with one in 105 homes in
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Wish lists: Projects await flow of stimulus money - Kansas City Business Journal:
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On Jan. 15, House Appropriationzs ChairmanDave Obey, D-Wis., released a summary of the which requested $825 billion in federalp stimulus money to jump-start the economy. Although about $275 billion of the proposed stimuluz plan would providetax cuts, the remaining $550 billio n would be spent on “carefully targeted priorityu investments,” including infrastructure projects. But until the Senate and House hammerf out the legislative details of how large the stimulues packageis — and exactly what kinda of projects will qualify — area leaders are busy assessingg their communities’ needs.
“We’re all operatingy under what we think is going to butwe don’t know what is going to said Greg Williams, legislative liaison to Kansas City Manageer Wayne Cauthen. Like other large cities, Kansaz City’s officials worked with the to compil a listof “ready to projects that could start within three monthss after receiving approval and be completex by the end of 2010. The most recent version of Kansaxs City’s list requests about $788 million.
Williamsz emphasized that the list contains exampleds of the types of projectsd that the city might do if it receivees themoney directly; the list will changed to ensure that the city’sz projects meet Congress’ criteria. Williams said Cauthen recently askee leaders from groups such asthe , and the to serv on an ad hoc committeed that will consider capacit and resource issues. The committee then will advise the city on how it can get the most valu e for the moneyit Ultimately, though, the City Council will determine how moneyt distributed to the city will be Kansas City’s current list seeksd nearly $406.
5 million for 58 projecte that fall into the category of Communitg Development Block Grant for An additional $180 million would pay for eighty water and wastewater infrastructure projects; $6.1 millionm would pay for three proposed Energy Block Grantws for Infrastructure and Green $6 million would buy a new helicopter to replace the police department’s 40-year-old one; $124.8 million would improve highway infrastructure; and $65 million woule improve airport technology and infrastructure. Other groups also createed lists. The compiled responses from 88area counties, transportation departments and agencies.
The list contain s hundreds of projects; they range from relatively small projects, such as a $600,000 project in Independence to build ultrathinm concrete overlays atthree intersections, to larger such as a $25.5 million project in Olathe to expands the Cedar Creek wastewater treatment plant. The ’s list containzs 34 transportation projects that it coulx complete if it receivedabout $510 millio in stimulus money. Of the money requested, $81 milliomn would pay for projectsin Jackson, Johnson, Lafayette and Platte counties.
Stephe n Porter, a spokesman for MoDOT, noted that the benefits to the Kansass City area exceed those that are For example, $30 million to $60 million would improver statewide minor routes, some of which are located in the more ruralo parts of Jackson, Cass, Platte and Clay counties. The $27 million requestedr for a project in Barton and Bates counties wouldc benefit those traveling northon U.S. Highwayh 71 to Kansas City. And $10 million to $20 milliom requested for statewide transit would buy 200 publictransiyt vehicles, many of which would travel to and from the metrko area.
Don Greenwell, president of The Builders’ Association, said he thinksw that the area would benefit if area leaders wouldx coordinate their efforts and pare the varioud lists down to five or10 projects. “ think it would give us credibility and be good for us as a metro area if there could be some harmonh amongthe lists,” Greenwell “Of course, the difficult part is: Who is that voice going to be?
” The most recentf list prepared by the contains more than 230 projects that coul d be completed if the state receivex $655 million for highway infrastructure Of that total, $118 million would improve highway capacit in Johnson County, and an additionapl $4 million would pay for highway modernization and preservation. In $183 million would pay for statewide improvements to signage andlighting — some of which are in the metrk area. “We don’t know exactly what will come to saidSteve Swartz, a KDOT spokesman. “But theswe are all important projects.
We wouldn’t have them (on the if we didn’t think they woulc increase highway safety and make some important improvementsto intersections, expanrd highways and make necessary repairs.” Scott Smith, CEO of , said that the benefits of economic stimulus money go far beyonxd creating jobs in public agencies, and the design and engineering sectors. He said that the work on the 3-Trailss Crossing Memorial Highway (formerly called the Grandvieq Triangle) created about 8,4009 jobs — jobs that provided the worker s with wages to spendat restaurants, buy clothes and go to “What’s really important about economic stimulus projects like highwaysa and infrastructure projects is that they reallu have a huge multiplier effect over a long perios of time,” Smith said.
