NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

DataArt, a custom software development firm that builds advanced solutions for select industries, today announced completion of a Kindle Fire mobile banking application for Plastyc, which provides UPside Visa cardholders with a complete range of banking services on-the-go. The latest addition to Plastycs mobile application is now available for Kindle Fire customers and can be downloaded from Amazon.

The new Kindle Fire application has been designed to optimize the tablets 7-inch screen resolution and provides a range of services for personal banking. These services include new account activation, signing up for direct deposit, redeeming cash back points, bill payment, funds transfers, issuing paper checks and balance checking, transaction history. Users can also tap into MoneyPak retail locator searchable by zip code. Plastyc relied on DataArt to set the highest security standards for user information account protection and ensure encryption of all local data. Sophisticated password authentication and access safeguards installed for all purchases and spending transactions automatically logs out users after five minutes of inactivity.

The new Kindle Fire app is a testament to DataArts expertise. DataArt has allowed us to extend the reach of the UPside Visa app to our iPhone and Android customers and to provide the same high quality services to Kindle Fire owners, said Patrice Peyret, CEO of Plastyc.

As mobile banking flourishes, customers need to trust not only their device but the portal in which they share their sensitive information, said Alexei Miller, Executive Vice President of DataArt. Our work with creating rich and secure global applications for financial services deepens our understanding of evolving vulnerabilities, and helps us develop a greater degree of applications that support next generation banking strategies.

The Kindle Fire app is the latest DataArt development project for Plastyc since 2006, including the back-end systems for Plastycs iBankUp prepaid card portal, mobile banking and payments platform and most recently its iOS and Android UPside Visa applications. DataArts mobile technologies team is well versed in mobile Web/HTML5 development and all modern mobile platforms including iOS, Android, Windows Phone 7 & 8, WebOS, BlackBerry OS and Symbian. The firm has created cutting-edge mobile apps for blue-chip brands, including auto makers, high-fashion houses, pharmaceutical companies, an airline and numerous digital media agencies.

The UPside Visa app for Kindle Fire is available immediately for free from Amazon.

About DataArt:

DataArt (www.dataart.com) is a custom software development firm that builds advanced solutions for the financial services, healthcare, hospitality and other industries. Combining domain knowledge with offshore cost advantages and resource flexibility, DataArt develops industry-defining applications, helping clients optimize time-to-market and minimize software development risks in mission-critical systems. With an unrivaled talent pool of highly skilled software engineers in New York, London, Russia and Ukraine, DataArt provides the technical skill, accountability and industry knowledge needed to deliver custom applications on time and on budget.

DataArt clients include Standard & Poors, Harmonic Fund Services, Ogilvy, artnet, Panasonic, Cancer Research, Ocado, Charles River Laboratories, Betfair, Misys, leading asset management firms and three of the worlds top ten investment banks. http://www.twitter.com/DataArt

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DataArt Delivers UPside Visa Mobile Banking App for Kindle Fire

HARTFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Insurity, Inc., a proven provider of core insurance processing software and services, today announced the expansion of its leadership team with the addition of Bruce Broussard and Julie Schieni as Vice Presidents of Business Development. The appointments of Broussard and Schieni further strengthen Insurity's market position and add even greater depth to the already strong Insurity executive team. Broussard and Schieni will team to help drive Insuritys aggressive growth strategy. Both will report to Lani Cathey, Insuritys Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing.

In his new role, Broussard will spearhead Insuritys large scale business development opportunities and the market for Insurance Enterprise View (IEV) development initiatives. He will also be instrumental in the development of Insurity's partner strategy and program. Prior to joining Insurity, Broussard most recently spent 15 years with IBM as Associate Partner, Global Insurance Consulting practice. With over 25 years of insurance IT experience, Broussards career also includes his positions as Vice President, Application Development and Support with the Pan-American Life Insurance Company and Director, and Base Application Development for software vendor CAPSCO Pallm Systems.

Bringing more than 25 years of industry experience to Insurity, Schieni will also focus on large scale business development, as well as on strengthening Insuritys market position and strategic relationships, including Insuritys relationships with industry analysts. Schienis previous insurance industry experience includes founding the Insurance Practice for Ampia Consulting, Senior Vice President positions with OneShield and AMS Allenbrook Services, a Manager role at McCracken Computers, and work as an underwriter for Sentry Insurance.

