Business News
- Details
- Written by: Editor
The bill, AB 2149 by Assemblywoman Patty Berg, would make it illegal for salespeople to claim to be “Certified Senior Advisors” or similar experts unless they have completed a certain amount of state-recognized education.
“The goal is to stop this trend in which cheaters use these inflated and bogus titles to cheat old people,” said Berg, D-Eureka. “They put these lofty sounding titles on their cards whether they have any real expertise or not.”
AB 2149 would regulate the use of words or phrases that suggest expertise in the finances of the elderly. The Department of Corporations will be responsible for recognizing accredited organizations and creating the standards for the use of “Certified Senior Advisor.” They will also compile a list of people with those credentials.
“Con artists often prey upon older adults by instilling a false sense of trust and security by flaunting bogus credentials,” said Berg, D-Eureka. “While we can't turn a cheater into an honest person, we can make sure that those titles actually mean something.”
Elder financial abuse is one of the fastest growing segments of crime. Nearly a quarter million older Californians fall prey to some sort of swindle or abuse each year.
A recent New York Times investigation found that the number of “certified” senior experts in the sales force has increased 78 percent in the last five years. Some of these agents are, of course, legitimate experts, but many either obtain their “credentials” through dubious means, or simply invent a title themselves.
“This bill simply says that you can’t just give yourself a fancy title to make someone trust you,” said Berg. “If you want to use a title, you have to earn it.”
The bill is part of a two-bill package that regulates the use of invented titles not recognized by the State of California.
AB 2149 now goes to the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
Visit Berg's Web site at http://democrats.assembly.ca.gov/members/a01/.
{mos_sb_discuss:3}
- Details
- Written by: Lake County News Reports
California is more than just a state. It is the fifth largest economy in the world. And, right now, this economy is in trouble. The California State Budget is $10 billion in the hole. How does a state crawl out of a hole that large? No doubt, very slowly. But, what do you do to crawl out? Do you close down state parks and increase fees on automobile license tags? Do you double or triple the price of a lottery ticket?
All these suggestions could generate some cash for the state. Unfortunately, cash is not all that these suggestions would generate. They would also generate anger and ill will. When people are attempting to crawl out of a bad situation, the last thing you want to do is make them angry.
And, that is why CDMM is asking government and educational institutions to band together and start creating WiFi hot spots in high traffic ares. The WiFi would be FREELY available to the public, but would require the viewing of an advertising splash page. This advertising splash page would be paid for by an enterprising small business. A portion of that advertising money would be funneled to a PayPal account to help pay off the state's debt.
Sounds very simplistic. But, unlike the other options listed, through this WiFi approach you are accomplishing several things all at once:
1) You are promoting a business to a select target audience. That business actually has the opportunity to generate revenue in exchange for the money being spent. Rather than engaging in gambling where the odds of success are designed to be against you, here money is being invested in an advertising promotion to a captured target audience.
2) You are providing FREE Internet access for the general public. People can use a mobile device to check email, surf the Web, make VOIP phone and video calls and have a small business to thank.
3) You are helping to pay off the state debt.
What would a WiFi hot spot splash page look like? Like a "Terms of Service" page on a Web site. However, there woulds also likely be a Youtube-type clickable icon as a video commercial. The splash page would be required viewing in exchange for the FREE Internet access. The advertiser would thus have a "footprint" of every user as marketing data to help determine the effectiveness of his campaign. This really is a win/win/win situation for all who participate - the state, the advertiser and the viewing public.
How much would a splash page ad at a WiFi hot spot cost? That depends upon who owns the WiFi hot spot. Obviously, if a local high school owned the hot spot, it would not cost as much to advertise there as say a WiFi hot spot in Governor Schwarzenegger's office. No doubt, both places offer a lot of "people traffic." And remember, wherever people congregate, WiFi is welcome.
For more information, contact Lamar Morgan of CDMM at 707-709-8605.
{mos_sb_discuss:2}
- Details
- Written by: Editor
As president of Langtry, which maintains extensive land and vineyard holdings in Lake and Napa counties, Matz will oversee grape growing, production, marketing and sales for the Langtry and Guenoc wine brands, and carry the role of director of California operations overseeing Langtry’s expansion into outdoor pursuits.
