New York SBDC Research Network

From CBS News MoneyWatch Every good businessperson knows the importance of building quality relationships. But I'm surprised at how often people don't give the same thought to the "quality" with which those relationships end, and the possible ways in which a bad breakup can come back to haunt them. Most business relationships don't last forever; employees move on, customers come and go, suppliers are replaced. But what goes around does indeed come around, and paths can cross again, particularly within the same industry or in small communities.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Small Business Administration is seeking comment on three proposed rules published today in The Federal Register that would revise the size definitions for small businesses in the Utilities; Construction; and Arts, Entertainment and Recreation sectors. The proposed revisions reflect changes in marketplace conditions. The proposed rule for the Utilities sector will revise the size standard for nine industries. The rule proposes changing six of the industries dealing with electric power generation, distribution and transmission from revenue-based size standards to an employee based size standard of 500 employees. It would also increase the size standards for the remaining three industries in the Utilities sector from $7 million to $25.5 million for water supply and irrigation systems, $7 million to $19 million for sewage treatment facilities, and $12.5 million to $14 million for steam and air conditioning supply. SBA estimates as many as 400 additional fi

This report is an update to Advocacy’s annual publication that provides information on the lending activities of depository institutions in the United States. The U.S. economy continued to recover and improved moderately during the second half of 2011 as some economic indicators turned upward. Financial market conditions were to some extent supportive of economic growth, but the credit supply for smaller firms remained tighter than for larger firms relative to historic norms.

Publication130-F (7/12) The Department of Taxation and Finance’s purpose in conducting an audit is to verify that you paid the correct tax. During the audit, you may be required to provide the auditor with whatever records are necessary to verify the information you provided on your return. Depending on the type of return being audited, this may entail a review of your income, receipts, expenses, credits, and other business records.

Here are some reports about domestic violence and prevention in New York State: The Domestic Violence Prevention Act 2010 from the New York State Office of Children & Family Services Domestic Violence Annual Report 2010 from the New York State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence Domestic Violence Facts: New York from the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence Improving Domestic Violence Data in New York State: An Explanation of 2008 Reporting Changes from the Division of Criminal Justice Services

The Community Based Business Incubator Center TM is pleased to note that the article Focus of Economic Development for Upstate NY Needs to Change by Michael V. Franchell, Mel E. Ross, Harvey Price has been published by the Urban Planning and Economic Development News Magazine out of Colorado. It appears on pages 23 through 25. The July issue of Urban Planning and Economic Development News Magazine is now online .

You might have heard about MasterCard and Visa agreeing to pay more than $6 billion to settle accusations that they engaged in anticompetitive practices in payment processing . The tricky side effect, though, is that, assuming a judge approves the settlement, merchants can now "charge higher prices to consumers who decide to pay for their purchases with credit cards...Until now, the card companies banned merchants from adding such a surcharge, although gas stations and other retailers sometimes offered a discount for customers who paid in cash." Frank Keating, the president of the American Bankers Association said: "Let’s be clear — retailers, not consumers, benefit from today’s resolution." And it apparently didn't hurt MasterCard and Visa . On the stock exchange Friday, "Visa rose 2.3 percent to $126.91 in extended trading in New York. MasterCard advanced 2.9 percent to $442." "Defendants in the case include Bank of America Corp., Citigroup