Commenting on the Broussard and Schieni appointments, Lani Cathey, Sr. VP said, We are thrilled to announce the addition of Bruce and Julie to our leadership team, and we look forward to taking full advantage of their individual and combined depth of knowledge and experience in the insurance industry. Bruce and Julies contributions will enable us to deliver even greater value to our customers and the industry overall.

About Insurity

Headquartered in Hartford, CT, Insurity, Inc. provides policy administration, claims, billing, and analytics software to more than 100 insurance companies. A market leader in deploying policy administration software and full service solutions to the property & casualty insurance market, Insuritys solutions process billions of dollars of premium each month and address the needs of all carriers large and small, national or regional, commercial, personal, or specialty lines writers, as well as MGAs.

For more information about Insurity, call 860-616-7721 or visit http://www.insurity.com.

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Insurity Expands Leadership Team with Two Business Development Professionals

Products to be showcased at largestNorth American CosmeticsSupplier's Day on May 15th and 16th

QUEBEC CITY, May 9, 2012 /CNW/ - Botaneco Corp. ("Botaneco") (TSX-V:BOT),a health science company focused on natural proprietary ingredients in the cosmetic and food industries, todayannounces the commercial launch of two new revolutionary product offerings to the personal care industry. Both products are derived from its proprietary Hydresia and Vegelatum technologies, and can be used to replace some of the less desirable chemical ingredients used in cosmetics. These product offerings build on the company's track record of delivering innovative natural products that will make an impact in the growing $380 billion cosmetic industry.

Botaneco has developedHydrePure,a new delivery system for cosmetic ingredients based on the Hydresia Oleosome technology. Its first offering from this platform is HydrePure Retinol, a naturally encapsulated pure retinol in Oleosome product. Retinol, a natural form of vitamin A, has been used as a leading anti-aging active in the personal care industry for over a decade. However, well documented irritation and stability issues have prevented consumers from receiving the full benefits of retinol. Botaneco has discovered that retinol loaded inside Oleosomes has enhanced stability and a reduced irritation potential, when compared to retinol alone, which positions Botaneco to be a global leader in this well recognized anti-aging ingredient. Botaneco has worked closely with a key early adopter Dr. Zein Obagi and ZO Skin Health, Inc., who recently launched RETAMAX a new skin care product using Hydresia Oleosomes to stabilize retinol. Dr.Zein Obagi is a leading authority in cosmetic dermatology and created Skin Health Restoration, and Skin Conditioning, the standards by which skin conditions can be successfully treated regardless of skin color or age.

"Botaneco scientists have discovered how to effectively load and stabilize active ingredients, such as Retinol, within Oleosomes" stated Dr.Jack Guth , VP R&D at Botaneco. "We believe that the HydrePuredelivery platform can also be extended to include a variety of active ingredients beyond retinol and plan to offer these to the personal care industry in the future".

Botaneco is also excited to be launching a new product offering from its Vegelatum technology. Vegelatum Omega-3 is a natural proprietary vegetable gel loaded with flax seed oil, high in healthy Omega-3 fatty acids. Botaneco has demonstrated in oxidative studies by an external laboratory that flax seed oil is significantly more stable when delivered in the form of Vegelatum gel than when it is delivered alone, allowing customers to make Omega-3 claims in their personal care products. This new commercial launch follows Botaneco's recent press release in April on the significant commercial expansion of the Vegelatum line through new formulation development and global distribution agreements.

"These two new exciting products will be showcased at the upcoming New York Society of Cosmetic Chemists (NYSCC) suppliers day, giving cosmetic companies the opportunity to learn more about these revolutionary products" stated Tony Abboud , Director of Sales and Marketing at Botaneco. "Hydresia and Vegelatumare both proprietary plant based ingredients, the kind of natural ingredients that consumers want and that cosmetic companies are continually adopting into their new product lines. Botaneco aims to be a leading supplier of natural ingredients to the lucrative cosmetic industry and will continue to develop innovative products."

About Botaneco Corp. Botaneco Corp. specializes in personal care, food and nutraceutical ingredients. We are committed to developing groundbreaking ingredients based on our patented technologies, and offering multifunctional, tangible and documented benefits to formulators and consumers alike. Botaneco is a global developer and marketer of innovative technologies that help manufacturers meet the consumers growing demand for natural, environmentally friendly, personal healthcare products. A competitive advantage to Botaneco's patented technology over traditional products in the 'green sector' is the ability to significantly enhance the performance and versatility of these skin and hair care products.

