According to several reports, President Donald Trump ordered the Department of the Treasury to stop withholding payroll taxes for the balance of the year from federal employee checks beginning mid-September and running through the end of 2020. Perhaps the scariest aspect of this order is its 100 percent application to military enlisted members. Officers can […]
The Federal Reserve Beige Book serves up an assessment of the economy based on information gathered from assorted sources outside the Fed. It would have been nice to see some kind of upside surprise in the latest edition, released Sept. 2. Alas, that was not the case. However, there was some modest optimism when looking […]
Socialism continues to influence conversations and proposed policies and procedures despite the historical fact socialism has failed everywhere its’ tried. Although advocates lack data to support their conclusions, the idea continues to be posited that socialism offers a more caring and moral system than capitalism. America was founded on the premise each of us is […]
I learned two things over the course of a week-long road trip with my father to the Pacific Northwest. First, a good portion of nearly every highway between here and there is under construction. Second, trophy salmon fishing is hard. Both experiences renewed my respect for business owners and managers given the challenges they face […]
Lies, damned lies and statistics. We’ve all heard the phrase. Because it’s what we’re being governed by today in one form or another. And the abuse of statistics rears its ugly head under the guise of such words as “study,” “model” or “mostly peaceful.” How are statistics abused? Let’s take these one by one. How […]
Innovation is the act of bringing new and improved goods, services, technologies and methods — that is, new ideas — to the marketplace. Innovation is vital to economic growth and improved quality of life. That’s certainly the case for health care, from pharmaceuticals to medical devices to the variety of ways for delivering services. Unfortunately, […]
Of all the notions I’ve carried with me since childhood — make your bed, eat your vegetables and always, always wear clean underwear — one of my favorites remains the concept of the do over. You’re playing a game with friends and screw up. Hey, no problem. Do over. There’s nothing wrong or the least […]
Many publications compile lists to highlight the efforts of those deemed to be performing something the best. Lists offer at a glance a compelling comparison of who’s who based on a certain set of metrics — revenue, for example. The latest lists also demonstrate Grand Valley businesses rank among the best in the state and […]
Small business owners and managers face a lot of challenges — nearly as many, probably, as there are operations. But some challenges are more prevalent than others and some downright ubiquitous. Every four years, the National Federation of Independent Business compiles a report on what are deemed the most pressing challenges of all. The small […]
You mean you haven’t heard about the Variance Protection Program (VPP)? Neither had I until the last edition of the Business Times. According to an advertising campaign, the collaborators of the program — Mesa County Public Health (MCPH), the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce and the local, five-day-a-week daily newspaper — say it’s designed […]