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Happy New Year ABA Members!
January has started out with a bang for the ABA. Between the launch of our new
 | Erica Lange
Assistant Executive Director |
brand, efforts to change the TPT laws that went into effect on January 1, the economic forecast luncheon, the January Membership Dinner, the 2015 LDF class beginning, and the upcoming 21st President's Installation Dinner & Auction, we've been hopping in our offices. It has been very promising to see so many of you involved in the many offerings of the association. I hope you'll keep this trend up for the remainder of the year!
If you are not registered for the President's Installation Dinner & Auction, I'd encourage you to attend. The dinner & and auction will be held on February 13 from 6-9pm and promises to be a memorable event. Not only will there be a silent & live auction, but incoming ABA President, Joe Duvall of Kitchell will be installed, along with our current board, and we will be honoring the past 20 years of ABA Presidents.
There will be plenty of opportunities for mixing and mingling with old friends and new potential partners. I hope to see you all there!
Have a fantastic week!
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ABA Lobbies for TPT Changes
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by Mark Minter
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Mark Minter
Executive Director
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The Arizona Builders Alliance is working with the Department of Revenue and industry allies to understand recent changes to the TPT law, disseminate information to the industry and prepare needed amendments to the law. The Arizona construction industry is bracing for sweeping changes to the prime contracting tax law in January of 2015. The State Legislature enacted changes that range from who must have a tax license to a major switch creating a difference between service and prime contracting. Even before its January 1st effective date the proposed changes to Arizona's Transaction Privilege Tax law had caused confusion in the construction industry. The law was passed in 2013 and amended in 2014, but the construction industry was still struggling with the changes.
The focal point of the confusion came from the creation of a new tax treatment for contractors engaging in the maintenance, repair, replacement or alteration of existing facilities, called MRRA projects. Materials purchased for MRRA projects would be taxed at the point of sale. The same materials purchased for a new construction project would be subject to taxation under prime contracting.
Further confusion arose over other provisions of the law, including the following:
To get instructions on how to get automatic notification on updates to the TPN 14, please
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ABC's Andy Conlin to Speak at January ABA Membership Dinner
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by Tom Dunn
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Tom Dunn
Director for Southern Arizona
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We're pleased to announce our dinner speaker for the January Tucson Dinner Meeting is Associated Builders and Contractors manager of state and local political affairs, Andy Conlin. Conlin leads ABC's state and local government affairs efforts, is a national leader regarding construction labor issues, including experience with project labor agreements and other important labor-related issues. He will be in Tucson to discuss the 2014 national election results and their effects on the commercial construction industry, economic and regulatory.
This will be a great opportunity to learn about why Arizona's Legislative races have national significance. The McSally-Barber race was one of the toughest fought races in the country with more than $20 million spent for a race decided by 167 votes out of 220,000 votes cast.
Sign up for the dinner ASAP!
Where: Desert Diamond Casino & Hotel, 7350 S. Nogales Hwy.
When: January 20 | 5:30 p.m. reception | 6:30pm dinner | 8pm adjournment
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ABA is Proud to Announce our Newest Board Member
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Nelson Brown, President of J.B. Steel, was newly elected as an ABA board member
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Nelson Brown
President
J.B. Steel
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at the December board meeting. J.B. Steel is an AISC certified fabricator and erector of structural and miscellaneous steel servicing Arizona.
Nelson earned his Bachelor's Degree in Chemical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Prior to purchasing J.B. Steel in 2004, he spent over twenty years in a variety of engineering and general management positions with Corning, Inc., Honeywell and Fisher Scientific including assignments in the U.S.A., Germany, Belgium and the U.K.
Nelson has been actively involved in the ABA since 2004 and is a former board chairman of the ABA's Southern Arizona Division. In addition to serving on the Southern Arizona Advisory Board, Nelson participates in the annual Southern Arizona Volunteer Day, where approximately 40 J.B. Steel employees come together to help ABA give back to the community.
The ABA is proud to welcome Nelson Brown as our newest board member!
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They Are Your Apprentices
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Submitted by Fred Ingersoll
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Fred Ingersoll
Director of Apprenticeship & Training
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In 2013 FMI sent surveys to more than 3,600 construction firms of all sizes and specialties nationwide to ask companies if they were facing shortages in skilled labor. Of the respondents, general contractors made up 49%, followed by construction managers (40%), mechanical/plumbing (12%) and heavy/highway/civil (11%), 53% were facing a shortage and 93% of that group felt that the actual number of skilled workers was the reason for the shortage.
Why the lack of skilled workers?
A Construction Industry Institute research study conducted in 2000 identified that craft workers believe their fellow workers leave the industry because of pay, lack of permanent employment, poor safety, poor treatment, and poor working conditions. This is a perception of the older generation (15 years ago) and not often the reality but old sayings are old sayings for a reason. Because perception is reality the impressions of older workers made on the younger generation has resulted in fewer younger generations wanting to enter the trades, often being told to stay in school and get a "real" job.
