In Your Backyard

 

Louisiana
Industry Group Seeks Centralized Tax System-Representatives from the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry say that the group may push legislation next year to authorize the state to collect all sales taxes rather than the current parish-by-parish tax collecting system.
Source: The Times-Picayune

 

New Jersey
Local Auto-Parts Dealers Suffer-Local auto-parts dealers say they are losing business and having to lay off employees since the state moved to a new buyers' cooperative system for procuring parts for state vehicles. Gov. Jon Corzine's (D) administration defended the move, saying it will save money.
Source: Asbury Park Press

 

Oklahoma
State Chamber Targets Card Check-Stopping union Card Checks has joined infrastructure repair, health care, and legal reform at the top of the state chamber's priorities. The chamber is working with the U.S. Chamber to form a coalition against the union effort.
Source: The Journal Record

 

Oregon
No-Match Regulation Costly-An Oregon State University economics professor says that the state could lose up to $656 million in tax revenues and 173,500 jobs if a federal judge rules that employ-ers must verify all workers' Social Security numbers.
Source: The Oregonian

 

Texas
State Contract Squeezes Small Businesses-Small business owners are concerned about a state plan to save money on office supplies, saying it could put some of them out of business. The comptroller's office is replacing a system that lets state agencies choose from more than 100 businesses with a system using large single-source bids.
Source: Austin American-Statesman