Marketplace Fairness Act Passes Senate
After many years of campaigning by ICSC and other trade organizations, the U.S. Senate voted 69 to 27 yesterday to approve S. 743, “The Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013,” moving the legislation one step closer to enactment. As I mentioned in my recent President’s Message, the passage of this bill is critical to the Commercial Real Estate industry, brick-and-mortar retailers and perhaps more importantly, to our State.
There is more work to be done before the Marketplace Fairness Act can become law. Now it must be approved by the House of Representatives, so there will be more challenges ahead and much education that needs to take place. I encourage you to contact your Representative today!
Marty Mayer selected for Young Leadership Council’s 2013 Role Model Class
Marty Mayer, President & CEO of Stirling Properties, is among 25 New Orleanians recently selected by Young Leadership Council (YLC) for their 2013 Role Model class. YLC, a non-profit civic organization that develops leadership skills through community projects, will honor each Role Model at their 27th Annual YLC Role Model Gala.
Every year, a committee composed of members of the YLC Board of Directors and Role Models from previous years selects 25 members of the New Orleans community who serve as outstanding examples for the young talent that YLC represents. Honorees distinguish themselves by promoting a positive attitude and an unyielding desire to enhance the quality of life in the New Orleans region, striving to unite the community in collaborative efforts for its future prosperity, serving as exemplary role models to young talent, and making significant contributions in their specific fields of endeavor.
“For over 26 years, we have identified leaders in our community who represent the qualities that YLC works hard to promote in our members. This year’s honorees are no exception,” said Richard Pavlick, 2013 YLC Board President. “We are excited to honor this group of outstanding individuals at this year’s Role Model Awards Gala.”
Other members of the 2013 Role Model class include:
- Charlotte A. Bollinger, Bollinger Shipyards, Inc.
- Marsha A. Boudy, New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and Foundation
- Nannette Jolivet Brown, United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana
- John M. Duck, Adams and Reese LLP
- Ben Hales, New Orleans Saints and New Orleans Pelicans
- Juli Miller Hart, Projects With Purpose
- Paul Hoolahan, Sugar Bowl
- Janet R. Howard, Bureau of Governmental Research
- Gary LaGrange, Port of New Orleans
- John Landrum, Intralox LLC
- Patricia LeBlanc, LeBlanc Butler LLC
- Peggy Mendoza, City Year New Orleans
- Virginia Miller, Beuerman Miller Fitzgerald
- Kenneth Polite, Liskow & Lewis
- Ann Rabin, Citizens for 1 Greater New Orleans
- Dorothy “Dottie” Reese, DMM & Associates, LLC
- Stephen Romig, LaPorte CPAs & Business Advisors
- Stephen Rosenthal, Strategic Comp
- G. Albert Ruesga, PhD, Greater New Orleans Foundation
- Yaye Sarr, D.D.S., Smiles To Geaux
- Chris Schultz, Launch Pad & Flatstack
- Pamela Senatore, Generation Louisiana LLC
- Ann Tuennerman, Tales of the Cocktail
- Warner Williams, Chevron
About Young Leadership Council
The Young Leadership Council is a non-profit, non-partisan civic organization created to develop leadership through community projects. Through volunteer-created community projects, the YLC recruits and retains young professionals to New Orleans, creating a positive impact on the quality of life in the region. The oldest, independent YPO (young professionals’ organization) in the country, the YLC has raised more than $25 million to support community projects in and around the New Orleans area since 1986.President’s Message: Wouldn’t it be nice if all taxes were “voluntary”?
Typically, I steer clear of any politically-charged issue in my President’s Messages, but there is a bill currently pending in the Senate that falls into the “just plain common sense” category. The Marketplace Fairness Act deals with the problem of uncollected sales taxes from the sales of internet retailers that do not have a physical presence in the state in which the consumer makes the purchase. In my opinion, the loophole is the unintended consequence of a law which was passed over two decades ago…long before the impact of technology and internet sales.
The result today – $23 BILLION in uncollected sales tax revenue.
After a very lengthy campaign of a coalition of trade organizations led by the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), the Senate is now taking up the Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013. The passage of this bill is critical to the Commercial Real Estate industry, brick-and-mortar retailers and perhaps most importantly, to our State. As an ICSC Trustee, I want to highlight some important information about this bill:
It levels the playing field for ALL retailers.