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ABC's 2015 Workforce Development Conference: March 3-6
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  The ABC's 2015 Workforce Development Conference brings together construction professionals of all levels, geographic regions, markets and offers them the experience to take part in the array of events ABC has to offer, including the following:
- Education for ABC members including mechanical contractors, electrical contractors, safety professionals and workforce development professionals.
- Professional development, best practices and take-home tools for ABC Chapter staff at all levels in the areas of workforce, membership, communications and marketing, and chapter operations.
- The National Craft Championships - 13 competitions across 11 crafts over 2 days.
- The Excellence in Construction Awards celebration, where we will recognize 2014's top construction projects, the safest firms and members focused on diversity. EIC registration coming soon.
- ABC's National board meeting.
This year's conference will be held in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida March 3-6.
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96th Annual AGC Convention: March 18-20
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The AGC Annual Convention is North America's only conference of its kind, where general contractors, specialty contractors, suppliers, and more converge for three days of content essential to your future in the construction industry. If you're tasked with delivering the best the construction industry has to offer, you need to join us at AGC's Annual Convention.
No one can see 360 degrees, but gaining a comprehensive view of where you are, where you are going and where you need to be can only strengthen the educated decisions construction professionals have to make everyday.
Take the opportunity to step outside, analyze the direction your organization is heading, listen and compare that with other construction professionals and take that perspective back to your organization. Whether it's a networking function at a local AGC Chapter, an industry event or the Annual Convention, AGC events provide you with the tools and access to step back a take get a well-rounded view of your company in comparison to others and the industry as a whole.
This year's Annual Convention will be held March 18-20 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
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Tucson's 20th Annual Volunteer Day
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Members of the Arizona Builders Alliance, their friends and families descended
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ABA Members Lead the Efforts at Faith Lutheran Church
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upon Tucson's Faith Lutheran School on Saturday, December 6. Volunteer Day efforts this year were led by Committee Co-Chairmen Jamie Olding of Building Excellence and Susan Mulholland of Mulholland Art & Design Commercial Interiors.
Faith Lutheran School was named this year's recipient early in 2014 and experienced severe flooding during September's monsoon storms.
Over 200 volunteers from the ABA membership participated during the Volunteer Day event. Labor and materials donated to the cause exceeded $175,000. Improvements at Faith Lutheran School included, among other things: upgraded drainage; safety fencing; completely renovated offices and kitchen; plumbing work; extensive concrete; extensive cabinetry; installation of new flooring and, tile; electrical and air conditioning work; and extensive landscaping and painting. In addition, ABA members and their families provided holiday gifts for the needy, decorated the facilities and made care packages.
Volunteer Day is a commitment of service to our community for ABA members. It shows that in tough economic times, people give more. The character of our membership shines through every Volunteer Day and the benefits to our community remain for years.
Though the event is called "Volunteer Day," the reality is many ABA members have been at work at Faith Lutheran School for months taking on much of the more difficult construction.
A big thank you to our committed members who gave so much of themselves to make this a reality.
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ABA Members Create The MOST Successful Toy Drive in our History
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The ABA's Community Service Board reached out to ABA Members across the state to help children this past Christmas. The board's goal this year was to provide 3 gifts per child at Sunshine Group Homes and 4 gifts per child at Sunshine Acres. Because of the GENEROUS donations by ABA Members, their vendors, and subcontractors, this goal was crushed. Over $20,000 in cash was raised and hundreds and hundreds of toys collected. The board planned on creating nice Christmases for 430 children and ended up impacting the lives of 800+ children!
WHERE DID YOUR DONATIONS END UP?
- 330 kids at Sunshine Group Homes received 3-4 gifts each on Xmas day
- 33 homes at Sunshine Group homes received board games, sporting good supplies, and popcorn tins to be used throughout the year
- 100 kids at Sunshine Acres received 4 gifts each at their December xmas party; each child received a nerf gun at the party to participate in a nerf gun war
- A "store" was created at the Sunshine Acres party where each child could shop for a gift for a housemate, to learn the value and spirit of "giving."
- 10 families that house children at Sunshine Acres received popcorn tins, candy, and movie tickets
- 300 gifts went to the DCS ( Department of Child safety) After Hours Team. This is where children who are first removed from their homes arrive before they are placed in the care of an agency.
- Additional gifts are in storage for the kids who will be coming in throughout the Xmas season at Sunshine Group Homes.
- Any left over toys will be used for welcome gifts, goodbye gifts and birthday gifts throughout the year at Sunshine Group Homes.
- 50 gifts were sent to the DCS office in Pinnacle Peak
- Clothing donations were put in a "store" created by Sunshine Group Homes where new children can come grab items that they need as they are brought into the homes
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Seattle's Space Needle
During the 1-year construction of the Space Needle in 1961, it took 467 cement trucks less than 12 hours to fill the foundation hole (30 feet deep and 120 feet across). This was the largest continuous concrete pour ever attempted in the West.
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