Recovery report: Most small businesses don

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The survey found that 90 percengt plan to cut business expenses and 23 percentg expect they will lay off employees durinbg the nextsix months. Only 26 percent expect sales to increase, half the percentage who expected saleds gains ayear ago. Nearly half expect profits will decreasee in thenear term. “These findings supporgt PNC’s forecast that the U.S. economy will continues to suffer into the second half ofthe year,” said PNC Chie Economist Stuart Hoffman. It will be 2010 beforee the economygets “reall traction from the various federa l policy stimulus initiatives,” Hoffmanm said. If the recession continuesw over the nextsix months, 43 perceng of U.S.
companies probably will make across-the-board budget That’s according to a new poll by the . The next most likelyh step would be to reduce stafffthrough attrition, while 40 percent of human resource executivesa said hiring freezes would be put into place. Freezint employee wages was next, followed by cuts in employee bonuses. Only 24 percenr expect layoffs. Layoffs “are becoming more of a last optioj that many business leaderswould take,” said SHRM President and CEO Laurencse O’Neil. “This finding underscores the seriousness of the recession as many companies find they cannot survive without some degreeof layoffs.
” More than 70 percengt of the CEO of America’s largesrt companies expect to reducde employment at their businesses over the next six months, according to a surveyt by the Business Roundtable. Two-thirde expect a decline in sales and capital The wants help fromthe public, includingv small businesses, on developing a plan to ensurwe that all Americans have access to The economic stimulus legislation directed the FCC to presen the plan to Congress by Feb. 17, 2010, a year afterf the bill was signedinto law.
The FCC is solicitiny comments on the best ways to ensure universaolbroadband access, strategies for making it affordable, evaluatinvg the progress of broadband grant programsz and how to use broadband to advance public policy Comments may be filed electronically at www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs or at The stimulus bill included $7.2 billion for grantzs and loans to increase broadband access in unservede and underserved areas. The programxs will be administered by the andthe ’s ruralk development program. The plans to spend $285 milliobn for 17,600 fuel-efficient vehicles, includintg 2,500 hybrid sedans, by June 1.
Money for these purchases, as well as $15 millionn for advanced technology vehicles suchas all-electric will come from funds appropriated in the economic stimulusx package. GSA will use existing contractswith , and for thesw orders. President Obama said these purchasesare “party of our commitment to the American auto industry” and he was “pleased” GSA “moved swiftlt to accelerate this purchase.” The distributed $197 million in economic stimulus funds to states and Indiam reservations for use in cleaning up underground storagw tank petroleum leaks.
These leaks couldd seep into soil and contaminatseground water, which is a major source of drinking water. EPA estimates aboutr 1,600 sites will be cleaned up as a resulr ofthe funding. “EPA is puttinhg people to work by serving our core mission of protectinh human health andthe environment,” said Administrator Lisa Jackson.