Local brick-and-mortar retailers have long been put at a tremendous disadvantage by an antiquated sales tax framework that clearly benefits online retailers. The current sales tax system is threatening our community retailers, which serve as the backbone of our local economies.
Courtesy of ICSC. Click to learn more.
It protects small online businesses.
The law exempts firms with less than $1 million in sales from collecting sales taxes, which would exempt 99% of all sellers and over 40% of all online retailers. It also requires states to streamline the collection process so it is not an undue burden.
It is NOT a new tax.
Sales tax on online purchases is not new; it’s already due and currently should be self-reported by the consumer. 98.6% of us don’t report…should we all go to jail? The Marketplace Fairness Act removes the burden on consumers by requiring online and catalog sellers to collect sales tax at time of purchase.
It promotes a more stable & efficient revenue stream for state & local governments to pay for projects and services.
Without the bill, states may have to raise other taxes for their in-state residents and businesses. Estimates of lost sales taxes in Louisiana alone due to internet sales range from $400 million to $800 million…and this figure will only grow exponentially with current demographic trends. This is a significant hole for a state with a $1.3 billion deficit to fill.
Courtesy of ICSC. Click to learn more.
This bipartisan legislation provides the federal solution necessary to close the online sales tax loophole and level the playing field for all retailers. The Marketplace Fairness Act is a simpler, more evenhanded and efficient sales tax system that will bring numerous benefits to our economy. This is a critical issue that must be dealt with sometime. If not, we are simply kicking the can down the road. To me, it is just common sense.
Read More:
Yes, It’s Time for an Internet Sales Tax
5 Things You Should Know About the Long Overdue Online Sales Tax Bill
Internet sales tax long overdue: Our view
Stirling Properties’ Chris Abadie and Dick Cyr Now Hold ICSC Professional Certifications
Chris Abadie
Dick Cyr
Stirling Properties is pleased to announce that Chris Abadie, Vice President and Manager of Commercial Brokerage, and Dick Cyr, Senior Project Manager, are now International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) Certified professionals. Mr. Abadie is now an ICSC Certified Leasing Specialist (CLS) and Mr. Cyr is now an ICSC Certified Development, Design and Construction Professional (CDP).
ICSC estimates that less than 10% of industry professionals have achieved this important status, setting Mr. Abadie and Mr. Cyr, as well as Stirling Properties, apart from the rest.
With over 6,000 designees in 55 countries, ICSC certification programs are a mark of excellence. Certifications focus on raising industry professional standards worldwide and give special recognition to shopping center professionals who demonstrate the highest levels of competency in their industry through professional education, experience, ethics, and by passing a rigorous examination.
Stirling Properties’ Commercial Agents among Top Producers at Annual CID Awards Ceremony
Stirling Properties’ commercial agents were honored during the New Orleans Metropolitan Association of Realtors Commercial Investment Division’s 20th annual awards banquet held Friday, April 5, 2013 at the New Orleans Country Club.
Leading the way was Rhonda Sharkawy, who received the F. Poche Waguespack Award for having the highest volume of sales and leases in the marketplace for the year. Rhonda’s volume for 2012 included 72 deals and totaled more than $25 million. This is her third consecutive year to receive this honor and one of only a handful of women to achieve it since it was created back in 1964.
In addition to celebrating the top producers and transactions of 2012, the awards ceremony also recognized commercial agents who passed the $2 million mark in sales. Also recognized was Gaines Seaman who received the Overall Top Office Producer Award with more than $18 million in volume and Joe Gardner who eclipsed the $2 million for the first time with a volume of $4.6 million.
IBM – What a Win for Baton Rouge!
IBM‘s recent announcement that they will open an 800-job technology center in downtown Baton Rouge is a HUGE game changer for Baton Rouge, LSU and Louisiana. Along with the new, well-paying, tech-sector jobs that IBM will bring, the state has committed to fund an expansion of LSU’s computer science program, which will help to provide a well-trained workforce. Additionally, a mixed-use building to be developed on the river and occupied by IBM will transform the skyline of downtown Baton Rouge.
This economic win would not have been possible without the hard work and collaboration between the Baton Rouge Area Chamber (BRAC), the City/Parish of East Baton Rouge, Louisiana Economic Development (LED), Louisiana State University, the Baton Rouge Area Foundation (BRAF) and others that played a key role in successfully luring IBM to Baton Rouge.
Read more details in BRAC’s Press Release and LED’s Press Release.
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