Saratoga County Chamber Of Commerce Touts ‘Job Zone’ With New Digital Campaign

Posted on

The Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce launched on Jan. 30 a first-ever digital ad campaign to promote the Job Zone portion of its website.

The Job Zone is a local site with full-, part-time and seasonal jobs posted by the Chamber’s 2,000-plus members.

This site currently has about 20,000 unique views per month largely from local people looking for new opportunities and people considering relocating to Saratoga County, according to Chamber officials.

The site is free for Chamber members to post as many jobs as they have open. It is also free for job seekers to look at the job openings online at any time.

Besides jobs, nonprofit organizations that are members can also post volunteer opportunities.

Read More

Business Report: GOP, President Differ On Some Tax Ideas

Posted on
Kevin M. Hedley is a partner with Hedley & Co. PLLC. Courtesy Hedley & Co. PLLC
Kevin M. Hedley is a partner with Hedley & Co. PLLC.
Courtesy Hedley & Co. PLLC

By Kevin M. Hedley, MS, CPA, PFS

As is often quoted “Our new Constitution is now established, and has an appearance that promises permanency; but in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” (Benjamin Franklin, 1789)

With that said, this year is certainly no different. The uncertain part is of course how much if at all our taxes will change this year with a new administration.

President Trump has discussed some new personal tax rates. His suggested tax rates and breakpoints for married-joint filers would be: Less than $75,000, 12 percent; more than $75,000 but less than $225,000, 25 percent; and more than $225,000, 33 percent. Brackets for single filers would be half of these amounts. These three rate brackets would replace our current seven rate brackets which go as high as 39.6 percent.

In addition to the changes in rates he has also called for some other drastic changes including, but not limited to: the Affordable Care Act, 3.8 percent tax on investment income would be repealed; the alternative minimum tax (AMT) would be repealed; the standard deduction for joint filers would increase to $30,000 and the standard deduction for single filers would be $15,000; Personal exemptions would be eliminated; head-of-household filing status would be eliminated; itemized deductions would be capped at $200,000 for married-joint filers and $100,000 for a single filer; standard corporate tax rate would be reduced to 15 percent from the current 35 percent.

Read More

Financial Investment Services Firm Opens A New, Independent Branch In Saratoga Springs

Posted on
Maureen Parker, a financial services professional with 19 years of experience in investment management, is the branch leader of the new Charles Schwab office in Saratoga Springs. ©2017 Saratoga Photographer.com
Maureen Parker, a financial services professional with 19 years of experience in investment management, is the branch leader of the new Charles Schwab office in Saratoga Springs.
©2017 Saratoga Photographer.com

Charles Schwab, a full-service investment services firm, recently opened a new independent branch in Saratoga Springs.

Company officials said it offers a range of investing and personal finance guidance, tools and products. The office is at 46 Marion Ave.

The branch will also serve the neighboring towns of Wilton, Ballston Spa and Glens Falls.

Charles Schwab ranked “highest in investor satisfaction with full-service brokerage firms” in the J.D. Power 2016 Full Service Investor Satisfaction Study.

The Saratoga Springs branch is led by Schwab independent branch leader Maureen Parker, a financial services professional with 19 years of experience in investment management.

Prior to joining Schwab’s network, Parker was a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management. Previously, she served as a financial advisor at Merrill Lynch.

Read More

Munter: ‘Positive Energy Out There;’ Builders Have Optimism About Construction Field

Posted on
Town Plaza on Route 146 in Clifton Park was once all commercial office space, but the first floor is being changed over to retail space by DCG Development. Courtesy DCG Development
Town Plaza on Route 146 in Clifton Park was once all commercial office space, but the first floor is being changed over to retail space by DCG Development.
Courtesy DCG Development

By R.J. DeLuke

“It looks like a busy year,” said Mike Munter,  vice president of Munter Enterprises in Middle Grove.

The sentiment appears common in the construction industry as it rolls into 2017. Across the county there re many projects in process and many others that will come to light in ensuing months.

“Last year was busy. We had a lot of good work,” Munter noted. Regarding 2017, “we’re seeing that people are motivated  now to invest in their people and their business … There’s a lot of positive energy out there” that bodes for a good year for  the construction industry.

