Notes from Washington: Washington's Competency Problem
Throughout my career in Washington, I have always assumed that the federal government’s ability to impact the U.S. economy was somewhat overblown.
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Notes from Washington
In my last column, I wrote about the progress ACPA has made developing a legislative proposal to tax concrete pumps based on their road miles traveled rather than the current gas tax.
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Notes from Washington: ACPA Takes Big Step Forward with New Bill in Congress
My first real mentor in Washington once said to me that “making policy in this town is like running a 100 yard dash in molasses.” In the intervening 20 years, I’ve come to learn exactly how right he was.
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Washington Report : How High Is the GOP Midterm Tidal Wave?
Unless you’ve been trapped in a Chilean copper mine, you have no doubt seen the polling and political speculation about the outcome of this year’s midterm elections. Battered by a stagnant economy, public disapproval of their signature policy initiatives, and a president who seems to have lost his motivational mojo, Democrats are bracing for a political body blow in November that may rival, or even eclipse their defeat in 1994.
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Notes from Washington
There is a certain rhythm to the ways of Washington, and generally, the summer preceding an election witnesses the end of the substantive policy making, and the beginning of the campaign season.
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Notes from Washington
While the political ramifications of the passage of comprehensive health insurance reform will continue to be argued between now and Election Day, there is a palpable, bipartisan sense of relief in Washington that the debate itself is finally over.
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Notes from Washington
Imagine you're riding shotgun in a car that your good friend is driving. As you come around a bend, you see a large obstacle on the road ahead of you. Your friend, however, doesn't seem to notice anything wrong and keeps his foot on the gas. What would you do?
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Pumpers Head for the Hill
The ACPA is moving forward in its efforts to restore the ability to get concrete pumpers a federal tax refund for the fuel used in their job site operations. During the May board meeting in Washington, D.C., ACPA Board members lobbied Congress to create a "vehicle miles traveled tax" demonstration program for concrete pumps.
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Washington Update
In the last month or so, Washington has breathed a collective sigh of relief as its political landscape returned to more familiar contours. Clearly, the economic recession is still the primary issue of political concern. However, evidence of a "bottoming out" is becoming increasingly convincing—and "green shoots" has become the hot new buzzphrase around town.
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The Washington Report
As you no doubt have seen, Congress has passed a $900 billion stimulus package that encompasses virtually every aspect of government spending.
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California Idling Restrictions Grace Period Over
California is now enforcing the recently enacted Anti-Idling Program for Diesel Engines. Air Resources Board (ARB) staff and local air quality officials throughout the state will be monitoring sleeper berths and commercial on and off-road diesel vehicles where they operate for violations.
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Concrete Pumps Exempt from Highway Use Taxes: Do You Pay This Tax?
Does your state's Department of Transportation (DOT) require you to show proof of payment of over-the-road highway use taxes (Form 2290) before they will issue your concrete pump a license?
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Update on IRS Scrutiny
On September 18, 2008, American Concrete Pumping Association representatives Christi Collins, Dennis Andrews and Mike Cusack along with Frank Swain of Baker-Daniels and Craig Piercy of Bose-Treacy and Associates, met with the chief of IRS Excise tax, Ricky Stiff, and staff to discuss the surge of IRS audits pertaining to the retail excise tax on concrete pump chassis.
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The Company Car Conundrum
Employers can't dodge liability in the complicated question of vehicle operation just by dumping the company car. The numbers are petrifying: every ten seconds there is a vehicle accident in this country.
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Ultra Low Sulphur Diesel Fuel Compliance
What it Means to Our Industry
When it comes to the 2007 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations and the introduction of S15 Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD), there's good news...and there's not so good news. As an industry, the best we can do is arm ourselves with information and prepare for one of the most significant transitions we've experienced.
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Associations submit "friend of court" brief
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IRS increases mileage rate
WASHINGTON – The Internal Revenue Service and Treasury Department announced an increase to the optional standard mileage rates for the final four months of 2005.
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Transition period goes into effect for new HOS rule
The hours-of-service (HOS) final rule issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) on August 25 (70 Fed. Reg. 49978) officially became effective on October 1.
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House bill directs NIST to study Katrina damage
The House of Representatives recently passed the "Manufacturing Technology Competitiveness Act of 2005" which includes a Katrina response provision that charges the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) with examining physical structures damaged due to excessive wind, storm surge and flooding during Hurricane Katrina.
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2007 DIESEL EMISSIONS STANDARDS
A time bomb is ticking for the entire construction industry; it's set to go off in just over one year. The problem is new emission standards and diesel fuel regulations that will go into effect in 2007.
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