The company has also been awarded theCanadian Agri-Food Award of Excellencefor its flaxseed technology marketed in the natural food industry. Botaneco holds patents for its HydresiaOleosome, Vegelatum, DermylexWhey Protein (for the treatment of Psoriasis) and Flaxseed De-hulling technology.

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Botaneco Launches New Hydresia® Delivery System Platform and Vegelatum® Omega-3 products to the Personal Care Market

NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire -05/08/12)- http://www.shinesrooms.com has a handpicked team of market professionals with over 100 years of combined investing experience. Today they are providing members comprehensive research on the Personal Computers industry and are offering free analytical research on Apple Inc. (AAPL) and Dell Inc. (DELL). Register with us today at http://www.shinesrooms.com/index.php?_controller=RegisterMember&_method=index to have free access to these research reports.

The personal computers industry seems a dynamic industry at present. Innovation is rife and the development of tablets continues. According to Canalys' research, the first quarter saw 11 percent year-over-year growth in laptop shipments and an 8 percent increase for desktop PCs. Get your free reports on Apple Inc. and Dell Inc. at http://www.shinesrooms.com/index.php?_controller=RegisterMember&_method=index. There is no commitment to join.

http://www.shinesrooms.com is the Ultimate Trading Environment for investors. If you are considering owning Apple Inc. and Dell Inc. then you should sign up for a free membership and our complimentary reports today at http://www.shinesrooms.com. Over the last 5 years our returns outpaced any of the major indexes. Sign up today to find out what you are missing.

Dell Inc. appears focused on expanding its offerings with new high-performance laptops and desktops. The company recently unveiled its XPS 8500 and Vostro 470 desktops as well as its Inspiron Special Edition laptop series, all of which are designed to provide the high levels of power and performance necessary for complex tasks and entertainment activities. Dell Inc. report is accessible for free by registering today at http://www.shinesrooms.com/DellInc080512.pdf.

Elsewhere in the industry tablets continue to make their mark. In the first quarter of 2011 tablets made up a mere 7 percent of total PC shipments. However, in the most recent quarter, tablets had grown their share to 19 percent. Apple Inc. (AAPL) is widely considered the tablet leader and seems to be further securing its position. It is estimated that Apple commanded 68 percent of the tablet market in the first quarter, up from 55 percent in the fourth quarter of 2011. Apple Inc. report is accessible for free by registering today at http://www.shinesrooms.com/AppleInc080512.pdf.

The two Personal Computers stocks research reports are available for free by signing up now on http://www.shinesrooms.com.

About Shinesrooms.com

Shine's Rooms is the brain child of David Shine, a 13 year Wall Street veteran with a stellar track record. For 13 years Shine has trained thousands of traders to navigate and profit from the markets. Using cutting edge technology, Shine provides you with a community in which you can trade alongside Shine and his Team as they guide you through the market's ever-changing landscape.

To view our disclaimer, visit this link http://www.shinesrooms.com/disclaimer.html.

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Equity Research on Apple Inc. and Dell Inc. - Personal Computers Strong

Team of five industry veterans will decide winner of global personal training program

SCHILLER PARK, Ill., May 8, 2012 - Life Fitness today announced its selection of judges for the 2012 global Personal Trainers to Watch program, an effort to recognize personal trainers for fitness excellence. The panel of five esteemed industry experts ranges from exercise physiologists to published authors, and has been hand-selected to determine one winner and 10 finalists by scoring online nominations from across the world.

Expanded to a global market for the first time since its launch in 2011, the Personal Trainers to Watch program calls for the nomination of fitness professionals who exude a passion for health and aim to better the lives of their clients.

"After taking Personal Trainers to Watch to a global market, it was important to select a well-rounded judging panel that could relate to an international nomination base," said Chris Clawson, Life Fitness president. "We`re thrilled to give deserving personal trainers a chance to connect with some of the world`s most established and successful fitness professionals."

2012 Personal Trainers to Watch Judging Panel

Nicole Nichols was named America`s Personal Trainer to Watch by Life Fitness in 2011. "Coach Nicole" is the fitness expert and managing editor for SparkPeople.com, and is one of the most-watched trainers on YouTube. Nicole has a bachelor`s degree in health promotion and education, specializing in fitness. She maintains several fitness certifications, including the American Council on Exercise (ACE) Personal Training and AFAA Group Fitness Instruction, and is comprehensively trained in mat and reformer Pilates through Balanced Body University. Her latest DVD is titled "SparkPeople: 28 Day Boot Camp."

