Sunday, September 15, 2024

Ithaca Common Council Considers Changes To Accessory Unit Regulations To Increase Housing Supply

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The Ithaca Common Council is considering possible regulation changes for accessory dwelling units. Some council members hope loosening regulations could help address the city's housing supply shortage.

Accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, include things like carriage houses and garage units. Proponents of these smaller units see them as a way to increase housing density in residential areas and a viable option for older residents to age in place near family or downsize as they age.

This follows other recent reforms to housing policy in Ithaca, including Good Cause Eviction legislation and Airbnb regulations.

Some council members worry lowering barriers to building ADUs could disincentivize the construction of multi-family homes. They also worry that rent prices for ADUs would be too expensive for lower-income Ithaca residents.

Alderperson Patrick Kuehl said more flexible ADU regulations should not take the place of other rezoning for higher density in residential areas.

"I don't want to see a situation where for the next couple of years, the only option people have to increase density in the neighborhood is to build ADUs," Kuehl said.

Council members were divided on whether to keep owner-occupancy requirements for these units. Currently, homeowners have to live on the property in order to rent an ADU.

Saturday, September 14, 2024

Economics Won The Irish Champion On Irish Champions Weekend

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Economics had been brought along steadily by William Haggas, winning his maiden in April before bursting onto the scene with a wide margin success in the Group Two Dante Stakes at York.

Haggas resisted the pressure to run his colt in the Derby, instead giving the Night Of Thunder colt plenty of time and he didn't reappear until August when winning another Group Two at Deauville.

The market expected him to deliver on his promise but Economics faced a stern test in this prestigious Group One with the field containing three top-class colts from Ballydoyle - including last year's winner Auguste Rodin - along with Eclipse and Juddmonte International third Ghostwriter.

Luxembourg, one of the Ballydoyle contingent, took the field along as he did last year with Ghostwriter in behind him while Economics was caught a little wide on the track in midfield with Ryan Moore and Auguste Rodin racing closer to the rail but tracking the favourite.

Marquand, who won the Matron Stakes with Porta Fortuna , asked Economics to take closer order on the turn for home but he really had to knuckle down and battle for his victory once the race began in earnest.

Luxembourg was the first of the principals to cry enough but Ghostwriter was boxing on and Auguste Rodin came through to lay down the strongest challenge. Auguste Rodin appeared to head his rival only for Economics to fight back but just as he had done so, Los Angeles was launching a sweeping run down the centre of the course.

That run came too late in the day for the Great Voltigeur winner and he had to settle for fourth in a race that will live long in the memory, not least in the minds of those connected with Japanese star Shin Emperor who took third over a trip short of his best.

The winning distances were a neck, three-quarters of a length, a head and three-quarters of a length.

Friday, September 13, 2024

When Government Has To Subsidize People's Property Taxes

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Wait, you might say. Aren't property taxes supposed to fund local government? Are you telling us that government now needs to find money to help pay a substantial slice of the property taxes that are meant to … well … fund the government? The irony couldn't be richer.

For the south and west suburbs, local governments approved $265 million more in property tax this year. Households are paying all of that increase and more, seeing their bills rise collectively by $400 million while commercial owners experienced a collective $122 million decline.

This frustrating zero-sum aspect of property taxes wouldn't make for such a crisis if the tax levies themselves weren't so high.

In recent weeks, Kaegi has said he's putting together proposed state legislation that would establish a "circuit breaker" for households with low and modest incomes. If their taxes rose above a certain level, the rest of what they owed would be covered by a fund, established by the state, Cook County, or both. The assessor says this approach isn't unusual; 29 states have some form of property tax circuit breaker. Until about a decade ago, Illinois provided one for low-income seniors. (The circuit breaker was distinct from and in addition to the senior exemptions, which still exist.)

The cost of subsidizing property tax bills in the south and west suburban region alone likely would be in the tens of millions, according to the assessor's office, which says it will have a better idea of the price tag next month after it completes an analysis of that question. Similar residential spikes occurred in the north and northwest suburbs last year. Kaegi's office is reassessing values in Chicago as we write, and there is trepidation around whether Chicago homeowners will see similar increases next year.