Munter Enterprises broke ground on a 3,000-square-foot expansion at Northway Emergency Animal Clinic off Northway Exit 17 in Moreau. The expansion will add more space for surgery, examination rooms and some administrative space.

The company has started to pour concrete Stone Bridge Iron & Steel Inc. 30,000-square-foot expansion of its production facility in Northumberland.

Read More

Belmonte Builders To Start Infrastructure Work This Fall For Housing Development

Posted on
This rendering depicts one of the styles of homes planned for Sonoma Grove, a development in Wilton being planned by Belmonte Builders. Infrastructure work will be done this fall. Courtesy Belmonte Builders
This rendering depicts one of the styles of homes planned for Sonoma Grove, a development in Wilton being planned by Belmonte Builders. Infrastructure work will be done this fall.
Courtesy Belmonte Builders

By Maureen Werther

Belmonte Builders will begin the installation of roads, water and sewer lines at Sonoma Grove, its newest “affordable luxury” community near Floral Estates, in the fall.

Homes will range in size from 1,500 to 3,000 square feet and will include plans for ranches, two-story homes and two-story designs with master bedroom suites on the first floor, said Mickey Ricciardi, director of sales and marketing for Belmonte.

The project will be on the south side of Louden Road, east of the intersection with Ingersol Road in Wilton.

This Belmonte community has 66 lots, ranging in size from one-third acre up to one acre. In keeping with the company’s goal of making every client’s “dream home” a reality, the upscale homes will offer a full array of amenities and features, he said.

Read More

Tax-Free Homebuying Accounts Favored In NYS

Posted on

According to results from a homeownership  poll conducted by the Siena Research Institute, 84 percent of New York voters supported the NY First Home proposal that would create a tax-free savings account to help New Yorkers save for a first home. Support for the program was bi-partisan and spread across the entire state, according...

Read More

Vertucci Consulting Helps Employers Accomplish Tasks; Also Assists Job Seekers

Posted on
Anthony and Rebecca Vertucci are cofounders of Vertucci Consulting LLC. ©2017 Saratoga Photographer.com
Anthony and Rebecca Vertucci are cofounders of Vertucci Consulting LLC.
©2017 Saratoga Photographer.com

By Margaret MacDonald

Vertucci Consulting LLC, co-founded by Anthony and Rebecca Vertucci, is a career coaching and consulting firm begun recently in Saratoga Springs.

The company aims primarily to solve business problems, through one-on-one consulting and through Vertucci Career Academy, an interactive website with on-demand, pre-programmed coursework available in a self-paced format.

The website offers advice on topics like resume-building, LinkedIn profile creation, interviewing, networking, negotiating and more.

The overall consulting arm assists employers with business consulting and strategy, marketing and sales, and social media, the owners said. Most of these clients consist of large companies and “solo-preneurs.”Consultations can take place in person, via phone or video conferencing.

The owners said clients generally fall under the categories of transitioning career (or transition out of a corporate job), promotion adjustment, or changing location.

Read More

Employee Retention, New State Legislation Are Seen As Key Issues For Employers To Address

Posted on
Dhianna Yezzi is the president and owner of Integrated Staffing. Courtesy Integrated Staffing
Dhianna Yezzi is the president and owner of Integrated Staffing.
Courtesy Integrated Staffing

By Liz Witbeck

There are many aspects involved with being a small business owner. Anybody considering starting a company needs to keep in mind  key issues involving employees.

“The biggest issue is finding candidates that are qualified and then want to stay in that position,” said Dhianna Yezzi, president and owner of Integrated Staffing, with offices in Saratoga Springs, Glens Falls, and Albany.

Yezzi said the most pressing issue facing employers today is retaining employees.

Noreen DeWire Grimmick, an attorney and partner with Hodgson Russ, said from her perspective there are pieces of legislation taking effect this year that impact business owners and employers should make themselves knowledgeable of the laws. Some of them will be phased in over time.

She said one of the most recent changes to employment laws is that as of Dec. 31, 2016, the minimum wage has increased to $9.70 for most non-exempt employees. For exempt executive and administrative employees, there are also rules regarding the minimum salaries that these employees must earn each week.

Some employers have purposely mis-classified their employees, said DeWire Grimmick.  In an attempt to stop employee exploitation, Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed an executive order, passed into law in July, establishing a permanent Joint Task Force on Employee Misclassification and Worker Exploitation. 

Read More