Consumers, U.S. Economy Pay the Price as Biofuels Take a Hit

Washington DC -- What a difference a day makes for Big Oil.  The oil industry scored a big victory on Friday, November 15 as the U.S. EPA released a draft rule that - if allowed to stand - rolls back the highly successful Renewable Fuels Standard.  Following the announcement, which calls for our gasoline to include more oil and less biofuel next year, stock values surged for four of the "Big Five" oil companies - representing a $23 billion windfall in just one day.

"Big Oil's big win on the draft rule for the Renewable Fuel Standard led to an instant windfall for oil companies while consumers, American farmers and our troops are left holding the bag," said Brad Woodhouse, President of Americans United for Change.  "Big Oil hit the jackpot, but we are risking a huge slowdown in the development of next generation biofuels that are our best hope for reducing America's dangerous dependence on foreign oil."

The Big Five oil companies reaped a combined $23 billion windfall, and the value of their outstanding shares increased by an average of more than 2% in a single day.  This increase was about 4 times better than the performance of the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 over the same period between the closing bell the day before the announcement (November 14) and the opening bell on the next day of trading after the announcement (November 18).

Meanwhile, an independent index of ethanol and biofuel stocks has fallen by more than 6% following the release of the draft rule.  This is a very bad sign for the future of American leadership in clean, renewable biofuel, but it is a predictable market response to the draft proposal.  If Big Oil gets its way, the steady rise in American biofuel use will be reversed next year, with less biofuel used in 2014 than in 2013.

Thought leadership is often viewed by marketers as a platform that is focused externally. But while thought leadership is an effective means of influencing customers, it's also a very successful way of empowering employees.

Over the last decade, various organizations have shifted their policy towards encouraging employee empowerment. Studies have shown that organizations with empowered employees perform better than their competitors by up to 202%. Empowered employees are known to be more engaged, inspired and productive in their work. They are more likely to take initiative and are expected to last longer within the company.

Though thought leadership is a great tool for spreading your brand message, it can also be used as an effective means of empowering your staff from inside your organization.

How Thought Leadership Empowers Your Employees

Influence is the currency of thought leadership. That's because an effective thought leader can have a profound effect on the people they influence. As a tool for change, influence has a longer lasting effect than simply giving out orders on the office floor or through e-mail. It can refocus your company and empower your entire workforce. Here are just a few of the ways thought leadership can empower your employees:

• Thought Leadership allows employees to see the bigger picture of the organization by sharing the company's long term goals and long standing principles.
• Thought Leadership encourages employees to excel at their responsibilities, inspiring them to come up with solutions that allow them to go above and beyond their roles.
• Thought Leadership provides employees incentives outside of monetary gain. They understand the larger, more intangible goals of the organization: success, satisfaction and service.
• Thought Leadership allows employees to discover the importance of their roles in the organization. It allows them to see the worth in their actions and become proud of their accomplishments.

This is why thought leadership should help influence the organizational culture beyond one that is geared towards customers, but one also focused on staff and employees. The infusion of thought leadership into an organization's culture can unite and empower the organization.

Empowerment through Influence

As mentioned earlier, influence is the currency of thought leadership. But to gain influence over your employees, it's important to equip them with the right tools, skills, and responsibilities to make sure they perform to the best of their professional abilities.

On average, only 29% of employees are actively engaged in their work. While managers can increase salaries, improve benefits, and promote key staff, nothing takes the place of genuine leadership.

Thought leadership utilizes edu-training tools that empower your workforce by making them advocates of the organization. These internal initiatives provide insight and ideas that are of value to employees. They are activities and platforms that help inspire the staff and bring the organization together. Whether it's through an internal social media platform, speaking, training or other forms of internal communication, these are all means of introducing a culture of empowerment into the organization.

Followers are the lifeblood of any thought leader, but followers can be found inside as well as outside of the organization. In truth, empowered employees are the most effective followers of all. They look to their leaders for more than just their next pay check. They look to them for inspiration and ideas.

About the Author: Mitchell Levy is the CEO and Thought Leader Architect at THiNKaha who has created and operated fifteen firms and partnerships since 1997. Today, he works with companies who are active in social media to leverage their IP and unlock the expertise of the employee base to drive more business. He is also an Amazon bestselling author with eighteen business books, including the recently released #Creating Thought Leaders tweet. Mr. Levy has provided strategic consulting to over 100 companies and has advised over 500 CEOs on critical business issues. Get a free copy of his latest ebook at http://mitchelllevy.com.

Unlike last year, tax planning for 2013 is not hampered by uncertainties over alooming fiscal cliff. Unfortunately, there is always some uncertainty and a few expiring provisions to warrant special attention by taxpayers.

