Creative Solutions

From Creative People

November 2015

MOMENTUM

A Day In The Life OfRick Beverlin

1/4 Cent TaxWill It Pass?

Upcoming EventsNetworking, Seminars

& More!

Tax TidbitsTips From A

Local Pro

B u s i n e s s to B u s i n e s s

M O N T H LY

M O M E N T U MFrom The CEOPublisher

League City RegionalChamber of Commerce

President / CEO:Steve Paterson

Communications Director:

Erin Webb

Administrative Coordinator:

Jane McFaddin

Contributing Writers:Dion McInnis

Jimmy SpenceCheryl Johnson

City of League City

Advertising Opportunities:Erin@LeagueCityChamber.com

Copyright: MOMENTUM is published by the League City Regional Chamber of Commerce. No portion may be reproduced in whole or in

part by any means, including electronic retrieval systems, without written permission of the

publisher. Editorial content does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher of this

magazine. Editorial and advertising does not constitute advice but is considered informative.

Welcome to Momentum, the League City Regional Chamber of Commerce monthly newsletter. As part of our ongoing efforts to support our membership, the business community and the municipalities which we currently serve, we wanted to produce a quality publication, which could be both an educational resource and a source of information to benefit our membership.

We understand how important information is to our small to medium businesses in their everyday operations. We knew we could assist them by working with our partners and members to develop content which would be meaningful. With that in mind, we knew it would need to be on a platform that could be easily available and could be accessed when you had time to do so. Digital publishing makes that possible. It would also be important that the content be relevant and applicable for the business owners or management, something they could use and that would provide a real service and benefit. This is what your team at the Chamber will be striving to do for our membership and business community.

We are looking to our members to assist in our efforts by becoming contributors to Momentum. We are looking for members to share their expertise, knowledge and wisdom in areas where they are recognized by their peers as leaders and educators in their business sector or service. If you are interested, please contact Erin Webb, our Communications Director, at erin@leaguecitychamber.com. Your submission should be between 300 to 400 words and include a graphic sent to her, along with a head shot and contact information. We will review your submissions and provide you guidance and/or a publication date. Do not worry about editing, we can assist with that part of the process. We encourage you to share with your fellow business owners and operators information that will benefit them in building their business.

League City is quickly becoming a regional leader in business and as such we want to provide information which will not only benefit our members, but also assist the municipalities in the Clear Lake area develop and attract businesses, which will enhance our quality of life, through job development, income and amenities, which make for robust and quality of life communities.

Each and every month going forward, Momentum will be emailed to 9000 plus businesses and business contacts including our membership. Momentum will be a work in progress and the team here welcomes your thoughts, critiques and suggestions on how we may improve each month going forward. Please email me at steve@leaguecitychamber.com with those and we will do our best to build a newsletter monthly that will assist you in building your business.

Yours in partnership and service,

Steve Paterson

Thank you to both our Platinum Level and Premier Members

Premier MembersGOLD SILVER

AutoNation Acura Gulf Freeway

Bay Area Rehabilitation Hospital

Butler’s Courtyard

City of League City

Clear Lake Regional Medical Center

Harbour Insurance Services, Inc.

Haute Flowers & Finds

Houston Methodist St. John Hospital

JSC Federal Credit Union

Kroger

Nationwide Insurance - Joe Cook

RE/MAX Space Center - Rick Wade

Regent Care Center League City

Shelmark Engineering, LLC

State Farm Insurance - Johnny White

Sugar Street Bakery

BRONZEAdvocare - KemahAl Hicks and AssociatesAllstate Insurance - Rene TomanAssociated Credit Union of TexasCHRISTUS Foundation for HealthcareComcastDavid G. Vanderweide, MDEduSafe Systems, IncGalveston Co. Daily NewsHDR EngineeringNewQuest PropertiesNorth Star Pressure Washing Services, LLCOrchard ParkReal Living - The Hatmaker GroupRealty by MonicaSouth Shore Harbour ResortSubaru of Clear LakeThe Home DepotUniversity of Houston Clear LakeWaters Edge Venue

In This IssueRickBeverlin

1/4 Cent Tax

A Day in the Life of Rick Beverlin, Director of Economic Development for the City of League City.

