Spring has not sprung yet, but the metal is certainly coiling up and preparing to launch. With the warmer weather, we have business activities heating up too. Here are some business events and activities to keep an eye on.

Supplemental Budget Vote/PPP Tax Conformity (March 10)

After nearly a full year away, our Maine State Legislators are convening in-person at the Augusta Civic Center to vote on the supplemental budget while staying as socially distant as possible. In last week’s column, we mentioned a policy newsletter we were sending out to our members about Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Tax Conformity, which is a major issue in this year’s supplemental budget. Essentially, the issue is whether or not Paycheck Protection Program funds will be considered taxable income for those businesses that received them. The IRS is considering the funds to be non-taxable income for your federal taxes, but each state decides whether state taxes will conform with that or not. Maine has a constitutional amendment requiring that legislators pass a balanced budget, and in a year where other revenues are down, the PPP funds could be a source of tax revenue if they wanted to tax those- it’s a tough call.

To be clear, there are several conformity issues around taxation, but PPP tax conformity is the one that impacts the most businesses while the other conformity issues are much more niche (for instance, another issue is around Maine manufacturers who sell products internationally, which clearly pertains to much fewer Maine businesses). Not having an answer for PPP conformity has made it difficult for businesses to complete their 2020 taxes. Our CPAs will certainly be happy once a resolution is decided, because right now the vast majority of returns are on hold as CPAs don’t want to file them, and then re-file them if the PPP is handled a different way than they anticipated.

There is every indication that this issue will be resolved on March 10 or March 11, along with accepting the rest of the budget. Passage requires more than a simple majority — two-thirds of legislators need to vote it to pass — so this must be bipartisan as neither party has a two-thirds majority on their own. All eyes will be on Augusta as they work through this. The budget is difficult to pass in a normal year, and with the pandemic affecting revenues, it will be even harder. But, from what I hear, the legislators are working towards a solution already, and have been for weeks, so it may not be that contentious after all.

Hannaford Drive-Thru Hiring Event March 10, 12, 14

For those that don’t know, construction has continued throughout the winter on the new Hannaford store being built at Cook’s Corner Mall in Brunswick (the mall with TJ Maxx and Staples). Hannaford will be doing massive hiring over the next three months needing a staff of 100-150 employees for the store’s opening this summer. Fortunately, they have the perfect place for socially distanced interviews, their other Hannaford store in Brunswick.

The downtown Brunswick store, just off Maine Street at 35 Elm St., is one of the busiest Hannaford stores in the state. The new Cook’s Corner location will not replace this downtown store, but rather will be a second store in town, no different than in Augusta or Waterville or any other community where they have two stores. The Cook’s Corner location is conveniently located off Route 1 and will be much more accessible than going downtown for Hannaford shoppers from Bath, West Bath and further north on Route 1. Plus with the new housing at Brunswick Landing, this store will be within walking distance to some residents.

Their hiring events begin today, at an odd, but very logical location, behind the downtown store off the Union Street entrance where the trucks typically deliver product. This area has an entrance and an exit behind the store, so it makes for an easy drive thru location entering from beside the rail line on Union Street and taking an immediate left.

The drive-thru hiring events will be happening: Wednesday, March 10, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Friday, March 12, 12:30-7 p.m.;
Sunday, March 14, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Due to COVID-19, they’re asking applicants to wear masks and to maintain social distance. For those who would prefer a different way to be interviewed, they are also setting up Zoom interviews. Please contact Chris at (207) 352-4634 to set up a Zoom interview or with any other questions.

Other Events/Activities to Know About in the Coming Weeks

SBA Webinar: “Scams Targeting Small Business: How to Spot and Avoid Them” is a free online webinar being presented this Thursday, March 11, from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. by the Small Business Administration. Lesley Fair, a senior attorney from the Federal Trade Commission, will be providing very helpful and practical advice to help small businesses with the knowledge they need to protect their businesses from scammers. Contact William Card at the Small Business Administration — William.Card@sba.gov — for registration details.

Maine State Chamber Webinars: The Maine State Chamber has been holding a number of online webinars on a variety of business topics, with their latest being a four-part series called Bring Maine Up to Speed, which is about broadband expansion. Part Two of the four-part series was recorded this week, and you can find it, and about a dozen other webinars they have produced, on their website at www.mainechamber.org

2021 Moving Forward Business Survey Results Release: This survey is something I’ve been personally working for over eight weeks analyzing data and results from a massive business survey we sent out in December. The final report should be released within the next five business days as it is in the final proofing stage now. The results give a picture of where businesses were at, heading into 2021 and what they think the next 12 months will hold for their business.

Cory King is the executive director of the Southern Midcoast Maine Chamber.