          |
FEBRUARY 2008Don’t Miss GSSCC’s February Networking Breakfast Join your Chamber colleagues at GSSCC’s February Networking Breakfast from 7:30 a.m. to 9:a.m. on Wednesday, February 13 at Eggspectation. As part of the program, we will honor the Montgomery County Police 3rd District Officer of the Year for 2007. Respond to this message or call today (301-565-3777) to reserve your space. Mark your Calendar for GSSCC’s February After-Hours Mark your calendars and plan to join GSSCC for our monthly Business-After-Hours from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, February 27 at The Claridge House Apartments, 2445 Lyttonsville Rd. in Silver Spring. GSSCC 15th Anniversary Celebration Begins Watch your mailbox for an invitation to GSSCC’s 15th Anniversary Celebration Reception from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 26 in the Atrium at Lee Plaza. Cost is only $15 to participate in the festivities. Hors d’oeuvres will be provided by some of Silver Spring’s finest restaurants. Eggspectation will host the cash bar. Everyone who attends the reception will receive a commemorative 15th Anniversary lapel pin, featuring a special logo designed by chamber member Auras Design, Inc. Any member who makes a minimum $15 contribution to the Chamber during this anniversary year will also receive an anniversary pin. Sponsorships at $150 and $1,500 are also being sought. Fight to Repeal Tech Tax Continues The fight to repeal the sales tax on computer services continues. A bill in the Senate that would replace the tax on computer services with an increase in the gasoline tax and funds dedicated to the transportation trust fund can be expected to drop this week. “Save Maryland IT Day” Scheduled in Annapolis Join us in Annapolis on February 27 for Save Maryland IT Day, a media event and lobbying day to advocate the repeal of the computer services sales tax. This tax will impact nearly every business -- large and small -- in Maryland. Whether your company is a user or provider of IT services, this tax will have a negative impact on your competitiveness. Taxing computer services will stifle economic development and job creation in Maryland. Unless repealed, the 6 percent computer services sales tax will take effect on July 1. We need you in Annapolis on February 27 to tell your story to the media and to lawmakers. The event will begin at 10:30 a.m. at the Maryland Inn on Church Circle in Annapolis. A media briefing featuring a number of CEOs is scheduled for 11 a.m. Also on hand will be some of the legislators who support the repeal of the tech tax. Following the briefing, the group will walk over to the House and Senate office buildings to urge lawmakers to repeal the tax. Legislation Introduced to Require Domestic Worker Contracts Some Chamber members have voiced concerns about a bill being proposed by County Councilmembers George Leventhal and Marc Elrich that would 1) require an employer of certain domestic workers located in the County to sign a written contract which specifies the terms and conditions of employment; 2) authorize a domestic worker to file a complaint with the Office of Consumer Protection if an employer does not comply with this requirement; and 3) generally amend the County law regarding consumer protection, employment, and domestic workers. A copy of the bill is at: http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/content/council/pdf/bill/2008/2-08.pdf. The first public hearing on this bill is scheduled for tonight, Tuesday, February 26. If you feel that this legislation will negatively affect your business or your clients, please contact the Chamber and let us know your concerns, specifically how and why this legislation would harm your business. Councilmember Ervin and County Executive Host Silver Spring Small Business Reception Councilmember Ervin and Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett will host a reception for small businesses in Silver Spring from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday, February 4, at the old fire station in downtown Silver Spring. On the agenda for the evening will be a review on the background of development in Silver Spring, a discussion of the important role small business plays in the success of Silver Spring, a discussion of current development in the Fenton Village and the Ripley District, and a review of resources available to small businesses. The Silver Spring Regional Center is distributing invitations. If you would like to attend this event, please contact the Chamber office. County Publishes Flyer Outlining Details of Live Nation Agreement The Montgomery County Office of Public Information has published a one-page flyer outlining the details of the County Executive’s agreement with Live Nation on a lease to create a new live music venue in downtown Silver Spring. Go here. One of the “Great Plazas Across the Country” Right Here in Silver Spring An op-ed article in the recent issue of the Nashville Tennessean calls Silver Spring “a model of urban mixed use” and cites the Silver Spring plaza among “the great plazas across the country” and an example of what Nashville should create in the core of its central business district. “Maximizing space, the site includes office, retail and plaza space that mirrors the façade of the existing surrounding development. Downtown Silver Spring has become one of the most successful mixed-use urban districts in the D.C., area.” Go here to view it. Sign up for GSSCC’s February After-Hours Its from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. this Wednesday, February 27 at The Claridge House Apartments, 2445 Lyttonsville Rd. in Silver Spring. Respond to this email or call the Chamber 301-565-3777. Back |
 |
Chamber Partner 
Chamber Friend
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|