The President proposed an immediate $50 billion investment in highways, transit, rail and aviation; a $25 billion investment in school infrastructure; and the creation of an infrastructure bank to spur private investment.

The President's program also includes a payroll tax cut for businesses; the temporary elimination of payroll taxes for both new hires and raises for existing employees; and an extension of 100 percent expensing into 2012.

"While we are pleased with the immediate tax relief and infrastructure focus," said ACEC President Dave Raymond, "we continue to champion longer-term tax and infrastructure measures for sustained economic growth."

Click here for the text of the President's address.

In recent weeks, more than 1,500 ACEC Member Firms contacted their Congressional delegations to urge support for extending the programs.

"This outreach from Member Firms has been fantastic and has yielded a tremendous result," said Ken Wightman, CEO of David Evans Enterprises and chairman of the ACEC Transportation Committee. "It's not done, though, and we still have to get the legislation through both houses."

Click here to access a sample letter to send to your Senators and Representatives urging passage of the extension.

The subcommittee bill would provide $27 billion for highways, a reduction of more than $14 billion below current funding levels; $6.7 billion for transit capital programs, a decrease of approximately $3.5 billion; and $3.3 billion for airport improvement projects, down $180 million.

ACEC continues to work for higher funding levels in a new multi-year transportation authorization bill.

Raymond emphasized the need for prompt action on a multi-year surface transportation bill and other infrastructure initiatives, as well as repeal of the 3 percent withholding mandate.

Sen. Brown, a member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, has taken on a leadership role on the 3 percent issue, having introduced legislation in the Senate to repeal the mandate.

ACEC has a limited number of discounted tickets remaining for the October 19 performance at Caesars Palace and they are selling out fast. To get tickets, contact Jessica Torrero at jtorrero@acec.org.

Click here for more information and to register for the Fall Conference.

"Our state organization has built the expectation that our leadership will support the effort," said Robertson, vice president of Shannon & Wilson in Seattle.

Click here for more information about ACEC/PAC.

"We worked hard to make our ACEC/PAC goal, but we also had fun doing it," said ACEC/South Dakota co-PAC Champion Monty Miller of Sayre Associates in Sioux Falls (Along with Harlan Quenzer of Schmucker, Paul, Nohr & Associates in Mitchell). "We held fundraising events that involved members who otherwise may not have participated."

Texas is the 51st—and final—Member Organization of ACEC to subscribe to the common name since the initiative was launched in 2001 to bring all state organizations under one banner.

"This is a big step forward in extending the ACEC brand, not only at the state level in Texas but also in most of the major metropolitan areas in the state where we have active local chapters working with city and county governments," said ACEC/Texas Executive Director Steve Stagner.

The HR Forum will be held immediately before ACEC's Fall Conference, which begins on October 19. The Forum is free for Conference attendees (with full conference registration). Attendance for the Forum only is $285 for ACEC members. To register, click here.

To make hotel reservations and receive ACEC's room rate of $239/night, call 866-227-5938 or visit www.caesarspalace.com. Room reservations must be made by September 9, 2011.

In the inaugural issue, read about the recent joint coalition strategic planning session, coalition programs at the upcoming ACEC Fall Conference, and disaster liability protections for engineers.

Click here to view Coalitions Quarterly.

The BIT encourages all of its ACEC Member Firms to take advantage of this improved program and to learn more about how this benefit can produce substantial savings. For more information on this enhanced ACEC member benefit, click here. To visit the BIT website, click here.

David Cohen, Matheson Financial Advisors, explores ownership transition planning and what A/E firms can do to navigate the current economic situation and prepare for the future.

Reignite Your Ownership Transition Plans is a timely webinar that provides compelling reasons for lower management to invest in ownership in firms. Topics include building an internal market for your shares; mechanisms for transacting ownership; tax strategies; shareholder's agreements; and pitfalls to avoid when transitioning stock internally.

Click here to register.

ACEC's practical bottom-line course Essentials of A/E Financial Management and Firm Valuation, November 3-4, Orlando, will teach attendees how to use powerful accounting tools to energize their businesses.

Presented by David Cohen, principal, Matheson Financial Advisors, Inc., the course will cover project management financials, income statements, balance sheet development and interpretation, firm valuation, internal ownership transition planning, mergers and acquisitions, and related financial management issues—from ways to increase cash flow to benchmarking against other firms in the industry.

Click here to review the full course agenda and to register.

November 9-12, 2011, New Orleans

Business of Design Consulting, Nov.
9-12, New Orleans, updates the practices and functions that support successful A/E businesses. Attendees explore current best-practice management skills, gaining new strategic insights fundamental to success.

This highly regarded course delivers the collective state-of-the-art expertise of the industry's leading practitioners through curriculum custom-tailored to the A/E workplace, including leadership, strategy, planning, performance management, contracts and risk management, finance, business management, ownership transition, and marketing.

Click here for agenda and faculty details and to register at early-bird best price.

In De-mystifying the Lost Commandments of Business Ethics, attorney Rich Nelson, Nelson Kinder + Mosseau PC, presents a broad-ranging discussion of business practices involving hidden ethical pitfalls that have resulted in serious problems for well-intentioned people.

Participants will gain new insights into the importance of vigilance in ethical practices, a guide for being proactive in maintaining their firm's goodwill, and a methodology for identifying—and implementing—successful responses to an ethical problem.

Click here to register.

What can we expect in public funding for transportation programs in the coming years? What new program and project financing options are available? Which states are pursuing innovative or alternative funding sources to grow their programs?

In Transportation Funding Trends and Financing Alternatives in Today's Economy, Jack Basso, director of program finance and management, American Association of State Transportation Officials (AASHTO), will provide a funding outlook and describe what AASHTO members are doing to raise the funds to deliver their programs.

Click here to register.

Ongoing economic turmoil is challenging leaders of A/E consulting firms on how best to survive, let alone thrive, Gerry Salontai, Salontai Consulting Group LLC, presents Five Traits of Best-in-Class Companies, a revealing look at what successful firms have in common.

Participants will learn the concepts of what these firms do and how they do it—to deliver better success in every category of the business.

Click here for details and to register.

In Writing the Perfect FONSI — Finding of No Significant Impact, Owen Schmidt, former senior counsel at USDA, demonstrates the finer points of a fail-safe technique for writing the perfect FONSI.

This webinar is a must for planners, environmental specialists, project managers, decision-makers, attorneys, and those in related fields who are responsible for preparing or reviewing Environmental Assessments (EAs) and FONSIs.

Click here to register.