OSA Blog

Attending the Chicago Gift Show is just another way to save significant money, lessen stress, get work done and have a bit of fun in one of the great cities in the world. 

Orchard Street Associates made a study of the costs of flying, driving and using Amtrak service from various points around the Midwest. All the fares are with a termination in downtown Chicago, less than a mile from the Merchandise Mart. In addition all Amtrak fares are without discount that is available for all service; approximately 10% to 25% (for roundtrip or companion travel). 

Consider these additional expenses when driving: 

·         Potential tolls ·         Parking in city of Chicago – figure $30.00 or so per day (24 hour period) Consider these additional expenses when flying: 

·         Fuel surcharges added to ticket cost·         Transportation to city of Chicago from Airport·         Airport parking. Virtually all Amtrak stations provide free lighted parking lots. All Amtrak routes listed provide on board food and beverage service. 

 Few times in our Nation’s history have so many economic and political troubles converged at once. We find income for most Americans stagnant and disposable income shrinking, energy, healthcare and household spending is through the roof, credit is becoming more and more difficult to obtain, infrastructure deteriorating, real taxes (local, property, county, state, sales taxes, tolls, etc….) are rising while property value is falling at an alarming rate. Not to mention to Trillion dollars spent to date and another trillion or two to come on our wars in Iraq and much less on Afghantstan - in addition to the largest transfer in a Nation’s wealth in recorded history - energy dollars sent to regimes that are neither democratic or friends.

Over the past few days our Senators made the ‘agonizing’ and ‘groundbreaking’ decision to privatize their Senate dining facilities. Yup, you heard me. After two years of study and debate they made the decision to ‘contract’ out their numerous dining options to the same private contractor that runs the facilities for the House of Representatives, saving you and me, the taxpayers, some $2,000,000.00 annually (that is the estimate of the current year loss).

By the way, this was not a slam dunk decision, it barely passed and must still be voted upon and ratified by the House. The main area of concern; the current employees would lose their government benefits that include comprehensive and full health insurance coverage.

I am not a political operative, nor an ideologue; neither a Republican, Democrat or a Libertarian. Yet I have an idea to demonstrate to our elected officials the need to wake up and share the same concern of those who voted for them in the first place.

Send them all FIDDLES.

Not expensive fiddles, maybe a picture like this one will do:

  Just a reminder that while they fiddle with their petty fights and posturing….. The rest of us are waiting for leadership and solution…

JL

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We were selected by the State of Indiana for an audit that took place this week. A state auditor, a pleasant woman, came to our office early in the morning and went through two years of our financials for 10 hours. The result; the major infraction found was the ‘employment’ of my own children and a few of their friends for a total of 30 hours in a year to label the OSA Newsletter, WHAT’S NEW. According to the State of Indiana, these teenagers should have been hired as employees instead of contractors.

We will be fined. The amount with penalties are estimated to be around $200.00.

 I am a big advocate of maintain rules, regulations and paying my fair share. OSA is also a very small business with a few people wearing many different hats administering the business. Sound familiar? Like most of those we serve, small business is at a decided disadvantage. Few have the ability to employ accounting departments or human resources or marketing, etc…. When the phones go down, people are out sick or simply do not show up, when the computer system comes down with an ailment, usually the Grand Puba of any like-sized organization is deeply involved up to one of their more prominent extremities…..

For my part, when the findings are so insignificant, I would favor a system that provided for a ‘warning to cure’ and an education fee rather than a fine. Frankly I don;t care if the fee is as much or more as long as it provides for education for the over-burdened entrepreneur so they can gain from such a review.

So here is my suggestion; if the proposed penalties are below $500.00 for any year audited (in today’s dollars), then a warning is issued with suggestion and direction to cure any issues found in the audit procedure.

Sometimes a bit of help will be more profitable for all.

Jon Levin