This Week in the Harbor

January 22nd, 2024

Welcome New Member!

Meet Jeff Gardner, a self-described ''Swiss Army Knife'' of mortgage lending, who uses his knowledge, versatility and creativity to help homebuyers achieve their dreams. With more than 20 years in the field — plus three years in the title insurance and appraisal industries — Jeff understands the many tools available to help his clients, from first time homebuyers to seasoned real estate investors, meet their goals. He believes everyone deserves to own a home and loves helping people make it happen.

Jeff is a member of the Master Builders Association. For him, it's a way to give back and learn more. When he's not working, the former college athlete enjoys golfing, boating and other outdoor activities.

Ready to have Jeff put his knowledge to work for you? Give him a call today.

News & Opportunities

Maritime Gig Applications Now Open!

The Maritime Gig Festival is the Summer's biggest event in Gig Harbor! Please join us June 1st and 2nd to celebrate our beautiful city with a weekend of fun and festivities. 2024 applications are now open! To apply visit the link below.

Legislative Update on Gift Card Bills

Quick Legislative update on gift card bills.

We are a few weeks into the legislative session and your chamber is watching several bills and advocating on your behalf where bills if passed will be harmful/helpful for businesses. We are cautiously hopeful that it appears the gift card legislation will not make it out of committee for a vote, this was of great concern to many of our businesses, so we signed on in opposition to the following bills. 

• Unused gift card funds: House Bill 2095 and Senate Bill 5988 would require businesses to transfer unused gift card balances to the state as unclaimed property after three years. Gift cards currently don’t expire in Washington, and the proposals would require businesses to create a registry and tracking system of gift card purchasers’ information, an administrative burden. The bill would also require businesses to continue to honor gift cards even after they’ve been forwarded to the state. Association of WA Businesses, WA Retail Association, and the Hospitality Association were all part of a coalition of employer groups opposing the bills, which had hearings last Tuesday.

• Cashing out gift cards: State law currently allows consumers to redeem unspent gift card balances for cash if the remaining value is less than $5. House Bill 2094 and Senate Bill 5987 would raise the threshold to $50, essentially forcing businesses to carry more cash on hand and attracting theft. All three associations also testified against the proposal last Tuesday.

The Association of Washington Businesses quarterly employer survey seeks to determine how Washington businesses are doing and what they see coming in the months ahead. We encourage you to take this brief survey.

 Results will be posted online when available. To view the results of the fall 2023 survey, go to the AWB website. 

Employer Survey

The Association of Washington Businesses quarterly employer survey seeks to determine how Washington businesses are doing and what they see coming in the months ahead. We encourage you to take this brief survey.

 Results will be posted online when available. To view the results of the fall 2023 survey, go to the AWB website. 

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Sponsorship

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·   Publicity and brand recognition you need in a positive and receptive environment

·   A unique form of advertising

·   Access to new business relationships

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