1/4-cent sales tax is the RIGHT thing to do for League City’s Growth

2015 Board of Directors

ChairwomanBonnie LemYourTownTV

TreasurerJill KaiserUniversity FCU

SecretaryDeborah BlyREMAX - The Bly Team

Past Chairwoman Bonnie BenkulaCarebuilders at Home

Doreen Hughes Teresa VencilMainland Testing Haute Flowers & Finds

Mary Ellen Arledge Charleton CottonWestover Plaza Norman Frede Chevrolet

Ray Soto Dick Gregg, JrSoto Financial & Insurance Gregg & Gregg, P.C.

Julie Howell Tim SchmidtLakewood Yacht Club Bay Area Regional Medical Center

Mark Rohr - Ex-Officio Leonard WoolseyCity of League City Galveston County Daily News

Chamber Staff

President/CEO Administrative Coordinator Communications DirectorSteve Paterson Jane McFaddin Erin Webb

The City of League City

ew MembersWe are so excited to welcome our newest members to the League City Regional Chamber of Commerce.

NJoined April 2015

• Headz Up Haircuts• Galveston County Constable Pct 2 -

Clint Wayne Brown• Pettijohn Law Firm, PLLC• Houlden Enterprises LLC• Ms Monkey’s Emporium• Gardner & Martin, Inc.• Kindred at Home• Hawthorne at South Shore• Brand IQ

Joined May 2015

• PrimeLending, A PlainsCapital Company• Southern Roots Boutique & Salon• DeMontrond• First Choice Emergency Room - Victory Lakes• College & Retirement Planning Network• Texas Hurricane & Security Systems• Mustang Cat Rental Store• Jersey Mike’s Subs• Kindercare Learning Center• Cullen’s• Giggles & Grins Joined June 2015

• David G. Vanderweide, MD • Robinette & Company Caterers, Inc. • Tanger Outlets• Nutrition by Max Muscles• Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers Centurion Palace

Joined July 2015

• Skin Essentials Med Spa and Hair Salon• La Poz Cafe, Inc.• Edward Jones - Tiffany McCaa• CP Home Care of Houston• CoastPointe Church• Galveston County Constable Pct. 7 -

Rick Sharp

• The Romero Law Office PC • SunCoast Plastic Surgery • Kroger

Joined August 2015

• Pollo Tropical• Red Oak Cafe• Bay Area Rehabilitation Hospital• Junior Achievement of Southeast Texas• eVolve Restaurant• The Salon At Park Avenue Station

Joined September 2015

• Odyssey Academy• DMC Skincare• Abe’s Cajun Market• Natalie Poole• Texas Auto• Heist Hair Bar & Boutique LLC• Bay Area Habitat for Humanity-Houston, Inc.• Taskforce BPO• I-Cryo• Stephanye Lynn Events• Hampton Inn & Candlewood Suites • Stellar Financial• Allstate Insurance Agency• EduSafe Systems, Inc

Joined October 2015

• Robertson Wealth Management• Kemah Palms Recovery• Affordable Bookkeeping / Tom Crews, CPA• League City Historical Society

Patriot Awards LuncheonPresenting Sponsor: Bay Area Regional Medica l

Patriot: A proud supporter or defender of his/her country and its way of life.

The League City Regional Chamber of Commerce held its annual Patriot Awards Luncheon on September 11, 2015 at the South Shore Harbour Resort and Conference Center. The purpose of this luncheon is to honor all first level responsders in our community.

The 2015 Award Recipients were:

Galveston County Sheriffs DepartmentDeputy Smitty Hill

League City Fire DepartmentTrey Kirkpatrick

League City EMSJessica Kifer

League City Police DepartmentOfficer Michelle Digby

Thank you to Bay Area Regional Medical Center for sponsoring this wonderful event.