Rodney Corn is a co-founder of PTA Global and has more than 20 years of experience in the fitness industry. As a collegiate athlete, bodybuilder, published author and regular contributor to industry publications, Corn has traveled the globe sharing his extensive scientific and practical experience in wellness, sports performance and corrective exercise. He is an adjunct faculty member at the University of San Francisco and California University of Pennsylvania. Corn holds a bachelor`s degree in psychology and master`s degree in biomechanics. He is also a Fellow of Applied Functional Science with the Gray Institute.

Pete McCall is an exercise physiologist with ACE. In his role, McCall creates and delivers fitness continuing education programs, and is a co-creator of the ACE Integrated Fitness TrainingTM (ACE IFTTM) model. McCall has a Master of Science in Exercise Science and Health Promotion from California University of Pennsylvania. He is a certified personal trainer with ACE, and holds additional certifications through the National Strength and Conditioning Association and the National Academy of Sports Medicine. McCall also serves on the content review committee for http://www.ptonthenet.com, and is an adjunct lecturer for the Exercise and Nutritional Sciences program at San Diego State University.

Chris Clawson is president of Life Fitness. An industry veteran, Clawson joined the Company in 1994 and has served in a number of different positions focused on product development, sales and marketing. Clawson also spent six years in retail management with two leading sporting-goods retailers. Athletics has always played a significant role in Clawson`s life, having played professional baseball before entering the fitness industry.

Deborah Plitt has been a network trainer for Life Fitness since 1994. Plitt develops education modules and provides academic training to Life Fitness customers throughout the world. Plitt received her Bachelor of Science from Penn State University in Exercise and Sport Science and is currently working toward a Master of Science in Human Movement Science from A.T. Still University. Plitt is also a certified corrective exercise specialist with the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) and an advanced health and fitness specialist with ACE.

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Brunswick Corporation : Life Fitness Announces Judging Panel For Personal Trainers To Watch 2012

Thanks to the rapid growth in the use of apps and services, the personal cloud will eclipse the personal computer (PC) as the hub of consumers' digital lives by 2014, introducing a new concept on how people store, synchronize, share and stream content, said a latest Gartner report.

According to Michael Gartenberg, research director at Gartner, the personal cloud is not a single offering, but a reflection of consumers' expectation that their content will flow seamlessly as the result of a combination of services that overlap the consumer, business and government domains.

Personal cloud encompasses content storage, synchronization, sharing and streaming, as well as context-based access. It also includes business, consumer and government services.

The report said that while there's no single company with all-encompassing dominance at present, the stakes are high as large vendors such as Microsoft, Apple, Amazon and Google try to claim multiple aspects of the personal cloud ecosystem.

On the other hand, smaller vendors struggle to capture parts of the consumer experience with more vertically oriented and dedicated offerings, such as digital storage and streaming services accessible across particular platforms and devices.

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"Consumers are confused about the nature of the personal cloud. This will not be helped by many vendors continuing to equate personal cloud services simply with online storage and neglecting their additional features and potential," said Gartenberg.

"Consumers will define their own sets of personal cloud services with regard to communication, collaboration and media consumption, despite vendors trying to control the digital ecosystem," he added.

The report highlighted three areas where competition in the personal cloud market is expected to grow:

Mobility And Location: Because of constant development of contextual devices and platforms, consumers now have the ability to access relevant information from the location of their choice on their favorite devices. They can now store, synchronize, share and stream in ways not previously imagined.

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Personal Cloud Poised To Eclipse PC As 'The Hub Of Consumers' Digital Lives' By 2014: Gartner

Summary: Its time that teachers learned to stop selling themselves short. Announcing some very cool professional (and personal) development!

Its that time of year again. The weather is improving, flowers are blooming, the baby chicks have arrived at the local feed store (yes, I do live in the country, and yes, I did pick up some chicks yesterday, in addition to the ones Im incubating), the grill is getting cleaned off, ed tech startups are all the rage among investors (OK, thats just an interesting phenomenon, but still), and Im ready to shift my career again. It must be something about spring.

