Tagged: Grand Rapids Area Chamber

A organized crowd of people swarmed a local business in downtown Grand Rapids as part of an effort to buy local this holiday season.

Dozens showed up at the same store at the same time for the event, called a “cash mob”. It was organized by the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce. Each person pledged to spend at least $20. Which store the cash mob goes to remains a secret until just a few hours beforehand.

“It’s a new spin on long time mission for the chamber of bringing exposure to local businesses,” said GRACC President and CEO Rick Baker. Baker says they heard about the idea from Cleveland.

The cash mob targeted retail incubator, MoDiv; a single storefront with nine generally new, small retail businesses inside.

Business owners are trying to figure out how the federal Affordable Care Act might play out in Michigan and how it could affect their bottom line.

Under the law, states are required to create an online exchange where people could compare and buy health care insurance. States need to create the exchange by the end of 2012 or the federal government will do it for them.

The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to decide if all or parts of the Affordable Care Act are constitutional next year. The problem is the State of Michigan needs to implement parts of the federal law by that time. If the state refuses, the federal government will do it for them.  

Supporters and opponents of the new international bridge from Detroit to Windsor, Ontario, are still debating the merits of the proposal nearly a week after the bridge plan failed to get enough support in the state legislature.

At least 100 people in Zeeland listened to the unlikely opponents at a forum Tuesday night hosted by the Ottawa County Tea Party Patriots. The Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce and State Representative Dave Agema (R-Grandville) agree most of the time. The Grand Rapids chamber is one of many chambers of commerce in Michigan to support a second bridge.

According to Manpower’s survey Grand Rapids has the best employment outlook of any other metro area in the country.

That’s not really news to Bill Benson, principle at WilliamCharles. He helps companies in the area find talented workers.

“I think people when they think of Michigan, they’re not aware of Grand Rapids. They think of southeast Michigan and automotive and our economy is very diverse. Nationally I think we’re a bit of a secret but I think people here will not be surprised by it.”

Governor Rick Snyder is expected to sign the tax overhaul that replaces the business tax with a 6% corporate income tax on profits.

Leaders of the West Michigan Policy Forum touted "the MBT is dead!” in an email to around 600 supporters Friday. Those supporters voted 'eliminating the business tax' as their top priority during the Policy Forum’s first conference in 2008.