“They improve the long-term economic productivitgy of businesses inKansas City. Besides givinf us a safer, more reliable transportation these projects also make companiese like Hallmark or YRC or betteer because they can get their products outmore
On Jan. 15, House Appropriationzs ChairmanDave Obey, D-Wis., released a summary of the which requested $825 billion in federalp stimulus money to jump-start the economy. Although about $275 billion of the proposed stimuluz plan would providetax cuts, the remaining $550 billio n would be spent on “carefully targeted priorityu investments,” including infrastructure projects. But until the Senate and House hammerf out the legislative details of how large the stimulues packageis — and exactly what kinda of projects will qualify — area leaders are busy assessingg their communities’ needs.
“We’re all operatingy under what we think is going to butwe don’t know what is going to said Greg Williams, legislative liaison to Kansas City Manageer Wayne Cauthen. Like other large cities, Kansaz City’s officials worked with the to compil a listof “ready to projects that could start within three monthss after receiving approval and be completex by the end of 2010. The most recent version of Kansaxs City’s list requests about $788 million.
Williamsz emphasized that the list contains exampleds of the types of projectsd that the city might do if it receivees themoney directly; the list will changed to ensure that the city’sz projects meet Congress’ criteria. Williams said Cauthen recently askee leaders from groups such asthe , and the to serv on an ad hoc committeed that will consider capacit and resource issues. The committee then will advise the city on how it can get the most valu e for the moneyit Ultimately, though, the City Council will determine how moneyt distributed to the city will be Kansas City’s current list seeksd nearly $406.
5 million for 58 projecte that fall into the category of Communitg Development Block Grant for An additional $180 million would pay for eighty water and wastewater infrastructure projects; $6.1 millionm would pay for three proposed Energy Block Grantws for Infrastructure and Green $6 million would buy a new helicopter to replace the police department’s 40-year-old one; $124.8 million would improve highway infrastructure; and $65 million woule improve airport technology and infrastructure. Other groups also createed lists. The compiled responses from 88area counties, transportation departments and agencies.
The list contain s hundreds of projects; they range from relatively small projects, such as a $600,000 project in Independence to build ultrathinm concrete overlays atthree intersections, to larger such as a $25.5 million project in Olathe to expands the Cedar Creek wastewater treatment plant. The ’s list containzs 34 transportation projects that it coulx complete if it receivedabout $510 millio in stimulus money. Of the money requested, $81 milliomn would pay for projectsin Jackson, Johnson, Lafayette and Platte counties.
Stephe n Porter, a spokesman for MoDOT, noted that the benefits to the Kansass City area exceed those that are For example, $30 million to $60 million would improver statewide minor routes, some of which are located in the more ruralo parts of Jackson, Cass, Platte and Clay counties. The $27 million requestedr for a project in Barton and Bates counties wouldc benefit those traveling northon U.S. Highwayh 71 to Kansas City. And $10 million to $20 milliom requested for statewide transit would buy 200 publictransiyt vehicles, many of which would travel to and from the metrko area.
Don Greenwell, president of The Builders’ Association, said he thinksw that the area would benefit if area leaders wouldx coordinate their efforts and pare the varioud lists down to five or10 projects. “ think it would give us credibility and be good for us as a metro area if there could be some harmonh amongthe lists,” Greenwell “Of course, the difficult part is: Who is that voice going to be?
” The most recentf list prepared by the contains more than 230 projects that coul d be completed if the state receivex $655 million for highway infrastructure Of that total, $118 million would improve highway capacit in Johnson County, and an additionapl $4 million would pay for highway modernization and preservation. In $183 million would pay for statewide improvements to signage andlighting — some of which are in the metrk area. “We don’t know exactly what will come to saidSteve Swartz, a KDOT spokesman. “But theswe are all important projects.
We wouldn’t have them (on the if we didn’t think they woulc increase highway safety and make some important improvementsto intersections, expanrd highways and make necessary repairs.” Scott Smith, CEO of , said that the benefits of economic stimulus money go far beyonxd creating jobs in public agencies, and the design and engineering sectors. He said that the work on the 3-Trailss Crossing Memorial Highway (formerly called the Grandvieq Triangle) created about 8,4009 jobs — jobs that provided the worker s with wages to spendat restaurants, buy clothes and go to “What’s really important about economic stimulus projects like highwaysa and infrastructure projects is that they reallu have a huge multiplier effect over a long perios of time,” Smith said.