Regardless of the reason, I wanted to share my new effort, one that gets me back to teaching (which Ive sorely missed) and gives me a chance to expand my sphere of colleagues who inspire and motivate me. Most readers will be familiar with Richard Byrne of freetech4teachers fame and Angela Maiers, author of a number of books on educational transformation. Richard and I began working with Steve Hargadon late last year on the Classroom 2.0 Book Project and now were launching a joint project with Angela Maiers called So You Wanna Be a Leader? Lessons in Entrepreneurship for Teachers.

In my experience, teachers tend to sell themselves incredibly short. The teaching profession as a whole tends to be undervalued and its image has been damaged by union struggles, failing schools, and the too-widespread perception that people teach because its great to have summers off. While not every teacher enters the profession for completely noble reasons, most do the best they can with the resources they have. So You Wanna Be a Leader? is aimed squarely at teachers who want to step up and lead real change, whether within their school communities, at the policy level, through writing or speaking engagements, or as consultants, turning their expertise and experience into educational improvement as well as improved personal compensation.

I started writing for ZDNet just so I could afford to keep teaching. I was lucky to come across this opportunity and really ran with it, with speaking engagements, consulting contracts, book deals (did I mention I want to be writing more? My editor keeps threatening to break my kneecaps if I dont finish this book Im working on), full-time jobs, and some outstanding experiences and personal connections coming out of it. However, Im hardly the first educator to have ideas to share or who wanted to help advance a particular issue beyond the walls of my classroom.

This desire to lead change, though, is one of the reasons Im shifting from an executive role with WizIQ to one of user, educator, and evangelist (I also want to refocus on my writing and consulting, as well as returning to the classroom, even if its a virtual one). Angela, Richard, and I will be delivering this 4-module course via WizIQ beginning this Thursday, May 10th, practicing what we preach, so to speak, and exploring ways to use emerging educational platforms to create new business models and reach a broad audience face-to-face.

Any way it goes, Im really excited about collaborating with Richard and Angela; this is something new for all three of us and, if we do our jobs right, should be genuinely useful and empowering for the growing numbers of teachers who are looking to be as effective leading (in whatever capacity they choose) as they are at teaching. As Richard explained,

We cant promise that youll make oodles of money because you take So You Wanna Be a Leader? But we can promise that you will learn from what weve done right and what weve done wrong along the way from simple blogs to small businesses.

You can find out more on the course website, the WizIQ course page, on our Facebook page, or via Twitter.

Chris Dawson is a freelance writer and consultant with years of experience in educational technology and web-based systems. In 2011, he became the Vice President of Marketing for WizIQ, Inc., a virtual classroom and learning network SaaS provider.

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Another new adventure: So you wanna be a leader?

VICTORIA, British Columbia and MANCHESTER, New Hampshire, May 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

UNIT4Business Software (http://www.unit4software.com), developer of Agresso Business World, an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software platform for Businesses Living IN Change (BLINC), has won the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce Employer of the Year award. The award goes to a local business that demonstrates a commitment to job creation, ongoing training programs, company morale, recognition programs, employee health, and professional and personal development.

UNIT4 Business Software has enjoyed strong growth over the last five years, and has been a leader in creating technology jobs in the community. In 2011, the company hired 21 new employees and plans to hire even more in 2012. Aware that people are the backbone of its achievements, UNIT4 Business Software offers its employees an enviable work environment. From generous training and professional development budgets, to engaging social activities, to competitive benefits and compensation, the company makes corporate culture a priority.

"Victoria has a thriving technology industry and to attract top performing individuals, it is important to invest in your employees, encourage company-wide communication, and give people the opportunity to excel," says Shelley Zapp, president of UNIT4 Business Software. "Over 50 percent of our employees have been with us over five years; our low turnover fosters more efficient teamwork and ensures a deep repository of product and business knowledge within the organization," she adds.

UNIT4 Business Software is the North American subsidiary of UNIT4, a $602 million global business software group. As a local subsidiary, it has the entrepreneurial spirit of a smaller, agile company, yet enjoys the stable underpinnings of a larger corporate presence. Employees have the opportunity to interact with colleagues and customers from countries around the world, giving UNIT4 Business Software a unique international flair in the local technology community.