Managing income taxes at year end involves techniques designed to address three issues:

· Accelerating or deferring income: If a taxpayer expects to be in the same or a lower tax bracket next year, it's best to defer as much income as possible until after the yearend.
· Accelerating or deferring deductions: If a taxpayer's overall tax rate is the same in both years, accelerating deductions achieves tax savings this year rather than waiting for those tax savings to materialize next year.
· Take advantage of tax provisions scheduled to expire at the end of 2013. There are several temporary tax provisions which can only be used this year.

Tax planning begins by projecting income and deductions for the year to determine your tax bracket and income thresholds that trigger higher and/or additional taxes, or limits the effectiveness of deductions.  One of the impacts of the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (ATRA12)is the reintroduction of the Pease limitation, which can greatly limit itemized deductions.  Once a taxpayer knows what his or her income taxes will look like, it's time to evaluate which techniques will help the most.

Strategies to accelerate or defer income:

· Adjust your elective deferral plans at work: Taxpayers who participate in 401(k), 403(b), most 457 plans, or in the Thrift Savings Plan can defer up to $17,500 this year.  Taxpayers age 50 and older can defer up to $23,000.
· Harvest capital gains or losses: Long-term capital gains are taxed at 0 percent for taxpayers in the 15 percent bracket.  Capital losses can be used to offset capital gains and reduce other income up to $3,000.
· Use the IRA. Taxpayers age 59 ½ and older can accelerate IRA distributions in 2013.  Contributions may be deductible depending on your income level and whether you're covered by a retirement plan through work. Taxpayers under age 59½ can convert traditional IRAs to Roth IRAs to accelerate income.
· Health-care assistance: People with health savings accounts - available with some high-deductible health insurance policies -- can save up to $3,250 tax-deferred for an individual and $6,450 for a family.Those who are55 and older can save an additional $1,000.  Flex spending contribution limits are capped at $2,500 this year.

Strategies to accelerate or defer deductions:

· Medical expenses: The Affordable Care Act (ACA) raises the income threshold this year to 10 percent of adjusted gross income for taxpayers under age 65.  The threshold remains at 7.5 percent for those 65 and older.  Taxpayers may need to prepare or defer medical bills to lump expenses in a single year to get the deduction.
· Gifts to charities: Use a donor advised fund (DAF) to maximize the tax savings from charitable giving.   A DAF makes gifting appreciated securities easier.  The DAF can be funded in tax years when the deduction will have the most impact.  Distribution to charities can be made at any time without tax consideration. 
· Qualified Charitable Distribution: This year only, taxpayers age 70½ or older can choose to direct up to $100,000 of their IRA-required minimum distribution to charity.  By doing so, the distribution does not show up as taxable income, which can lower taxation of Social Security benefits and help reduce other threshold levels to further minimize taxes.

ATRA12 extended?but did not make permanent?several tax incentives for individuals.Taxpayers should consider whether they can benefit from these incentives this year and plan accordingly.  The following provisions are set to expire on Dec. 31 unless extended again:

· State and local sales taxes deduction.  Taxpayer can choose between deducting state and local income taxes or the sales taxes they've paid through the year.
· Deduction for teacher expenses. Eligible educators can deduct up to $250 of any unreimbursed expenses.
· Deduction of mortgage insurance premiums. Payments of Private Mortgage Insurance premiums can be treated as deductible home mortgage interest in 2013.
· Discharge of principal residence indebtedness. This can be excluded from gross income this year.
· Qualified Charitable Distribution. Taxpayers can make tax-free charitable donations from their required IRA distributions.

2013 is certainly an exciting year for tax planning. Start now in order to minimize your tax bill in April. 

About Rick Rodgers: Certified Financial Planner® Rick Rodgers is president of Rodgers & Associates, "The Retirement Specialists," in Lancaster, Pa., and author of "The New Three-Legged Stool: A Tax Efficient Approach to Retirement Planning." He's a Certified Retirement Counselor and member of the National Association of Personal Financial Advisers. Rodgers has been featured on national radio and TV shows, including "FOX Business News" and "The 700 Club," and is available to speak at conferences and corporate events (www.RodgersSpeaks.com).

(DES MOINES) - Gov. Terry E. Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds will hold their annual public budget hearings, which begin on Friday, November 15, and run through mid-December.

The hearings are open to the public and credential media. Subsequent hearings will be listed in the weekly Friday public schedules.

All public budget hearings will be held in the Robert D. Ray Conference Room, located in entrance G-09 of the Iowa State Capitol.

Friday, November 15, 2013

9:30 a.m.     Iowa Board of Parole public budget hearing

9:45 a.m.     Iowa Law Enforcement Academy public budget hearing

10 a.m.        Iowa Public Defender public budget hearing

10:15 a.m.   Iowa Veterans Affairs public budget hearing