Matz joins Langtry after four years as president of Jackson Wine Estates International where he was responsible for the operations, sales, marketing and finance for all of Kendall Jackson Wine Estates International business globally.
He was previously vice president and general manager for Beringer Blass Wine Estates (imports and Canada) from 2002 to 2004, and he was president (Americas) of Southcorp Wines prior to its acquisition by Beringer Blass.
Earlier in his career, Matz worked for Brown-Forman in various sales, marketing, and business development roles.
He brings more than 26 years of business experience, with 21 years of experience in wine and spirits industry management, and he holds an MBA from the University of Kentucky. He co-edited and authored a wine industry book titled, “Wine, A Global Business.”
“Tim is an experienced leader with proven results in management, sales, marketing and operations. He has a very strong track record in brand growth,” said Manson. “We’re delighted to have Tim’s leadership driving the future expansion of our wine brands and diversification of our agricultural business model. He will be instrumental in directing the growth of the company and in overseeing the many exciting initiatives we have planned.”
Langtry Estate and Vineyards has extensive vineyard holdings in Lake County with smaller holdings in Napa and is the largest winegrower in the region. The picturesque estate consists of 21,000 acres and straddles Lake and Napa counties. Vineyards are limited to 400 prime acres in both Lake and Napa counties. Langtry and Guenoc wines are distributed nationally.
Additional information on the winery is available at www.langtryestate.com or by calling 707-987-2385.
Langtry Estate and Vineyards is located at 21000 Butts Canyon Road.
{mos_sb_discuss:2}
- Details
- Written by: Lake County News reports
“H&R Block incorrectly tells its customers that a tax refund can be obtained within two days – these payments are loans, not legitimate tax refunds,” Brown warned. “Consumers should know that such quick payments result in high interest rates and heavy fees.”
It takes between eight and 15 days for the Internal Revenue Service to send refunds to individuals who use direct deposit and 21 and 28 days to obtain a refund by mail.
H&R Block, however, told customers that they could get their refunds within two days. These payments were actually loans offered by H&R Block that has annual percentage rates, including fees, of 80 percent or higher. According to publicly filed documents, millions of Californians have received these loans since 2001.
California law and the Internal Revenue Service require that tax preparers distinguish between tax refunds and “refund anticipation loans” that are based upon the expected tax refund amount.
According to California Business and Professions Code Section 22253.1 (a), “any tax preparer who advertises the availability of a refund anticipation loan shall not directly or indirectly represent the loan as a client’s actual refund.”
At a hearing Friday afternoon, the attorney general asked the San Francisco Superior Court to issue a preliminary injunction prohibiting H&R Block from continuing to represent its loans as tax refunds. The court has scheduled a hearing to decide the matter on April 3.
Investigators in the Attorney General’s Office called H&R Block offices throughout California, requesting information about how long it would take to get tax refunds. Two-thirds of the H&R Block representatives told investigators that refunds can be sent to taxpayers within two days, without disclosing the fact that it was actually a loan.
Most of the people who get the loans receive the Earned Income Tax Credit. People who earn this credit typically make between $10,000 and $35,000 and have several dependents, making them especially vulnerable to high-interest loans.
“For years, H&R Block has not disclosed the fact that a two-day return is a loan, not a true tax refund,” said Brown. “It is shocking that the company still continues this unlawful business practice and fails to properly train its employees.”
Friday’s request for an injunction is part of an ongoing lawsuit against H&R Block, filed in 2006, alleging that the company engaged in false or deceptive advertising in its marketing of high-cost loans to low-income families.
California’s lawsuit alleges that H&R Block violated IRS rules prohibiting the company from directly providing loans. According to the lawsuit, the company provided customers with the loan applications, filled out the applications, and sent the applications to the banks. H&R Block also provided customer’s loan money on an “Emerald” ATM card that came with heavy fees and costs.
Defendants in the case include H&R Block Services, Inc.; H&R Block Enterprises, Inc.; H&R Block Tax Services Inc.; and Block Financial Corp. Last year, H&R Block’s total revenues exceeded $4 billion.
For more information on California's lawsuit against H&R Block, visit: http://ag.ca.gov/newsalerts/release.php?id=1261&year=2006&month=2.
{mos_sb_discuss:2}
How to resolve AdBlock issue?