One can only imagine the cost for providing such relief throughout the Chicago region and even statewide. It's not as if property tax stress is confined to Cook County.

Thursday, September 12, 2024

Best Accounting Software For Nonprofits (2024)

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Nonprofits have specific fund-tracking needs that ensure they're fulfilling their mission . With that in mind, some accounting software is better than others. 

For this list of the best accounting software for nonprofits, we looked at software that could be used to perform specific functions that help nonprofits stay compliant (i.e., to maintain their legal nonprofit status) and ensure a robust cash flow so that they can fulfill their mission. Among our picks:

Because every dollar your nonprofit receives needs to be carefully categorized to ensure tax and regulatory compliance, Aplos helps remove an enormous, time-consuming burden.

Standout features: 

Best for:  Nonprofits on a budget that have smaller or limited revenue streams.

Free trial? Yes, 30 days

Price range: $18 per month or $522 per year, with 70% off for four months. FreshBooks also offers lower-priced tiers, but these plans may not be sufficient for nonprofits and NFPs.

Why we like FreshBooks for nonprofits: FreshBooks is one of the more affordable options for accounting software, so it will be a good option for nonprofits and not-for-profits that don't have complex bookkeeping needs. 

Why we like QuickBooks for nonprofits: QuickBooks is often cited as a favorite of accountants as its suite of features is one of the most comprehensive. (In fact, we consider it the top accounting software for all small businesses .)

Sunday, September 8, 2024

Shift Workers Are Being Underpaid And Undervalued Thanks To Pay Slip Ups

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The UK's frontline shift workers are experiencing 'pay slip ups' with 60% believing that they are missing earned pay, 38% saying they are being paid late, and 23% claiming they are not receiving their pay slips. Research* highlights the challenges of managing the complexity of fast-paced shift work and the need for shift planning and payroll to be better connected in real-time to ensure accuracy.

The survey, conducted by Censuswide in August 2024 among 1,000 shift workers in the UK, found that nearly half (47%) of frontline workers believe that their changing shift patterns make it hard to keep track of hours worked and know if their pay is accurate. 44% believe that overtime is missed or not recorded and 36% blame inaccurate capture and recording of worked hours by their employer – all of which is resulting in them getting paid less than they're owed. As a result, half (49%) are checking their payslips for accuracy more than once a month.

Pickering added: "Shiftwork-based industries such as manufacturing, retail and 3PL are seeing vast changes to supply chain dynamics and consumer demand, making working patterns more volatile and varied. But there is no excuse for inaccurate and confusing pay – businesses must ensure they have the technology in place to make the planning, monitoring, and execution of work more efficient, effective and engaging for everyone, by simplifying processes for scheduling, shift swapping and the monitoring of worked hours against employment contracts.

Saturday, September 7, 2024

Saudi Arabia Announces Yacht Regulations Ahead Of Marine Tourism Boom - Arabian Business: Latest...

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The Saudi Red Sea Authority (SRSA) has the Kingdom's first-ever regulations for yachts, regulating their activities, outlining necessary requirements and conditions, and overseeing the issuance of tourism and leisure licenses and permits.

The regulations for Saudi yachts will also ensure environmental protection, sustainability, and adherence to all safety requirements as part of SRSA's key role in developing a sustainable coastal tourism sector.

These goals contribute to enhancing user experiences and advancing the maturity of the coastal tourism sector.

The regulations for Saudi yachts include the conditions and procedures for issuing the technical licence for leisure tourism and the required criteria for yacht owners or authorized tourism maritime agents.

The regulations also specify the procedures and requirements for obtaining a tourism trip permit within Saudi Arabia's Red Sea waters, including mandatory documentation such as a list of passengers' information, sailing destinations, and chartering contract.

Regarding water toys, the regulations mandate obtaining the necessary approvals and licences for activities such as recreational fishing, diving, and more.

Friday, September 6, 2024

Affordable Housing Has To Be Built In The West End. It's Economics 101.