T he League City Regional Chamber of Commerce hosted the 2nd Annual “It’s Your Time! Women’s Conference” on September 18, 2015 at South Shore Harbour Resort

and Conference Center. The day began with breakfast and a compelling story from Rachel Raborn Norris, who was born in Hong Kong to missionary parents and now owns Joy pottery in Bryan, Texas. Throughout the day, women chose custom workshops from many different speakers focusing on health and wellness, entrepreneurship, spirituality and education. At lunchtime, the ladies were treated to a delicious lunch and heard from Keynote speaker Debbie Macomber, a #1 New York Times bestselling author and one of today’s most popular writers with more than 170 million copies of her books in print worldwide. The day wouldn’t have been complete without shopping! 25 vendors set up onsite for ladies to shop during the day. The day ended with the unveiling of three local area women who received extreme makeovers from chamber members Skin Essentials Med Spa & Salon and Casanova’s downfall.

Presented by:Houston Methodist St John Hospital

Rick BeverlinDirector of Economic DevelopmentCity of League City

Q: Tell us a little about your backgroundA: I was born and raised in Houston. Graduated from Marian Christian high school, and my father was an independent petroleum geologist running a small exploration company into the mid-1980s, until later transitioning to aerospace and the JSC community for the balance of his career. I interned for US Congressman Tom DeLay after my first year of college, back when his district office was in the Sharpstown area. I completed my undergraduate studies at the University of St. Thomas, and worked in the Planning Department for Missouri City during graduate school, finishing my MPA at the University of Houston. My first job out of grad school was in the planning department for the City of Galveston – from there I was recruited to manage the H-GAC Transportation Improvement Program, which the multi-billion dollar program of capital transportation projects that covers 8-counties. I spent almost a decade in the private sector on urban and transportation planning projects, including numerous redevelopment initiatives ranging from Midtown, Uptown Houston, Westchase, 3rd Ward, Upper Kirby, among others, and both county and municipal planning efforts in Galveston, Fort Bend, Harris, Montgomery and other counties across Texas. I was also involved as a consultant on the financial components that supported the Woodlands Waterway pedestrian connections and trolleys, and park and ride expansions. I spent the past 4 years as City Administrator in Kemah, which was a great experience in terms of addressing issues tourism, economic development, and addressing transportation challenges. I think growing up in Houston at the time I did really gave me some real world perspective on how critical it is for the economic base to be diverse, and that development should be both well planned, and well timed. The nexus between what the public sector can do (work to create consensus, targeted infrastructure investments, enhanced transportation system components), and supporting the private sector to do what it does best. Ideally, if the public sector brings it’s “A” game, the private sector investment in quality, truly sustainable development should be the result. At the same time the public sector must also safeguard the citizens interests in doing so. The closer the public and private sectors can be in sync the better, hopefully working together (albeit for different reasons) on a better end product. We can learn a lot from history, and development patterns that have worked, or even outperformed original projections…and others that were not as sustainable over the long haul. We also have current samples in other markets that could be successful here.

Q: What got you into this field?A: I’ve always enjoyed the development aspect and the positive role a municipality can take to support it. It’s great to see how together we can create quality places for residents and families to live, work, and play by working on redevelopment and supporting infill development in areas throughout the city such as Main Street – all of which supports the history of the town. My mantra is that we should leave things better than we found them and it’s rewarding to watch the transformation of the projects we put into play years later comes to mind. I’m looking forward to that aspect of the job here as well. Q: What are the "Hot Trends" in economic development now?A: True “mixed use” and “lifestyle” centers, that bring residential, retail, office, dining, and entertainment into walkable, safe, and fun environments. There’s no coincidence that similar models have emerged in activity centers such as “City Centre” off of I-10 West, The Woodlands, Sugar Land, Pearland, and several of the Dallas-Fort Worth area communities. Mixed use centers build incredible value over time, and typically have greater longevity and popularity than traditional retail centers; they are effectively modern suburban downtowns. Another trend, especially in the Economic Development realm, is corporate headquarters recruitments. Focusing on location or relocation of several hundred, or several thousand high paying jobs is a boon to local businesses, retailers, homebuilders, vendors, suppliers, and other support within the economic chain. Moreover, the ability to attract more than one industry type to your city is also critical … bottom line is that Economic Diversity is critical to long-term sustainability. Q: Why League City?A: It’s not proper to answer a question with a question, but I say “Why not League City?”Right now, we are just under 100,000 residents and anticipate reaching the 100,000 mark within the coming months. On top of that, we have quality educational facilities, medical facilities, housing, parks, natural resources and green space. As the biggest City in Galveston County, we are at the center of it all. We are an equal distance between downtown Houston and Galveston Island, in close proximity to JSC and with the develop-ment of UTMB-Victory Lakes, and now a planned MDA Anderson complex of more than 100,000 square feet – League City is the place to be. Let’s not forget about the development at Pinnacle Park on the west side of I-45 and the soon to open destination retail site, Cabela’s that is a big step for the City. It’s incredible to think about how close we are to the Houston Hobby Airport. We are just under 20 miles from the airport, which is now making international connections to Latin America, including Mexico and Costa Rica. The expanded Panama Canal, the proposed Grand Parkway extension to IH-45, and our proximity to the ports of Galveston, Texas City, and Hous-ton make us uniquely positioned to create a much stronger commercial and office component over the next several years, and next two decades.

