Reading Restaurant Served Up A Tasty Meal

This past Thursday, I had the opportunity to attend the “Reading Restaurant” at Carver elementary.  For about an hour, all of the second grade students dressed up as waiters/waitresses and served a main entree of reading with a desert of poetry.  I had the privilege of having my daughter and two other students read to me during the event.  It was a great time and a wonderful opportunity to see first hand how our children are learning.

As a reward for their hard work, I gave each student in Mrs. Lineberry’s class a trip to the book fair (being held in the Carver library) so they could each pick out a book to own and take home.

Thanks to Mrs. Lineberry, all of her students, and all of the 2nd grade readers who made the day so memorable.

Great Job Readers!

I’m Not the Only One Concerned About TDD’s

Over the past few months, I’ve been voicing concern about the new TDD being considered on the west side of Neosho.  The proposed TDD would include Wal-Mart and other retails stores in that area.

Today’s Joplin Globe published an AP report finding many issues with TDD’s around the state.  These issues need to be addressed and fixed if TDD’s are to remain in Missouri.  When done correctly, a TDD can be a beneficial component of a community.  But currently, the structure needs more work.

Here’s the article (emphasis in mine):

(AP) — Every day consumers who shop at hundreds of stores across Missouri pay more on each purchase because some stores impose an extra sales tax on which voters don’t get a say.

The number of these special taxing districts in Missouri leapt from zero to over 160 in a little over a decade, which has led state auditors to question how much oversight they receive. A review by The Associated Press found that loose oversight means both consumers and the state don’t know much about the transportation development districts. These districts allow up to 1 percent in special sales taxes at retail businesses to help pay for infrastructure such as roads, bus stops, interchanges and access roads that move traffic to and from the shopping areas.

A district can be created when more than half the property owners in an area sign a petition in favor of it. Often, the districts are drawn so narrowly that one developer owns all the property. So one petition signature is all it takes. The rest of the local voters — or shoppers — don’t get a say.

The special transportation taxing districts are managed at the city or county level with little state oversight.

Stores in the special taxing districts are required to alert customers with a notice near cash registers.

Nonetheless, hardly any of the dozens of consumers contacted by The Associated Press at several Columbia transportation districts were aware of the special tax. Several stores within taxing districts showed damaged and unreadable signs, usually placed near the cash register, alerting consumers to the tax as required by law.

State audits of the taxing districts have revealed problems, including instances of construction contracts not being competitively bid. A 2007 audit questioned a taxing district in Harrisonville that had no way to ensure tax proceeds went to the transportation districts and not to other development projects.

State law was toughened in 2009 to create fines for districts that don’t submit annual fiscal reports to the state auditor’s office and to require for the first time that the tax be collected by the Missouri Department of Revenue. The money is now collected by stores, sent to the Department of Revenue and then returned to the district’s managing board.

Yet problems persist in how the state tracks transportation taxing districts. Data is kept by three agencies, all of which told the Associated Press they may not have a complete list of districts.

“Definitely there are some problems out there with oversight,” State Auditor Susan Montee said.

The auditor’s office collects annual fiscal reports and performs an audit once every three years, but is not informed when a new district is created and only recently got a way to punish districts that don’t submit a report.

February Economy Lost 36,000 Jobs – Rate Stays at 9.7%

This from the Department of Labor:

WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis issued the following statement on the February 2010 Employment Situation report released today:

"This past February, the economy lost 36,000 jobs, and the unemployment rate held at 9.7 percent.

"Today's numbers underscore that we still have work to do before we can be sure that all Americans have access to good jobs. Today's report also shows positive signs that the economy is moving in the right direction. For example, we see continued growth in employment in the health care and manufacturing sectors.

"As noted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the estimate of jobs lost may have been affected by snowstorms in the mid-Atlantic and Northeast that occurred during the time period that payroll data were collected. Any one month's estimates are subject to problems and unforeseen circumstances like this, which is why it is important that we look at the trend. And clearly, the trend shows that we are losing fewer jobs per month, bringing us closer to consistent job growth.

