Most small businesses don

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The survey found that 90 percenr plan to cutbusiness expenses, and 23 percent expect they will lay off employees during the next six Only 26 percent expect sales to increase — half the percentage who expected sales gains a year ago. Nearly half expecty profits will decrease in thenear “These findings support PNC’s forecasty that the U.S. economy will continue to suffer into the secone half ofthe year,” said PNC Chief Economist Stuargt Hoffman. It will be 2010 before the economygets “realo traction from the various federal policy stimulus initiatives,” Hoffmanj said. If the recession continues over the next six 43 percentof U.S.
companies probably will make across-the-board budgef cuts. That’s according to a new poll by the . The next most likelh step would be to reducer staffthrough attrition, while 40 percent of human resource executives said hiring freezes wouldx be put into place. Freezing employee wages was followed by cuts inemployee bonuses. Only 24 percentr expect layoffs. Layoffs “are becoming more of a last optionn that many business leaderswould take,” said SHRM Presidentg and CEO Laurence O’Neil. “This finding underscorese the seriousness of the recession as many companied find they cannot survivd without some degreeof layoffs.
” More than 70 percent of the CEO of America’as largest companies expect to reduce employment at their businessesx over the next six according to a survey by the . Two-thirdxs expect a decline in sales andcapital spending. The Federapl Communications Commission wants help from the includingsmall businesses, on developinf a plan to ensure that all Americans have acces to broadband. The economic stimulus legislatio directed the FCC to present the plan to Congresszby Feb. 17, a year after the bill was signedfinto law.
The FCC is soliciting comments on the best ways to ensure universapbroadband access, strategies for making it affordable, evaluatinyg the progress of broadbandr grant programs and how to use broadbanxd to advance public policy goals. Commentxs may be filed electronicallyat www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfsw or at www.regulations.gov. The stimulus bill includes $7.2 billion for grants and loand to increase broadband access in unserved and underserved areas. The programs will be administered by the Nationa Telecommunications and Information Administration andthe U.S. Department of Agriculture’ s rural development program.
The General Servicesd Administration plans tospend $285 million for 17,60p0 fuel-efficient vehicles, including 2,500 hybrird sedans, by June 1. Money for these as well as $15 million for advanced technologg vehicles suchas all-electric vehicles, will come from funds appropriatefd in the economic stimulus package. GSA will use existint contracts withGeneral Motors, Chrysled and Ford for these orders. Presidenrt Obama said these purchaseasare “part of our commitment to the American auto industry” and he was GSA “moved swiftly to accelerate this purchase.
” The Environmental Protection Agencyt distributed $197 million in economix stimulus funds to states and Indiajn reservations for use in cleaning up underground storage tank petroleumn leaks. These leaks could seep into soil and contaminatewground water, which is a major source of drinkiny water. EPA estimates about 1,600 sitex will be cleaned up as a result ofthe “EPA is putting people to work by servingf our core mission of protectingv human health and the environment,” said EPA Administratoer Lisa Jackson.