+POSITIVE NEWSDevereux Texas is part of a leading national nonprofit organization that specializes in the care of children, adolescents and adults experiencing a wide range of behavioral, emotional and mental health disorders. Devereux serves Texas citizens – and individuals from across the nation – at locations in League City and Victoria, Texas. We treat individuals diagnosed with emotional/behavioral disorders, intellectual/developmental disabilities, dual diagnosis and mild autism spectrum disorders.

Devereux League City Programs • Foster care services for birth to 18 years of age• Long-term hospitalization and intensive residential services for adolescents • Devereux School for ages 12-22, and vocational programs

Did You Know?• Texas ranks near the bottom of the nation for the amount spent per person on mental health care.• More than 30,000 children in Texas Foster Care due to neglect or abandonment.• 1 in 5 children in the U.S. suffers from a debilitating mental disorder, or has in the past.• Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States and the 3rd leading cause of death for those

ages 10 to 24.• Devereux Texas offers a full range of care of our communities’ most vulnerable citizens. You can help children

change their outcome by joining us in our efforts.

Ways to Get Involved• Join the Friends of Devereux • Join the Young Ambassadors• Sponsor an event• Become a foster care parent• Advocate for foster care and mental health awareness

To learn more about Devereux Texas and the individuals in their care visit devereuxtx.org or contact Joni Robertson, Director of Development at 281-316-5423 or jroberts@devereux.org. Your involvement will impact our community and make a difference.

Member Corner

1/4-cent sales tax is the RIGHT thing to do for League City’s Growth As published in The Galveston County Daily News - Sept. 15, 2015

League City is known as a bedroom community, and nowhere is that more evident than in the property taxes the homeowners pay on a yearly basis. Nearly 82 percent of the taxes for our city come from residential homeowners. Commercial taxes are 18.1 percent and then followed by industrial at .10 percent.

The analogy of a three-legged stool has been used. Ideally, having those percentages more equal makes for a more equitable balance of taxable value for the city. The good news here is that League City is a great place to live and raise a family. We have so much going for us. The bad news is that if we don’t find a way to diversify our tax base, homeowners will continue to carry an unbalanced tax burden.

The TRAC (Team for Revitalization & Advancement of Commerce) committee is made up of concerned citizens and business individuals that understand two things. First, League City is one of only a few large cities that charge 8 percent sales tax and is at a disadvantage compared to 97 percent of all large cities in the State of Texas, that already take advantage of the extra 1/4-cent sales tax that is allowed by law. If approved by voters the proposed 1/4-cent of increased sales tax revenue would be used for economic development projects that would help attract investment and businesses that would generate jobs and add to the value of our city. These funds would be overseen by a board with citizen participation, who would produce a yearly budget that must be approved by city council. Projects proposed by the board would include public involvement for prioritizing.

Secondly, the residents of League City are already paying the extra 1/4-cent sales tax (8.25 percent) every time we shop or make a purchase outside of our own city.

We are literally helping the surrounding cities with their economic development plans and projects. The cost to us is an extra 25 cents on a $100 purchase.

Texas City generated $4,285,000 last year with their economic development sales tax that they have in place. Pearland generat-ed $9,415,766 and Webster generated $3,901,540. League City has zero dollars being generated by the extra 1/4-cent sales tax because it does not have the extra 1/4- cent sales tax.