"Nevertheless, too many families in this country continue to struggle. That's why the administration is working with Congress to provide much needed assistance to our hardest hit communities. Yesterday's passage of an initial jobs bill in the House is another step in the right direction. But we can and should do more. For that reason the administration is urging the Congress to act on the priorities the president already has outlined on small businesses, infrastructure and clean energy, and to move quickly to renew key Recovery Act programs that will contribute to job growth this year.

"Through the Department of Labor, for example, we could put hundreds of thousands of young people to work this summer building skills that they can take with them into the workplace. And by further supporting oversubscribed and successful job training programs like Pathways Out of Poverty and Energy Training Partnerships we can make sure that our workers have the skills they need to compete as job growth returns, particularly in growing sectors like clean energy. In addition, the administration supports investing in on-the-job training programs, which help jumpstart hiring by lowering training costs for businesses.

"These are some of the many efforts we need in order to tackle our economic challenges, and this administration is committed to working with Congress on these additional job creation measures because getting Americans back to work remains our top priority."

Pressure Grows – Save the SEALs

Once again, some are coming to their senses as pressure mounts to drop charges against three Navy' SEALs.  The three are facing court martial for allegedly abusing a terror suspect.  That abuse consisted of a punch to the gut and a bloody lip.  The suspect was being sought for the killing of US contractors in Iraq.

The SEALs were offered what's call administrative punishment if they admitted wrongdoing but that would have hurt their future as special operators.

Reps. Dan Burton, R-Ind. and Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif. are holding a press conference today on this issue.

I’ve still got hope that common sense prevails and the charges will be dropped.

Springfield Seeing Red on Red-Light Cameras

 

From today’s Joplin Globe:

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — Less than a day after the state Supreme Court ruled Springfield had not properly handled red light camera cases, a class-action lawsuit has been filed to have fees returned.

Attorney Jason Umbarger filed the lawsuit Wednesday, seeking to force the city to return $803,000 it’s collected in red light camera fees since 2007.

The Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that the city must handle red light camera tickets through the court system, rather than through administrative hearings.

The Springfield News-Leader says the city has turned off its 13 red light cameras and dismissed all outstanding tickets. The city council is considering whether to request a court rehearing in the case.

Icet Not Tacet on School Funding Cut – And That’s Right!

State House Budget Chairman Allen Icet, Wildwood, is proposing giving Missouri’s public schools the full funding called for in the foundation formula.  To that I say - “Go Allen!”

Icet’s budget plan released today does not cut funding for schools as is currently being proposed by Gov. Nixon.  Icet proposed cuts elsewhere in the State’s proposed $23+ billion budget.

Currently, around $5.4 billion of the state’s budget goes to Elementary and Secondary education.  That’s second only to social services.  Transportation comes in 3rd at $2+ billion.

Comp Sales See Increases

From today’s HFN (emphasis is  mine):

NEW YORK–In another sign of an emerging recovery at retail, the major chains tracked by HFN all reported same-store sales growth in February.

Leading the pack, as it has throughout the economy’s struggles, was TJX with a 10 percent gain in same-store sales. Costco said its comparable-club sales rose 4 percent (factoring out gasoline sales, which pushed the comp number up 9 percent), and BJ’s Wholesale Club said its same-club sales increased 3.9 percent—7.5 percent when factoring in gas. Target’s same-store number was up 2.4 percent last month.

Among the department stores, Kohl’s and Macy’s each reported 3.7 percent pickups in same-store sales, while J.C. Penney said its comp-store sales edged up 1.2 percent. Even Dillard’s—whose same-store numbers had been languishing for a long stretch—had an up month in February with a 2 percent gain.

Gregg Steinhafel, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Target, said the mass merchant’s rise in year-over-year store traffic led to a same-store sales increase “modestly above our expectations.” At Kohl’s, Kevin Mansell, chairman, president and CEO, said transactions per store had a strong February.

