The House was expected to take up a bill during the week of Nov. 30 that would freeze the estate tax permanently at 2009 levels. As a floor vote drew near, industry sources said they expected easy passage of the measure, which would keep the estate-tax exemption at $3.5 million for individuals. The maximum tax rate would remain at 45%. Democratic leaders in Congress and the Obama administration say a legislative “fix” is needed to ensure the inheritance tax does not revert in 2011 to pre-Bush era levels, when an estate-tax reform bill enacted in 2001 expires. The Associated General
A new Congressional Budget Office analysis showing that the health-care bill pending on the Senate floor would not substantially boost premiums for most Americans could generate more support from moderate Democrats, who are crucial to passing the measure. But industry and union officials remain concerned about key provisions of the $848-billion measure and say passage before Christmas is more and more unlikely. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, a combination of bills that cleared the Senate Finance and Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committees, would cover an additional 31 million Americans and impose new requirements on insurance companies and
The Dept. of Energy has selected 32 pilot projects to receive $620 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act aid to evaluate new technologies aimed at making the electricity network more efficient. The private sector is contributing more than $1 billion in matching funds for those projects. The “smart grid” awards, announced on Nov. 24, include $435.2 million for 16 regional grid projects and $184.8 million for 16 energy-storage projects. The largest grant is $88.8 million to Battelle Memorial Institute for a five-state project in the Pacific Northwest. DOE hopes the projects will lead to more extensive applications. In October,
The federal appeals court in New Orleans on Nov. 25 dismissed class-action lawsuits for Hurricane Katrina-related damages against 32 major dredging contractors. Two groups of plaintiffs sued companies that worked under federal contracts in the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (MRGO), claiming that work damaged protected wetlands and caused an amplification of the storm surge in the New Orleans region during the 2005 hurricane. The 5th U.S. Court of Appeal Circuit in Ackerson v. Bean Dredging LLC, upholding a federal district court’s ruling, applied the principal that public-works contractors duly carrying out projects authorized by Congress have immunity from lawsuits for
When major owners stepped up and starting requiring contractors to improve safety, they got results. At its national conference, the Construction Users Roundtable announced plans to help improve construction industry productivity, as well. + Image Source: EMCOR Group Inc. Safety and productivity go hand in hand. CURT plans to work with the National Institute of Standards and Technology to implement recommendations from the National Research Council study published last summer. A key initiative is establishing a “universal metric on measuring productivity,” said CURT President Egon Larsen, manager of construction engineering at Air Products & Chemicals, Allenton, Pa. CURT will help
Following a new Government Accountability Office report, lawmakers from both parties are criticizing Obama administration claims that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has created or saved about 640,000 jobs. GAO’s study, released on Nov. 19, highlights inaccuracies in data submitted to federal agencies by recipients of ARRA funds. ARRA requires nonfederal recipients of stimulus aid to submit information about projects funded by the stimulus law, including the number of jobs created or preserved. GAO’s report cites examples of inaccurate data from funding recipients that call into question the accuracy of the administration’s estimates. A total of 3,978 reports showed
Senate floor debate on an $848- billion health-care measure is poised to start. The chamber on Nov. 21 voted 60-39 to take up the bill, the minimum margin needed. The measure builds on packages cleared by two committees and contains a public insurance option, which many moderate lawmakers oppose. Labor unions support the Senate bill, but several construction groups and most GOP legislators oppose it. The House passed its version on Nov. 7.
With the latest short-term surface transportation bill set to expire on Dec. 18, another extension is a certainty. But how long the next stopgap measure will be is by no means clear, making things difficult for state transportation agencies and recession-battered construction firms that pursue states’ federally funded highway contracts. Boxer asks for U.S. DOT help in resolving ‘standoff’ with House over new funding bill. Leaders of three Senate committees said on Nov. 17 they want a six-month extension. One of those senators, Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), has urged top U.S. Dept. of Transportation officials
Banks in New York state may have some new worries about lending to projects they think are having difficulties. A state appeals court has ordered Citigroup Global Markets Realty Corp. to resume funding on the $330-million Destiny USA project, near Syracuse. The court said the developer is entitled to a preliminary injunction in its breach-of contract suit against the bank because the project is “unique.” The $155-million Citigroup loan is one of three funding sources for the first phase of the project, which involves construction of an 800,000-sq-ft shopping center/tourist destination and related facilities. The other funding sources are Destiny
A disconnect between marketing and business development can always make it challenging for AEC firms to get work. But the problem can be acute during difficult economic times, said marketing experts at a think tank in New York City on Nov. 13. The event was organized by the SMPS Foundation, a nonprofit that promotes research and education. Source: Robert Buday, “Integratin g marketing and busines development in profesional services Firms: Findings from a 2007 Blom Group survey,” research report , Blom Group LLC, Dec. 2007. Managing Demand Creation: Who is in charge ? “The most vexing question” is why marketing
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