The city of Webster used $750,000 of its available economic development funding to assist Top Golf in overcoming site develop-ment hurdles. As a result, Webster is getting one of the premier attractions in the Gulf Coast area. League City could attract such venues/businesses if we had the funds to do so.

The Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership, League City Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce support this initiative. This investment is a means to an end with the potential to drive future commercial growth and compete for unique retail, restaurants, attractions and other projects.

We hear people voice their concern and frustration all the time about the high property taxes that are paid in League City. This is an opportunity for the citizens to vote for something positive that can have a lasting impact for our city and those who live here. The city council has already passed the Homestead exemption increase from 14 percent to 20 percent and has also voted to low-er the property tax rate by 6.3 percent to give some relief there as well. Both steps took vision and courage from our elected officials.

Now it is the citizens’ turn to step up and get the facts and vote Yes for a common-sense approach to providing some tax relief to the homeowners in our city.

Roy Green is the co-chairman of Team for Revitalization & Advancement of Commerce (TRAC)

CREATIVE SOLUTIONSfrom CREATIVE

Knowledge and experience leads to creative solutions: Get out of the rut of “the way things are usually done.”Nicole Bellow, Senior Human Resources Consultant with Smarter HR Solutions, explains that by tapping into her 20-plus years of experience in human resources for large corporations, she was able to develop the awareness, knowledge and solutions that benefit smaller businesses. “Looking in the face of a business owner who isn’t familiar with all the current rules, regulations and practices in HR, I see the chance to help them increase their profits while reducing their risks related to HR issues.” She accomplishes this by getting out of the rut of how professional services like hers are generally packaged and priced. Nicole empathizes with the challenges facing a small-business owner who tries to navigate the complicated field of human resource issues. Familiar with how most human resource service companies package and price their programs to small businesses, she knew there could be more creative approaches. Her concepts were validated in the job she held before starting her current company.The light bulb moment happened while in a meeting with her previous boss as they discussed a variety of measures that Nicole had developed and implemented based on focusing expertise specifically where it was needed. During the meeting, it became clear that her plans saved her employer more than $300,000. Nicole said with a beaming smile, “I thought ‘hmmmm, I can do this for others, too’ and that was the beginning of the concept of my business, Smarter HR Solutions.”Basically, she creates packages of expertise to fit any business owner’s needs and budget particularly small- and middle-market businesess. “I conduct a human resources audit, and then point out plans that can help the business owner. I focus first on the issues that are most likely to get the owner in trouble.” Her approach begins with the business owner and solution packages involve a mix of resources.By getting out of the rut of expansive HR solutions, she moved to smarter solutions that creatively align the client’s needs and budget. “Why sell all the luxury car with all the options when the customer is best served with dependable transportation without the frills. Professional services can be packaged in similar ways.”Nicole’s creative use of focusing on the clients and their realities first has led her to programs that better suit client needs, urgencies and future plans. Consider this client-first view of your professional services to re-consider ways to package and deliver what you offer.

PEOPLE

Smarter HR SolutionsNicole Bellow, *DBA, MBA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP

Senior Human Resources Consultant

Creativity Tips from Empowered Creativity Institute

Think of all the services or programs that you offer. Write them on a whiteboard or spreadsheet. Consider this as your business’ ingredients to a “solution recipe.”Consider the various ways to put the ingredients together. Perhaps you use more one-on-one consulting, or more group online info sharing, or different types of deliverable reports…of all the things that you offer, you can put the ingredients together in just the right way to satisfy each client’s taste for solutions.Look at past experiences as guides to what potential clients. Chances are good that you could quickly develop several solution packages for clients in various types of situations. This replicability will make you more effective and efficient in serving your customers.

By Dion McInnis, Empowered Creativity Institute

SOLUTIONSPEOPLE

Presented By: LJA EngineeringHosted at: Magnolia Creek Golf Course

Commercial Space Legislation: Nelson seeks swift compromise on commercial launch bill Senator Bill Nelson plans to encourage a swift compromise on commercial space legislation between U.S. House and Senate versions. Nelson, a member of the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee, expects to reach a compromise by year's end. Much of the focus will be on the extension of a current FAA learning period on passenger safety provisions and indemnification. The Senate version would extend both exemptions through 2020, the House version through 2025. The Senate measure would also extend International Space Station operations from 2020 through 2024, as proposed by the White House in early 2014.