Terry Lundgren, chairman, president and CEO of Macy’s, said both Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s did well despite the winter storms that affected traffic in their stores in certain markets at key selling times. “If not for the storms, we estimate that our February same-store sales would have been up by approximately 5 percent,” Lundgren said.

MO Payroll Jobs Fall as does State Unemployment Rate

From today’s SBJ:

Missouri's unemployment rate fell slightly in January and remains below the national average, according to numbers released Wednesday by the Missouri Department of Economic Development.
The state seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped to 9.5 percent, down from 9.6 percent in December 2009. The national unemployment rate in January, seasonally adjusted, was 9.7 percent.
The state's overall nonfarm payroll fell by 12,800 jobs. The decrease in employment was blamed mostly on the unusually harsh winter weather, which contributed to drops in employment in construction and related industries.

Construction employment was down 7,700 jobs, while administrative and support services lost 3,400 jobs, 3,100 jobs were lost in leisure and hospitality, and 2,400 jobs were lost in other services. The decreases were offset by an 1,100 job gain in manufacturing, 1,600 jobs gained in retail trades, management gains of 1,000 jobs, and 1,900 jobs added in government.

The Kansas City metropolitan area lost 4,600 jobs in January, but the state's other metropolitan areas, including Springfield, were relatively unchanged from the month before.

Sully to Retire

My hero Capt. Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger will make his final flight today as a pilot for US Airways.  His 30-year career will end today at Charlotte’s Douglas International Airport.

Sullenberger was the captain of US Airways flight 1549 that landed in the Hudson in January 2009.

So long Sully!

Productivity Increases in Q4 2009

From the Bureau of Labor Statistics (emphasis is mine):

Nonfarm business sector labor productivity increased at a 6.9 percent annual rate during the fourth quarter of 2009, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The gain in productivity reflects a 7.6 percent increase in output partially offset by a 0.6 percent increase in hours worked. (All quarterly percent changes in this release are seasonally adjusted annual rates.) From the fourth quarter of 2008 to the fourth quarter of 2009, productivity increased 5.8 percent as output declined 0.2 percent and hours fell 5.7 percent (table A). The annual measure of productivity increased 3.8 percent from 2008 to 2009 (table D).

Jobless Claims Drop Last Week

From the US Dept of Labor:

In the week ending Feb. 27, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 469,000, a decrease of 29,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 498,000. The 4-week moving average was 470,750, a decrease of 3,500 from the previous week's revised average of 474,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.5 percent for the week ending Feb. 20, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's revised rate of 3.6 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Feb. 20 was 4,500,000, a decrease of 134,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 4,634,000. The 4-week moving average was 4,575,750, a decrease of 29,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 4,605,000.

The fiscal year-to-date average of seasonally adjusted weekly insured unemployment, which corresponds to the appropriated AWIU trigger, was 5.186 million.  

State with largest unemployment drop: California – 12,000

State with largest unemployment rise: New Jersey – 4,879

Pending Home Sales Fall in January

From today’s Washington Post:

The number of buyers who agreed to purchase previously occupied homes fell sharply in January, a sign that demand for housing is sinking this winter, especially after stormy weather hit much of the country.

The National Association of Realtors says its seasonally adjusted index of sales agreements fell 7.6 percent from December to a January reading of 90.4. It was the lowest reading since last April.

Economists surveyed by Thomson Reuters had expected the index would rise to 97.6. The index is considered a barometer for future sales because typically there is a one- to two- month lag between a signed sales contract and a completed deal. A reading of 100 is equal to the average level of sales activity in 2001, when the index started.

January Shipments, Inventories and Orders Look Better

This from the US Dept of Commerce:

The from New orders for manufactured goods in January increased 1.7 percent to $378.4 billion.  Shipments rose 0.3 percent , unfilled orders increased by $0.1 billion following fifteen consecutive monthly increases and inventories increased 0.2 percent from December 2009.

