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This can mean telling employees they aren’t getting a year-end bonus, or that they’ll have to pay more for health insurance premiums. If things get bad enough, it can mean lowering wages or laying off employees. Nobody likes to be the bad guy who has to deliver this news, but it may be necessary in order for the company to survive and produce income for its employees, as well … [Read more...] about We’re Tightening Our Belts What About the Government? One of the hardest things a business owner or CEO has to do is cut back on payroll expenses in economic downturns

Due to the high, up-front investment associated with a real estate project, developers have a substantial economic incentive to see their plans approved by local jurisdictions. One way to increase a developer’s chance of approval is through a fiscal impact analysis (FIA). This informational, quantitative tool measures the financial impact of the development or land use … [Read more...] about Fiscal Impact Analysis: A Measurement Tool for Success

They say nothing is certain except death and taxes. Now, for Nevada casino owners and operators, even taxes are threatening to become uncertain. Not the fact of taxes, but the amount. Nevada is a huge, open, beautiful state. We have plenty of room, plenty of sunshine and we’re known as America’s adventure place. We’re the distribution hub for the 11 western states – located … [Read more...] about Taxes and Tourists: Searching for Solutions to Funding Issues

Are political operatives the scourge of American politics, the corrupters of all that’s pure and just about our Democratic process? The answer, as with many things in our political world, is yes and no. The job of a political consultant is much like the job of a sports agent – they guide their client’s career by helping to make strategic decisions at critical times. They … [Read more...] about Political Consultants: Not Always Troublemakers

Decades of vibrant growth and the continued expansion of our economic base has made Nevada a great place to live, raise a family and run a business. Unfortunately, the arrival of 2008 has brought with it new concerns about the impact of record home foreclosure rates and rising mortgage prices, along with higher costs for goods and energy. Like Americans all across the … [Read more...] about How will the stimulus package boost Nevada’s economy? Tax Credits Helping Families and Businesses

Suzette LaGrange, vice president of Colliers International Las Vegas, never had a second thought when it came time to decide on her lifetime profession. A native Las Vegan with a family background in business and development, she earned a bachelor’s degree in finance at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and quickly rolled up her sleeves to begin full-time work at CB Richard … [Read more...] about Brokering the Deal: More Than Just a Pretty Face

Technology is rapidly transforming the way business is conducted, and technological change seems to be picking up speed. Consider how everyday life in the office has been altered just in the last five years: E-mail is rapidly making the fax machine as obsolete as the manual typewriter; beepers have been replaced by cell phones, which are in turn morphing into multifunctional … [Read more...] about High Tech in Nevada: How Technology is Changing Nevada Business

Alexis de Tocqueville wrote in Democracy in America that “It is doubtless important to the good of nations that those who govern have virtues or talents; but what is perhaps still more important to them is that those who govern do not have interests contrary to the mass of the governed; for in that case the virtues could become almost useless and the talents fatal.” This … [Read more...] about Nevada’s Public Education System: Ignoring Public Interest

Could you become a victim of identity theft? It’s more likely than you might expect. Identity theft occurs when someone uses your identification without authorization to commit a crime. When it comes to identity theft, prevention is the best defense. The Nevada Society of CPAs offers these tips and observations to help you avoid becoming a victim. Keep Your Eye On Your … [Read more...] about Identity Theft: Don’t Let It Happen To You!

Employee training is recognized by most organizations as a critical requirement to stay competitive and profitable. Employee training, if done well, can be an excellent company investment. Unfortunately, in many cases, it ends up as money wasted with no positive impact on the employees’ performance or the organization’s bottom line. Many employees tend to look at a few days of … [Read more...] about Maximizing the Benefits of Employee Training

AmLand Development began as a modest homebuilding company nearly two decades ago. Today, the company – led by Wayne Krygier, chief executive officer and president, and Chet Nichols, executive vice president – has grown to become a notable mixed-use and residential developer in Las Vegas with a respected presence within the Las Vegas real estate and development … [Read more...] about AmLand Development: Focusing on Trends

Whether commercial construction in Nevada is booming, holding its own, or slowing, depends on whom you talk to and the part of the state used as the reference point. Commercial development under construction in Clark County – particularly along that valuable corridor of land we know as The Strip – continues unabated, with cranes flying high and multimillion dollar projects … [Read more...] about The Entitlement Process: Slowdown or Showdown?

Perfume seller Jacqueline Tran of San Jose discovered the hard way that trademarks can be the most valuable asset a company owns. Wanting to cash in on the popularity of online commerce back in the late 1990s, Tran set up several Web sites using versions of the words “perfume” and “bay” as domain names. When she applied for a trademark for Perfumebay with the United States … [Read more...] about Trademarks: Protecting Your Most Valuable Asset

It’s time to bring public charter schools to the forefront of Nevada education. Battle-worn and born of hardy pioneering stock, many of Nevada’s chartered public schools are emerging as successful, avant-garde educational models. The growing popularity of charter schools in Nevada and nationwide is testimony to parents’ desire for quality education options for their … [Read more...] about Nevada’s Education Vanguard: Expanding the Development of Charter Schools

On the heels of the Southwest Exchange Corporation litigation, the Nevada Legislature has moved quickly to reduce the risks associated with 1031 exchange accommodators. Exchanges are highly regulated for qualification as a tax deferred exchange under the Internal Revenue Code, however, state regulation of exchanges has been limited or non-existent. Prior to the new regulations, … [Read more...] about 1031 Exchanges In Nevada: Is It Safe To Go Back In The Water?