Kelly Commands ISS: Scott Kelly takes over as Space Station commander In ceremonies Saturday, September 5, nine astronauts aboard the International Space Station marked a change in command, as Russian cosmonaut Gennady Padalka prepared to return to Earth on Sept. 11 with Danish astronaut Andreas Mogensen and Kazakh cosmonaut Aidyn Aimbetov. NASA's astronaut Scott Kelly takes on the command role from Padalka. Kelly and cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko are in the midst of an 11-12 month stay aboard the station.

Orion EM-1 Spacecraft: Orion prepared for next mission Engineers at NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility start the welding of the NASA/Lockheed Martin Orion capsule assigned to the first test launch of the Space Launch System heavy lift rocket. The mission, which will send the unpiloted capsule around the moon and back to the Earth for an ocean splash down, is planned for late 2018. Commercial Space Transportation

Boeing’s Starliner: Boeing unveils "Starliner" spacecraft assembly plans In ceremonies at NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Boeing revealed the name for the CST-100 crew capsule under development as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. Boeing's Starliner will transport men and women to and from International Space Station following assembly in a new KSC processing and test facility that once served as a space shuttle hangar. The program also supports development of SpaceX's crewed Dragon. Both spacecraft plan crewed test flights in 2017.

Orbital ATK Resupply Missions: Space Station schedule may delay Antares return to flight Orbital ATK will be prepared to launch its first modified Antares launch vehicles on a resupply mission to the International Space Station in March 2016 but may have to wait. NASA contracted Antares resupply missions to the orbiting science lab were halted by an Oct. 28 explosion of the launch vehicle. Orbital has contracted with United Launch Alliance to meet its cargo delivery obligations using Atlas 5 launch vehicles in December and now March 2016, according to presentations at the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Space 2015 conference in Pasadena, Calif. The Antares is being equipped with new rocket engines for future flights.

The Martian: `The Martian' author Andy Weir brings his nerd thriller into the mainstream Opening in theaters on Oct. 2, The Martian offers an optimistic vision to the dark side of the science fiction genre that has reigned of late. "This is adventure for those of us who believe, deep in our hearts, that the heroes of "Star Trek'' (the original series, naturally) are Spock and Scotty, the science officer and the engineer," notes the Times. "They don't know why Kirk gets the gals, but they know they will end up saving the day, over and over again. With clever solutions, not fisticuffs."

Contributed by: Jimmy SpenceAerospace Marketing Manager,BAHEP

Human Space Exploration Update

According to the Texas Comptroller’s website, there are more than 60 separate taxes, fees and assess- ments in the State and, as I recently discovered, there is absolutely nowhere you can hide from them! A think tank group recently challenged folks to add up the taxes, fees and surcharges paid each month on monthly expenses. I was appalled to discover that between 10% to 30% had been added to my land and mobile phone and internet bills each month – an amount sufficient to pay the entire natural gas bill for the same month! What is a person, or business to do? Not much other than eliminate the source and no one I know is tossing the cell phone out the window any time soon!

