TAX NEWS - May 2009

Michelle Steel Sponsors Small Business Fair on May 12th in Huntington Beach

Michelle Steel, Orange County's elected taxpayer advocate, today announced that local, state, and federal agencies and nonprofit organizations will be available on Tuesday, May 12th for a free one-day Small Business Fair at the Huntington Beach Public Library.

Representatives will be available to assist attendees from: Orange County Small Business Development Center, Los Angeles/Orange Environmental Training Center, Public Law Center – Huntington Beach, Orange County District Attorney's Office, State Board of Equalization, Franchise Tax Board, Employment Development Department, Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Small Business Administration, California Taxpayer Advocates, and the California Tax Education Council, and other local, state, and federal agencies and nonprofit organizations.

Event: Huntington Beach Small Business Fair
Date: Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. (check-in at 8:30 a.m.)
Place: Huntington Beach Public Library
7111 Talbert Avenue
Huntington Beach, CA 92648
(Parking is Free)

Topics will be presented in two workshops: Workshop One: Starting Your Business Basic Sales & Use Tax, Writing a Business Plan, State Income Tax & Small Business, Making Taxes Easier for Small Business Filing Schedule C, and Surviving & Thriving in Today's Economy. Workshop Two: Growing Your Business: Marketing Your Business, The Bottom Line – Top Dollar Advice for Tough Economic Times (Panel Discussion), Sales & Use Tax: How to Avoid Common Pitfalls, Better Business through Better Records, and Employee or Independent Contractor. For more information, see the Huntington Beach invitation flyer or visit BOE tax seminars. To register, call 888-847-9652, or register online at: www.boe.ca.gov/cgi-bin/seminar.cgi?FLAG=98.

Editors: Public Service Announcements are available for the May 12th Huntington Beach Small Business Fair:
- Audio 15-second PSA: www.boe.ca.gov/info/audio/Huntington Beach steele15.mp3
- Audio 30-second PSA: www.boe.ca.gov/info/audio/Huntington Beach steele30.mp3

Elected to the Board of Equalization in 2006, Michelle Steel serves as Southern California's elected taxpayer advocate. In 2008, Steel uncovered a $42 million mistake in the agency's sales tax refund procedures. Following her investigation, the tax agency refunded tax security deposits to over 5,500 small businesses.