About UNIT4 Business Software

UNIT4 Business Software in North America (http://www.unit4software.com) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of UNIT4, a $602 million enterprise resource planning (ERP) company and a top six mid-market ERP software player globally. The company helps dynamic public sector, and commercial services organizations to embrace change simply, quickly and cost effectively in a market sector it calls 'Businesses Living IN Change' (BLINC). Agresso Business World is widely acknowledged as the business software solution that delivers the lowest Total Cost of Change. The software's unique Vita architecture allows for ongoing, post-implementation changes by business users, without the external IT costs typical of disparate systems.

Over 3,000 companies and organizations in 100 countries deploy Agresso Business World for both operational support and strategic management. The company's role-based, Web Services and Services-Oriented Architecture (SOA) enabled solutions include Financial Management, Human Resources and Payroll, Procurement Management, Project Costing and Billing, Reporting and Analytics, Business Process Automation, and Field Services and Asset Maintenance.

Thenames of actual companies or products mentioned herein may be thetrademarks of theirrespectiveowners. Agresso, Agresso Business World, BLINC, and VITA are registered trademarks of UNIT4 Business Software.

Media contacts: JoAnn Marlow Director of Marketing, UNIT4 Business Software Phone: +1-(250)-704-4489 Cell: +1-(250)-415-7510 Email: Joann.Marlow@unit4.com Twitter: @UNIT4SoftwareNA

Original post:
UNIT4 Business Software Wins Chamber of Commerce Employer of the Year Award

May 4, 2012 in City

The Washington state Court of Appeals Division III on Thursday overruled a Spokane County Superior Courts decision to allow personal docks to be built along the Spokane River as part of the Coyote Rock Development in theValley.

The Superior Court had upheld an exemption the city of Spokane Valley gave the development group to build up to 30 docks without getting permits in accordance with Washingtons Shoreline ManagementAct.

Washingtons Shoreline Management Act is supposed to be read strictly in favor of protecting our shorelines, so that places like the Spokane River are protected, Bart Mihailovich, of Spokane Riverkeeper, said in a pressrelease.

The Department of Ecology, among other plaintiffs attached to the case, argued that the docks would be destructive to the habitats of native species spawning in the area, yet conducive to invasive predators like the smallmouth bass and northernpike.

It was unclear Thursday evening if the Coeur dAlene-based Neighborhood Inc., which owns Coyote Rock LLC, will appeal the courts latestdecision.

JacobPalmer

The nine baby owls that arrived at Washington State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital a couple weeks ago originally thought to be great horned owls are actually of the screechvariety.

The screech owl, while prominent in the Midwest and the East, is extraordinarily rare on this side of the country, according to a WSU newsrelease.

Excerpt from:
In brief: Personal docks case overruled - Fri, 04 May 2012 PST

DETROIT, May 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- While campaigning to become the Governor of Michigan, candidate Rick Snyder proposed to eliminate the business personal property tax because he felt that it was an impediment to attracting reinvestment and new investment into Michigan. Following the Governor's lead, legislators in both the House and Senate have filed bills that would eliminate, phase out, or diminish the effects of personal property tax on businesses.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110726/DA41187LOGO)

For example, Senate Bill 34 would eliminate the personal property tax completely. Senate Bill 142 attempts to eliminate personal property tax for businesses with fewer than 26 employees. To provide relief and encourage investment, Senate Bill 883 would eliminate property tax on new personal property. A bit more complicated, House Bill 4102 and House Bill 4103 provide for three components: the state education tax, the revised school code, and one-half of the tax that would be levied by the tax jurisdictions in the local tax collecting unit.

Like most other states that tax business personal property, Michigan personal property is a tax on commercial, industrial, and utility assets not otherwise classified as real property. Costs on assets such as furniture, fixtures, machinery, equipment, leasehold improvements, and electrical and gas transmission and distribution infrastructure make up most of the taxable property.

Michigan's business and government leaders agree that the property tax should be eliminated, and the following will help businesses be prepared for tax changes:

1. Ensure that real and personal property assets are classified correctly for property tax purposes, not just for federal depreciation purposes.

2. Monitor costs received from the local municipalities, as replacement revenue will likely include an increase in fees for services.

3. Be prepared as more cities consider an income tax.

4. Retain accurate records for any real estate development investments.

5. Recognize that Michigan assessors will uncap the taxable values on any property purchased in arm's length transactions and increase taxes.

Original post:
Ryan Reports Michigan Considers Eliminating Personal Property Tax