Escondido Chamber of Commerce
720 N Broadway
Escondido, CA 92025
760-745-2125

January 11, 2017
Escondido Arts Partnership: WOOD
The opening reception 
Sat, January 14th 
5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
For more info

Escondido City Council Award Nomination
Submit your nominations for the awards by January 18th 5:00 p.m.
For more info

Dine Out Escondido!
Restaurant Week January 22 - 28,  2017 at 30 fantastic restaurants in historic downtown and all around Escondido!
For more info

Breakfast with the Mayor
New members and those who have yet to attend are highly encouraged to attend
January 24th
RSVP

Escondido Public Library: New Year's Finance Workshop
financial_accounting.jpg
Tuesday, January 24
6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. 
For more info 
Escondido Magazine
Read our magazine, view

Plates for Eight
Connect with fellow Chamber members, while you enjoy lunch!
January 18th 11:30 am 

 


 

Rorie Johnston

Today, I received a phone call from a local manufacturer in Escondido who has been able to double his business in the last two years. Kudos, right? Here is an entrepreneur wanting to expand but with expansion comes an increase in expenses. And one of those expenses hit this week called FUTA. 

As employers, we pay a 6.2% FUTA per employee on the first $7,000 of wages for a total of $434.00, a tax which is paid throughout the year and recorded on the quarterly 940 filings.  

So why the hefty FUTA bill that is due by January 31st? 

Each year that California is in debt to the Federal Unemployment Trust Account (FUTA), the tax credit will be reduced by .3% until this debt is eliminated. And a reduction in tax credit means higher taxes. This debt has been rolling over since 2011, increasing the UI tax by an additional $21 per employee per year. Here is the math:

Regular FUTA tax After Offset Credit 0.6
Percent Increase for 2016 (.3% Per Year) 1.8
Total FUTA Tax % per employee 2.4
Total FUTA Tax $ increase  $168 ($7000 x .024)

If you are a business with five employees, the increased tax may not be a huge hit to your bottom line. But, as with the person I spoke to today, multiply $168 x 20 employees and the bill is $3,360. 

It is not expected that the debt will be relieved by November of 2017, thus the anticipated FUTA due January 2018 will be an additional $189 per employee and will go directly to paying down the state's debt to the fund. 



Sincerely,

Rorie Johnston
San Vicente Energy Storage Facility Study
January 5th

The San Diego County Water Authority and the City of San Diego on Wednesday
took a step toward the possibility of helping the region meet its future energy needs through a new pumped storage opportunity at the San Vicente Reservoir site. 
To learn more about this story click here
Mike Lee to speak at the Economic Development Committee meeting. 
January 12th, NOON 
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Mike Lee
SDCWA
The Economic Development Committee welcomes guest speaker Mike Lee from San Diego County Water Authority. Mr.  Lee will discuss key water issues for 2017, including water supplies, state regulations and efforts to fix the State Water Project in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Bay-Delta. 

The Water Authority is the region's wholesale water supplier, working with its 24 member agencies to support the region's 3.3 million residents and its $222 billion economy.

Pizza will be provide by Stan Weiler with Howes, Weiler and Associates. 

RSVP 
 
The EDC is chaired by Ernie Cowan, NSDCAR. EDC is a member benefit. 

Members & guests, you are invited to our bi-a nnual 
Open House
Tuesday, January 17, 5:00pm
at the Escondido Chamber office.
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Meet staff, Board of Directors and Ambassadors and
and learn the benefits of membership.
Membership admin. fee waived for new members joining 
from now to open house. 
(Members be sure to bring extra business cards for our wall, they go quick)

Thank you to our sponsors:



 Las Villas del Norte
Registration required:
 
Do you know all your current tax savings?
Lunch & Learn
sponsored by HR Block
January 19th
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Join us for a lunch & learn with helpful tips and dessert provided by H&R Block.
Important tax tips about deductions, expenses, and filing requirements. 
Tax professionals on hand to answer your questions.

Member price: $10.00 
Non-Member price: $20.00
(lunch served)

Thursday, January 19
11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Escondido Chamber of Commerce
720 N Broadway, Escondido

Reservations required:   RSVP
 
Breakfast with the Mayor
January 24th

The opportunity to speak with elected officials is important to our chamber businesses. That is why we host a monthly breakfast with council members. This month, join us for Breakfast with the Escondido Mayor Sam Abed. Get up to date information on our city and share your perspective with the mayor in a casual setting with other business leaders. For our new members we highly encourage you take advantage of this opportunity.

RSVP

Thank You to Chick Fil A for sponsoring this event. 
Join the Escondido Chamber Ambassadors
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The Ambassadors are the feet in the street for the Chamber, welcoming new members and inviting businesses to join and get involved. 

If you have been thinking about becoming an Ambassador, here is where you start. Submit an  online application  and save February 2nd for the Ambassador Breakfast and introduction. An Ambassador will contact you in January to share their experience  and answer your questions. 
January 18th & 20th


Escondido Promenade, 
1280 Auto Park Way 
January 20th 10:30 a.m. 
Set a  reminder

Goodwill Clearance Center
1996 Don Lee Pl
January 18th 10:00 a.m. 
Set a reminder  

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Where do you work and what are your responsibilities?
I am the President of Pacific Standard Insurance Services where I am an Insurance Broker specializing in the design and implementation of Employee Benefits programs for employers of all sizes. I specialize in employer sponsored medical, dental, vision, short and long term disability and life insurance.

What path did you take to arrive in your current position?
I originally received my insurance license, I responded to a newspaper advertisement for GEICO sales representatives.  I was hired and went through the licensing program and began selling auto insurance over the phone.  It didn't take long to decide that I would rather work with my clients in person, rather than over the phone.  I later accepted a position with a large firm where I received great training and experience in the employee benefits arena, and a few short years later I transitioned to Pacific Standard Insurance; where I have the privilege of working alongside my family since 2006.

If you could try another job for a day, what would it be?
If I could have another job for a day it would be a backup singer for a famous recording artist!  I love music, and I LOVE to sing in harmony with other people!  I also love to travel and let's face it...the VIP treatment would be fun too!

Tell us about an experience you consider part of your 15 minutes of fame?
I can't say I've really had my "15 minutes of fame"....YET!  But the closest I've been was receiving an award by the San Diego County Board of Supervisors naming June 10th 2016 "Alicia Reeves Day in all of San Diego County". That was pretty rad! 

What are you passionate about?
At the risk of sounding cliché, I am very passionate about the Escondido Community.  I was born and raised here, I have several close family members and friends who live in Escondido and it's the community that my husband and I have decided to raise our child. 
Upcoming Spring Escondido Magazine

Spring is just around the corner and so is our magazine! 

The Spring issue will feature real estate and land in Escondido. We have a special Advertorial available for brokers, agents and loan officers. 

To speak with an ad specialist, call 
Claudine or Philip at 760-745-2125