This report and free email notifications (and more!) can be found at:

http://www.economicindicators.gov/

Crowder tops Missouri community college student growth

From today’s JTBJ:

All of Missouri's 12 community college systems saw enrollment increases for the spring semester, according to information released Wednesday by the Missouri Community College Association, and Crowder College in Neosho saw the largest percentage increase.

Crowder has 4,049 students for spring 2010, up 22.3 percent from spring 2009, while Ozarks Technical Community College has enrollment of 12,383 students, up 16.6 percent from a year earlier.

Statewide, community college enrollment is up 13.1 percent year-to-year, with more than 100,000 students enrolled in MCCA member schools. The growth rate is more than double the growth from spring 2008 to spring 2009, when enrollment numbers grew by 5.9 percent.

"As difficult economic times have continued, community colleges have continued to attract more and more students," MCCA President Jim Kellerman said in the release. "The short-term work force training, associate degrees and certificates offered at community colleges provide realistic solutions. Community colleges give people options."

Moberly Area Community College posted the second-highest enrollment growth at 22.2 percent, followed by State Fair Community College at 19.3 percent.

State general revenue total drops again in February

From today’s SBJ (emphasis is mine):

The state's general revenue situation continued to deteriorate in February, according to numbers released Tuesday.

Net general revenue collections for February totaled $335.6 million, a drop of 14.6 percent from February 2009. For the fiscal year, which started July 1, revenue collections are down 12.7 percent to $4.22 billion.

The continued decline has led to plans to revise the state's consensus revenue estimate for next fiscal year, according to a separate statement released Monday by Gov. Jay Nixon's office.

"After reviewing the preliminary February revenue figures, it is clear that even as Missouri's economy begins to rebound, state revenues will continue to lag for a prolonged period of time," Nixon said in the statement. "As a result, we will need to downsize the scope of state government."

Leaders in the General Assembly plan to meet this week to discuss next year's estimate.

For February, individual income tax collections were down 8.7 percent, while sales and use tax collections decreased 5 percent. corporate income and franchise tax collections were down 7.1 percent, and other collections dropped 15.2 percent for the month. 

The February totals come on the heels of a plan to cut $74 million in spending from this year's budget following a 22.4 percent decline in January collections.

Maybe Not Rain or Sleet, But Budget Woes Will!

The US Postal service has today issued a 10-year plan to addressing declining revenues (and continued losses) and volume.  The major proposals are:

• Restructure retiree benefits to match other federal departments
• Adjust delivery days (i.e. get rid of Saturday delivery)
• Expand and modernize customer access by providing more convenient locations
• Establish a more flexible workforce (300,000 current employees will be eligible to retire in the next 10 years)
• Remove inflation cap on “Market Dominant” mailing products
• Raises prices in 2011
• Allow the Postal Service to evaluate and introduce more new products.

As reported in the press release,

“If the Postal Service takes no action, it will face a cumulative shortfall of $238 billion by 2020. But (Postmaster General John) Potter outlined a number of actions that could amount to as much as $123 billion in savings during that same time period. These actions build on the Postal Service’s record of saving more than $1 billion every year since 2001 and include continuing to aggressively control costs and eliminating hundreds of millions of work hours.”

The press release is here.

Credit Managers Index shows small growth in February

From today’s SBJ:

The Credit Managers Index grew slightly in February due to growth in manufacturing and increasing optimism, which counteracted declines in other areas.

The index increased to 55.2 from 55.1 in January, which the National Association of Credit Management said is a result of an overall improvement in optimism about the state of the economy.
The shift in sentiment, according to an NACM news release, started at the end of 2009 as businesses started paying down debt in anticipation of needing access to credit in the near future. Expansion usually begins within a month or two of debt-paying activity, the release said.

"The development in manufacturing was matched to a lesser extent by similar movement in the service sector, and other economic indicators added to the notion that something was stirring in the economy,” said Chris Kuehl, NACM economist, in the release. "The first phase in an economic recovery is the replenishment of reduced inventory and there can’t be growth without the supply to meet expected demand.”

