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		<title>Andrew Insinga: There's real fear out there</title>
		<description>Discuss Andrew Insinga: There's real fear out there</description>
		<link>http://www.oregonbusiness.com/guest-blogs/3284-andrew-insinga-there-is-real-fear-out-there</link>
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			<title>Fear of being 14th lowest in the nation?</title>
			<link>http://www.oregonbusiness.com/guest-blogs/3284-andrew-insinga-there-is-real-fear-out-there#comment-898</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Let's face it like grownups. The economy is circling the drain in nearly every sector throughout the country. If the time, energy and motion required to move, rehire and retool outweighs riding this period out, have a great trip. I'm in it for the long haul.]]></description>
			<dc:creator>William Anthony</dc:creator>
			<pubDate>Tue, 19 Oct 2010 14:55:19 +0000</pubDate>
			<guid>http://www.oregonbusiness.com/guest-blogs/3284-andrew-insinga-there-is-real-fear-out-there#comment-898</guid>
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			<title>A Real Life Case Study of the Effects of Measure 66 &amp; 67....Is Moving the only Option</title>
			<link>http://www.oregonbusiness.com/guest-blogs/3284-andrew-insinga-there-is-real-fear-out-there#comment-567</link>
			<description><![CDATA[I was asked to share our real life experience with the effects of Measure 66 & 67. A little background is in order for readers to understand the implications of the negative economic climate and how Measure 66 & 67 exacerbated an already difficult situation. We own a Glazing Contracting Company which has been a Union Shop for 15 years. Our company is ranked in the top 5 Glazing Contractors in the State of Oregon. Last year, we employed 100 Union Glaziers and 25 office staff, of those 100 Glaziers, 30 had been with our company for over 10 years; this year, we employee 5 office staff and 3 Union Glaziers. Why? Our job as a Union Glazing Contractor is to 'sell' the wage & benefits package of skilled labor. Up until last year, we were very successful at doing just that. With the economic 'crisis' came contracts which were going to non-union shops. Non-union market labor rate is $22.00 per hour (okay, maybe $25). The Union package is $50.00 per hour. Quite simply, we can't sell that number. We have made the tough choice to close our business that has been very successful in the Metro market place for a fairly long time (15 years), a business that has provided for as many as 125 families. My husband positioned us to close the business for 18–24 months and to, hopefully, re-emerge. What does that have to do with Measure 66 & 67? That bill was retroactive. At a time when we are handing out pink slips to long-time employees, M 66 & 67 added the equivalent of one full time non–union employee's wages to our tax bill. Have we considered leaving Oregon? Absolutely! There is one little problem. We own a 30,000 sf commercial building that has lost 15% of its value (we are actually lucky here, but 15% of the multi-million it took to build is a big #). Add to that a drop in the value of our personal residence. Equals: we can't afford to leave; we are in the midst of a 'perfect storm' Where would we go? Great question! Prior to the 'crisis' we had talked about selling the business; the question of becoming Camas-ites was a real conversation. We always said, 'no, this is such a great state, 9% income tax was worth the privilege of living here'. Being hit with the effects of M66 & 67 tax bill at a time when we are literally fighting for our lives, has tipped us over the edge. Both of us would move in a heartbeat if we could figure out how to resolve the real estate issues. Where would we go? Simple Answer...wherev er anyone is still building commercial buildings, EXCEPT California! Additional Info: I’m a R-Dem Hub is R-Rep….neither of us thinks one party does a better job than the other.]]></description>
			<dc:creator>Kathryn Rosson</dc:creator>
			<pubDate>Thu, 15 Apr 2010 20:19:10 +0000</pubDate>
			<guid>http://www.oregonbusiness.com/guest-blogs/3284-andrew-insinga-there-is-real-fear-out-there#comment-567</guid>
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			<title>Disturbing trends…</title>
			<link>http://www.oregonbusiness.com/guest-blogs/3284-andrew-insinga-there-is-real-fear-out-there#comment-547</link>
			<description><![CDATA[A most troubling fact was brought into focus by the recent election (and to a large extent, the HealthCare Bill). Our fellow citizens' complete disdain, distrust, misunderstandin g, and even hatred for the sector of society that creates the jobs that allow them to provide for themselves and their families and to pursue their interests. Few, even highly educated people, outside the business arena have any notion of how business is crucial to the very lifestyle they lead. They have never questioned the idea that raising taxes on others is a win for them. Few have pondered who really ends up paying those extra business taxes. Most think businesses make far more in profits than we do. In general, both politicians and media have played to that ignorance to the point of pandering. Lots of true facts, but very little truth. When Exxon was being castigated for their "obscenely high record profits" (about 10%) did anyone ever mention that they also had record costs, and that their profit margins had actually shrunk by 5% from the previous year? When the Health Insurance companies were being raked over the coals in front of Congress, did anyone ask what their margins were (Avg, less than 5%). What politician or news media outlet stood up and said, "Here's a plan to reduce health care costs. If we bring those down, more people could buy insurance." It's odd that in the capitol of Capitalism, business should be so poorly represented by politics, the education system, and popular media.]]></description>
			<dc:creator>Jim Dittmer</dc:creator>
			<pubDate>Thu, 08 Apr 2010 11:55:47 +0000</pubDate>
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			<title>The role of journalism.</title>
			<link>http://www.oregonbusiness.com/guest-blogs/3284-andrew-insinga-there-is-real-fear-out-there#comment-545</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Ben Jacklet's column gets to the role of journalism -- which is to separate out the reality from fantasy. Running a business, whether a publishing business such as yours or a nonprofit such as mine, is always filled with what ifs. Ben was responding, appropriately, to a front page story in the state's leading newspaper that was bogus -- an unnamed business and business owner considering a "what if" without providing any data for the readers to assess if it was silly or plausible. And then unfounded complaints by named wealthy people that folks are leaving Oregon, but not them! The Oregonian has tarnished its Pulitzer with it's shoddy stories under the guise of journalism. From printing outright false statements from Phil Knight and others, to filling up the front page with non-news empty rumors, they ought to be ashamed. And that's what Ben rightly told them.]]></description>
			<dc:creator>Chuck Sheketoff</dc:creator>
			<pubDate>Wed, 07 Apr 2010 15:14:30 +0000</pubDate>
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