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Headlines:

While I agree that we need affordable housing throughout metro Louisville, we can't just leave the West End to rot. The problem there is that the housing stock there is simply substandard and insufficient. Moving West Enders east will not solve the West End's problems.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville's West End needs affordable housing not affluent East End

#news

Thursday, September 5, 2024

704 Charges Due To ⁘Painful⁘ Labour Taxes | Express.Co.Uk

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Motorists could be hit with a staggering £704.72 rise in motoring bills within weeks if Labour presses ahead with rumoured changes.

The Government is keen to fill a supposed £22 billion black hole in public finances with motorists likely to be targeted in the Autumn Budget. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has already warned decisions made in the Budget will be "painful".

Although Labour has promised not to raise VAT rates which would have impacted car parts, there are lots of areas where drivers will still be affected.

New pay-per-mile car tax changes, fuel duty fees and likely car insurance increases will all hit motorists in the back pocket.

However, Labour's ambition to generate revenue could see this axed which would add £2.75 per week or £143 for a 55-litre family car.

But, experts have suggested Labour could be prepared to go further with Howard Cox, founder of FairFuelUK not ruling out a 10p per litre rise.

This increase would see fees rise by an extra £5.50 per week or £286 per year in a blow to cash-strapped individuals.

Tuesday, September 3, 2024

Clearwater To Unveil New Innovation For Accounting And Investment Professionals At Connect 2024

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PR Newswire: press release distribution, targeting, monitoring and marketing

A roundup of the most newsworthy press releases from PR Newswire this week, including new Zepbound® single-dose vials, Pizza Hut's Moving Box Table and a Starliner update from NASA. NEW YORK, Aug. 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- With thousands of press releases published each week, it can be difficult to...

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Stock Market News Live | Stock Titan

Experience lightning-fast stock market updates with Stock Titan, specialized in providing a stream of real-time news exclusively for individual stocks, filtering out unrelated general finance stories.

Leverage our dedicated stock news feed and trade with unparalleled AI insight. Stay ahead of the curve with us! For the latest updates, check out the news released today .

Here at Stock Titan, Rhea serves as your personal guide , delivering a variety of tools designed to enhance your trading decisions.

She has the unique ability to conduct real-time impact and sentiment analysis of the news published on our Stock Market Live Feed.

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#news

BOISE, Idaho , Sept. 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Clearwater Analytics (NYSE: CWAN), a leading provider of SaaS-based investment management, accounting, reporting, and analytic solutions, will host Clearwater Connect 2024 at the Boise Centre on September 17-18 . The conference will bring together hundreds of experts and practitioners to explore Clearwater's platform under the theme ⁘Better Together 2.0: Empowering Performance.⁘

The conference will showcase Clearwater's latest innovations designed to enhance data management, reporting across asset classes, portfolio performance insights, and regulatory reporting. It will also feature the annual Excellence Awards, celebrating clients who have achieved outstanding results with Clearwater's platform.

This year's highlights include a keynote address by Kristin Armstrong , three-time Olympic gold medalist and the most decorated female cyclist in U.S. history. Attendees can also look forward to a Women in Finance networking breakfast, various accreditation tracks such as Industry Best Practices for continuing education credits, Hear from Your Peers for insights from industry professionals, and Product Labs and Workshops for live demonstrations of Clearwater's solutions.

⁘Clearwater Connect 2024 will be a pivotal event, showcasing innovations that simplify financial management,⁘ said Fleur Sohtz , Chief Marketing Officer at Clearwater Analytics. ⁘Attendees will experience cutting-edge solutions and engage in discussions on market trends, emerging technologies, and regulatory changes to enhance performance and drive growth.⁘

Paul Przybylski , Managing Director, Global Head of Product Strategy and Morgan Money , J.P. Morgan Asset Management

Follow Clearwater Analytics on LinkedIn and join the conversation on social media channels by using the hashtag #Connect2024.

Clearwater Analytics (NYSE: CWAN), a global, industry-leading SaaS solution, automates the entire investment lifecycle. With a single instance, multi-tenant architecture, Clearwater offers award-winning investment portfolio planning, performance reporting, data aggregation, reconciliation, accounting, compliance, risk, and order management. Each day, leading insurers, asset managers, corporations, and governments use Clearwater's trusted data to drive efficient, scalable investing on more than $7.3 trillion in assets spanning traditional and alternative asset types. Additional information about Clearwater can be found at clearwateranalytics.com .