“They improve the long-term economic productivitgy of businesses inKansas City. Besides givinf us a safer, more reliable transportation these projects also make companiese like Hallmark or YRC or betteer because they can get their products outmore
Friday, March 16, 2012
Architectural firms changing with times - Dayton Business Journal:
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But local architects are hopefuo that by the end ofthis year, their drafting tables will be littered with projects. By increasing marketing reaching out to potential clients and staying on top of the latestydesign technology, officials want to be ready when busineszs starts to come back. Alan Scherr, president of Dayton-base , noticed a down tick in businessslast summer. He said his five-personh firm has tightened its but still has a steadywork load. In Scherr’s billings dropped 33 percent, from $1.2 million to He expects this year’s billinga to decrease 20 percent from last The biggest problem for his firm has been increased competitioh from outsidethe region.
Peter managing principal of Englewood-based , said his firm is facing similar “We’re holding our own, it’s just a littles slower,” Harsh said. App saw a slighgt increase in billings, $2.13 millionh in 2007 to $2.23 millionn last year, but Harsj doesn’t expect another hike this year. Rising competitionn is one of the main Architects say the number of firms bidding on projectzs has doubled in thepast year. The increasedf submissions are from firms outside of Dayton looking for and larger firms submitting for smaller projects as a way to keep theirdemployees busy.
For example, nearly 30 firms submitted proposalsz for the second building indowntown Dayton’ws TechTown, which Alan Scherr was ultimately awarded. And firms from as far away as Chicagio were looking to landthe work. Scherr said this isn’g a small project, but just a few yearz ago, about half as many firms would have submitte forthis project. “Everybody’s chasing the same piece of the pie,” Scherr said. “The pie is the but the firms that were working for large clients no longer havethose commissions.” John Poe, president of Dayton-basex , said larger firms going afted smaller projects are cutting theier fees just to keep their employees working.
“That doesn’t help Poe said. And with companies pulling back on new buildingsxand remodels, there is less work in the The designs architecture firmsw perform now are a good indicator of the work construction companies will be doinv six to nine months from now. Locap construction companies arebusy now, but many are facinv backlogs that are looking increasingluy sparse. On a national level, indicators show the potentia l foran upswing. The past two months have shown strong inquiriee fornew projects, according to the , a leadinvg economic indicator of construction activity.
In March and April, the indexc was above 40 for the first time sincew August and September of last A score above 50 indicates an increase in billings. Nevertheless, to combat the recent architecturalfirms are: • keeping up-to-date with technology.
But local architects are hopefuo that by the end ofthis year, their drafting tables will be littered with projects. By increasing marketing reaching out to potential clients and staying on top of the latestydesign technology, officials want to be ready when busineszs starts to come back. Alan Scherr, president of Dayton-base , noticed a down tick in businessslast summer. He said his five-personh firm has tightened its but still has a steadywork load. In Scherr’s billings dropped 33 percent, from $1.2 million to He expects this year’s billinga to decrease 20 percent from last The biggest problem for his firm has been increased competitioh from outsidethe region.
Peter managing principal of Englewood-based , said his firm is facing similar “We’re holding our own, it’s just a littles slower,” Harsh said. App saw a slighgt increase in billings, $2.13 millionh in 2007 to $2.23 millionn last year, but Harsj doesn’t expect another hike this year. Rising competitionn is one of the main Architects say the number of firms bidding on projectzs has doubled in thepast year. The increasedf submissions are from firms outside of Dayton looking for and larger firms submitting for smaller projects as a way to keep theirdemployees busy.
For example, nearly 30 firms submitted proposalsz for the second building indowntown Dayton’ws TechTown, which Alan Scherr was ultimately awarded. And firms from as far away as Chicagio were looking to landthe work. Scherr said this isn’g a small project, but just a few yearz ago, about half as many firms would have submitte forthis project. “Everybody’s chasing the same piece of the pie,” Scherr said. “The pie is the but the firms that were working for large clients no longer havethose commissions.” John Poe, president of Dayton-basex , said larger firms going afted smaller projects are cutting theier fees just to keep their employees working.
“That doesn’t help Poe said. And with companies pulling back on new buildingsxand remodels, there is less work in the The designs architecture firmsw perform now are a good indicator of the work construction companies will be doinv six to nine months from now. Locap construction companies arebusy now, but many are facinv backlogs that are looking increasingluy sparse. On a national level, indicators show the potentia l foran upswing. The past two months have shown strong inquiriee fornew projects, according to the , a leadinvg economic indicator of construction activity.
In March and April, the indexc was above 40 for the first time sincew August and September of last A score above 50 indicates an increase in billings. Nevertheless, to combat the recent architecturalfirms are: • keeping up-to-date with technology.
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