T I D B I T SBy: Cheryl E. Johnson, PCC

Galveston County Tax Assessor Collector

When it comes to your real and business personal property taxes, however, the obligation is fairly clear cut and, to some extent, you are in control of the bottom line. Land and improvements thereon are real property and the value is based primarily on the market value – the price a knowledgeable buyer would pay and an owner would sell a property for under normal conditions (meaning no one is highly motivated to buy or to sell). For homes, this is fairly simple to determine. What are homes selling for in your neighborhood? That is likely the amount you will be taxed on.The down side of this valuation scheme is that the mass appraisal technique used by county appraisal districts (CADs) does not account for condition of individual properties or terms of the sales occurring, thus, property owners have the burden of providing this information during the equalization or protest phase of the tax year. Miss the deadline and you are on the hook for a higher tax bill until the following tax year. Disagree with the CAD and you could end up in arbitration or court. Some, such as me, believe that being taxed based on unrealized capital gains (with the value of your home being determined by the marketplace rather than your own actions) is unfair and have been working to re- form the system.What about your business property taxes? The value of your business depends largely on the type of business and its income producing potential. Income producing properties such as multi-family residences or apartments, strip shop- ping centers, restaurants or office buildings have an income potential from which the net revenue is capitalized into a value. Businesses render or report the value of the furniture, fixtures and equipment used to conduct the business in addition to the inventory of the goods sold and on hand January 1 no later than April 15th each year. The April 15th deadline can easily be extended to May 15th via a written request to the CAD. Failure to render will result in a 10% pen- alty on top of that year’s tax.Regardless of the property type, you have the ability to protest the value each year. Before 2015, success rates in Galveston County were fairly high with 95% of those appealing realizing some amount of reduction. Based on the input I have received, that number will be closer to 50% for 2015. Regardless of the final stats, if you don’t protest, you have NO chance of lowering the property taxes this year making true the adage that government belongs to he or she who shows up. Without a doubt, protesting your property value is the most immediate form of tax relief available to you and 100% worth trying yourself or hiring a property tax consultant to do so on your behalf. Beware, however. Once an agent is hired, they represent you until you specifically terminate the agreement.

Property Tax Relief for Small BusinessesAll tangible personal property held or used for the production of income is taxable unless: 1) it has a total value of less than $500, or 2) a motor vehicle used in the course of doing business but is also used for personal activities of the owner.The exemption for value less than $500 is widely used by in-home businesses. The exemption for a vehicle is gaining popularity in that most small business owners use their commercial vehicles to run personal errands. Both exemptions must be applied for – the under $500 value via the rendition form no later than April 15th.Complete form #50-759 between January 1st and April 30th annually to avoid taxes on a business vehicle for personal use.Business personal property taxes affect any business in existence January 1 so whether opening a new business or closing an existing one – the calendar is key. New businesses should open after January 1 and closures should occur no later than December 31st. If closing a business, file a Business Personal Property Affidavit with the CAD. All forms – renditions and exemptions - are available on the Galveston CAD website at www.galvestoncad.org.Consolidated county tax bills will be arriving in area mailboxes before the end of the the month so please take a moment to review the payment information included above.

Interesting Business Facts in CountyNearly 13,000 business personal property accounts contribute over $2.9B in market value across Galveston County. A chart showing the contributory percentage of value added by these businesses is included.It is important to note that the $2.9B does not include the value of real property which adds an additional $4.9B to the County tax base. Without a doubt, local gov- ernments would suffer without the added value of local business and industry con- tributing to their tax bases and citizens would suffer without the services and jobs available as a result of their presence. Truly we in Galveston County should be thankful we have a business climate that encourages their on-going creation.

T O G E T H E RSEE differently; CHANGE perspectives; GROW authentically

Workshop Schedule Empower Your Job Search; Empower Your Laid Off Employees; Empower Your Time

All workshops have a minimum enrollment of five to help assure interaction and engagement.

Successful Job Hunting NOVEMBER 13, 1-5 PMTools and techniques to find the job you want.

Using the analogy of game hunting, this program identifies the steps and procedures to find the job you want. No shortcuts, no tricks…just solid advice that will guide you through the various steps of doing the work of a successful job search. Learn how to choose whether to watch ads or pursue contacts, develop a blockbuster résumé or use something less bold, understand the behaviors of those who hire and much more. Presentation, interaction that involves attendees’ realities and exercises included, along with handouts. One session of four hours. $59.

Empowered Time Management NOVEMBER 30, 1-5 PMPlan it, protect it, manage it, use it

Using different approaches to understanding and implementing time management, this program provides attendees a variety of perspectives and tools to finally get a grip on time management as it also is used in project management. The effective approach is the one that you will use and stick with; this program will provide you the perspectives to choose methods that will work for you. Presentation, exercises and interaction that involves attendees’ realities will make the information clear and immediately useable. One session of four hours. $79

For More Information Visit, www.DionMcInnis.com/workshopsDion McInnis Initiatives, LLC - 2500 South Shore Blvd, Suite C - League City, TX 77573 - 832-877-8821

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Erin@LeagueCityChamber.com

League City Regional Chamber of Commerce - 217 East Main - League City, TX 77573 - (281) 338-7339