The economy, however, will not recover until consumer confidence builds, according to the release. Sales were flat in February after a significant jump in January, and bankruptcies continue to increase as companies and individuals with high debt levels maneuver for more time.

Manufacturing was bolstered by growth in inventories and an increase in sales and credit applications.
"Unfortunately, dollar collections were down, likely reflecting the fact that many manufacturers are now stretching to get in position for the expected recovery and that has affected their ability to pay,” Kuehl said in the release.

Joplin Airport Wants Consultant to Save Passenger Travel

From today’s Joplin Globe:

A renewed effort will be made this year to bring to Joplin an airline service that could rescue the airport’s plummeting passenger count.
The Joplin City Council will be asked at its regular meeting tonight to approve a new agreement with an airport consultant to lobby for the Joplin Regional Airport and help it negotiate its next Essential Air Service agreement.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s agreement with Great Lakes Aviation to provide passenger plane service at the Joplin airport will expire in October. The procedure of attracting potential bidders will begin because the DOT will issue bid packets in June or July, according to city documents.

Airport manager Steve Stockam said the passenger count has dropped from 35,000 a year when the airport was served by the former Mesa Air Group to 10,000 last year. Mesa liquidated, and the Essential Air Service designation was awarded to Great Lakes in 2008. EAS is a government program to ensure air service to communities that had it when airlines were deregulated.

Stockam said an air service study received last month showed that the reason for the declining use is that people looking for a flight into Joplin don’t know the Great Lakes name or cannot find where to book a flight because Great Lakes is not affiliated with a major carrier.  “It really is not the community’s fault that the air service is what it is,” Stockam said. “We definitely need to support it, but currently the market is being underserved because we need a branded service.”

People wanting flights “recognize American Airlines, United or Delta, but they don’t recognize Great Lakes. Our numbers prove it,” he said of the passenger count.  Joplin does not suffer from the price of airfares or because there isn’t enough business here, as critics contend, Stockam said.

“Both of those are pretty much misnomers from the standpoint that yes, fares are high for certain locations and for the time in which you go,” he said. “But we have a huge market area. ... Two-thirds of our traffic comes in from outside to do business. For every ticket generated locally to fly out, there are two tickets sold to fly in (to Joplin).”  But travelers, mostly for business, find it difficult to book a flight in from the East or West coasts because Joplin does not have a name-brand airline, Stockam said.

He does acknowledge that Great Lakes is a stable airline that is not in financial difficulty, but it operates through Denver.  Joplin needs a carrier that connects to Dallas, Chicago or Memphis, Stockam said, in order to have full service nationally or internationally.  That’s where the new agreement comes in.

Stockam said the performance-based contract awaiting council action would give the consultant an added incentive if it can hook Joplin up with more business.  It would pay the consultant $1 for every extra passenger above the current number, on top of the set hourly fees paid for consulting work done on behalf of Joplin with the airlines and the DOT.  If no increase results, the airport will not owe the extra pay, Stockam said.

Representatives of six consulting firms were interviewed by Stockam. He proposes contracting with Sixel Consulting Group, which is based in Oregon but has consultants in several large U.S. cities, because it proposed to do the work for a lesser fee with the potential of earning the bonus. The airport’s consultant has been the Boyd Group, which did the air service study.

Personal Spending Increases/Income Growth Slows

From today’s Washington Post:

Personal spending jumped by a larger amount than expected in January but Americans' incomes barely budged. The weak income growth could depress spending in the months ahead, acting as a further drag on the fragile economic recovery.

The Commerce Department said that personal spending rose by 0.5 percent in January, slightly better than expected. But incomes edged up only 0.1 percent, significantly lower than the 0.4 percent gain that economists had expected.

Construction Spending Down in Jan 2010

Construction spending was $884.1 billion in January 2010, 0.6% below December 2009 and 9.3% below January 2009. Construction spending is 27.1% below its March 2006 peak.