Economic Development
Short-term Extension of Property Tax
A short-term extension of property tax may be a bit of relief for certain businesses. Businesses that can show a loss of a quarter of their revenues due to Covid can apply for the extension. Additionally, qualifying businesses will not need to pay penalties or interest. To request an extension and a payment plane, be…
Read MoreRoll Back Relief Grants Pierce County
Roll back relief grants are now available to qualifying businesses and non profits. On Friday, April 16, restrictions rolled back to Phase 2 of the Healthy Washington Reopening. That means reducing capacity for indoor activities back down to 25%. These restrictions significantly impact businesses such as restaurants and gyms. Pierce County has created a grant…
Read MoreRisk of Rolling Back to Phase 2
There’s a risk of rolling back to phase 2 this coming Monday. Both the DOH and the governors office expressed concerns about a roll back for 3 counties, including Pierce. The Healthy Washington Roadmap to Recovery plan evaluates risks for each individual county. Measurements will be evaluated on Monday, April 12, and any change in…
Read MoreTax Credit Up to $33,000
How does a Tax Credit of up to $33,000 per employee sound? The expansion of the employee tax credit could mean that for your business. But like so many of the programs that are out there to help business through the pandemic, a lot of questions surround it. NFIB is offering a free webinar on…
Read MorePPP Extension
The Economic Development Board sent a letter about PPP extension to us here at the chamber. Don’t fear if you haven’t yet applied for PPP. The deadline has been extended. Last month, Congress extended the PPP deadline until the end of May. Eligible businesses have extended time to submit their applications. Lenders have more time…
Read MoreExtended Deferment for EIDL
For those worried about paying back loans, an extended deferment for the EIDL has been announced. The U.S. Small Business Administration announced this for all disaster loans, including the COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan program. All SBA disaster loans made in 2020 will have a first payment due date extended from 12-months to 24-months from the date…
Read MoreNew Round of Working Washington Grants
The chamber is once again sharing information on on a new round of Working WA grants. This information is from a press release from the WA State Dept of Commerce. Round 4 of the Working WA Grants will open through the Washington State Department of Commerce on March 29. Business owners can find information about…
Read MoreExpansion of Employee Retention Tax Credit
A recent expansion of the employee retention tax credit means a significant number of small businesses will now qualify. Beginning on January 1, 2021 the credit expires on January 1, 2022. Previously, the credit was for 50% on $10,000 in qualified wages for the entire year, with a maximum of $5,000 per employee. The new credit jumps to 70% on…
Read MoreEmployee Training
With all that’s happened and changed over the last year, you may find a need for employee training. Perhaps your business has pivoted, or you have new staff. However, training costs money that many businesses find short these days. Good news. Our member, Invista Performance Solutions has opportunities that include customized training funded by grants.…
Read MorePhase 3 of Recovery Plan
Today, Governor Inslee announced Phase 3 of the Recovery Plan for Washington. The Roadmap to Recovery will return to a county by county, rather than staying with a regional approach. The community and businesses are excited to finally have a plan on moving into Phase 3. However, the governor didn’t yet commit to what all…
Read MorePhase 3?
When will businesses be able to move to phase 3 in the Roadmap to Recovery? While the governor has announced positive news that there is a pause on moving any county in WA back to phase 1, many wonder, “What’s next?” All counties are in Phase 2. But businesses, especially those like restaurants, wonder when…
Read MoreHouse Bill 1368 – Signed!
Last week we let you know about House Bill 1368 and now it is signed! Today’s press release from the governor outlines an overall picture of the funds in the bill. The bill provides: $714 million in assistance for K-12 schools $618 million for public health’s response to COVID, including testing, investigation and contact tracing;…
Read MoreBusiness Support thru Pierce Transit
Do you know about the support that Pierce Transit can give your business? They provides clean, safe and reliable local bus service, and also can help businesses support their employees with commute solutions. If you currently have team members working on site, making sure they can get to work on time is critical. Right now,…
Read MoreMoving to Phase 2
Moving to Phase 2 generally happens on Mondays. That would mean that as of February 15, most of the state will be moving to phase 2. However, this week, the change happens on Sunday instead, as many restaurants do a large percentage of their business as customers celebrate Valentine’s Day. Moving the phase reopening by…
Read MoreHouse Bill 1368
Washington State Legislature’s House Bill 1368 proposes offering more needed relief for our small businesses. Of the included $2.2 billion in federal dollars to be distributed by the state, $240 million is expected to go to Washington employers. An individual business could receive up to $75,000. Other money would go to food banks, schools and…
Read MoreLifting Pause on SR167 Project
The removal of the freeze on the SR167 Project was welcome news to businesses in our community. Those in transportation were especially concerned. In January, a freeze was put on the project, in addition to 8 other transportation projects. The paused projects did not meet the governor’s directive to focus on fish passage projects. And…
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