Local Aquarium Firm Wins Saturn Contract
The California Chamber of Commerce is urging its members to support a move to eliminate unfair “hidden” business taxes.
The chamber has written and is sponsoring Proposition 37, which will appear on the November ballot. The proposition specifically defines as taxes the fees imposed on private companies to fund public programs.
The proposition is supported by the California Taxpayers’ Association and the California Manufacturers and Technology Association, said Allan Zaremberg, president and chief executive officer of the chamber.
Proposition 37 was inspired by a court case forcing a company to pay fees for far-reaching public programs. As such, this fee should have been considered a tax, he said.
In 1991, the state of California began imposing a regulatory fee on paint companies and other businesses that make or have made products containing lead. The money is then used for children’s health screenings and to identify sources of lead poisoning throughout the state, among other programs, Zaremberg said.
A paint company argued in court that the fee was actually a tax because the program provides a broad public benefit , not a benefit to the regulated business or industry, such as developing lead-reducing manufacturing procedures. Also, the companies that pay the fee have no duties regarding the lead-poisoning program other than payment of the fee, he said.
In 1997, the California Supreme Court ruled this charge on businesses was a regulatory fee, not a tax , a ruling which Zaremberg called a “loophole” to allow the state to get around its own tax laws.
Proposition 37 would close this loophole, giving voters a voice on whether to impose business taxes and where the money goes. It also would prevent hidden taxes from being imposed on companies making products that might harm the environment, simply because the state Legislature or local governments find it politically expedient, Zaremberg said.
The California chamber is encouraging members and voters to call for more information, sign up as volunteers or donate to the Proposition 37 campaign efforts.
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Splish Splash, Vroom Vroom: A San Diego-based aquarium manufacturer recently inked a deal with the Saturn Corp. to build aquariums for Saturn automobile dealerships throughout the United States.
West Coast Aquarium Industries will install fish tanks in the customer area of the dealerships. The company, with 23 employees, works with aquarium dealerships nationwide to distribute its custom-made aquariums, said Louie Ortiz, president and chief executive officer of WCAI.
Each of the 400 dealerships in the country is going through a remodel. The dealerships will be able to choose whether to install a fish tank as one of their remodeling options, and WCAI will be their sole supplier, Ortiz said.
Fish tanks will cost between $1,000 and $2,000 each. The 90-gallon tanks will be placed in the “study” area of the dealership, to help redirect the sound away from customers simply looking for a quiet place to read, Ortiz said.
The deal applies to future Saturn dealerships as well, Ortiz said.
Ortiz said the agreement is perfect for the company.
“With Saturn’s growing market, we hope to be able to expand our presence where Saturn retailers are located, as well as create some recognition of our name and services,” he said.
WCAI specializes in building custom aquarium designed to a client’s specifications , everything from small home systems to massive displays taking up an entire wall.
With a network of nationwide affiliates, the company provides installation and maintenance services for their aquariums anywhere in the country, Ortiz said.
The company’s custom-designed aquariums can be seen at (www.aquariumdesigners.com).
Save A Receipt, Save A School: Chula Vista Center customers can help the schools of their choice, simply by shopping at their favorite stores.
The shopping center is urging shoppers to save their store sales receipts dated between Aug. 28 and Oct. 15. Customers can then redeem the receipts for points toward cash for schools.
Just bring the receipts to the Customer Service Center between Macy’s and Mervyn’s in the mall. Shoppers will get their receipts back once the amounts are logged, said Susan Lipp, marketing manager for the Chula Vista Center.
Shoppers will also earn double points when using their Visa cards, since the company is one of the corporate sponsors for this event, Lipp said.
The points will be tallied Oct. 16, and the schools with the highest average point per student will receive cash awards. The first-place school will get $4,000, while the second-place finisher will be awarded $3,000. The next three top finishers will get cash prizes of $2,000, $1,000, and $500 respectively, Lipp said.
A drawing will be held for the remaining schools, for a single prize of $250. Prizes will be awarded at a ceremony at 1 p.m. Oct. 21 in the food court, she said.
Send small business and retail news to Lee Zion at lzion@sdbj.com.
