Business

Deadline For Sequester Cuts Near

7:37am February 27, 2013

Usually when we come up to the edge of one of these deadlines there are 11th-hour negotiations, and the two parties manage to swerve away from the precipice at the last minute. What about this time?

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Sequester Cuts Free Some Immigration Detainees

7:37am February 27, 2013

by Ted Robbins

Reaction is coming in after the Obama administration's unusual move releasing immigration detainees due to budget cuts. An Arizona sheriff is blasting the sequestration gridlock for undermining the safety of local communities. Immigrant rights groups, however, say it shouldn't take a budget crisis to do what they think is right.

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Manhattan Boasts Valuble Air Rights

9:44am February 26, 2013

Developers paid more than $40 million for the empty space above Christ Church on Park Avenue at 60th Street. The New York Times reports zoning laws allow for a structure taller than the church to be built on its land, and the church can transfer its unused development rights to an adjoining property . The church's new neighbor is expected to be a 51-story tower, with apartments expected to fetch $8,000 per square foot.

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Wal-Mart is one of several large retailers that say an increase in the payroll tax may hurt U.S. sales in the months ahead.

Too Soon To Blame Payroll Tax For Stagnant Retail Sales?

7:23pm February 25, 2013

by Dan Bobkoff

Several big retailers say the return of the full payroll tax is causing consumers to curtail spending, but so far the evidence is mostly anecdotal. Some analysts argue a variety of factors, and not any specific policy, contributed to slower growth in consumer spending in January.

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Economy

Op-Ed: It's Time To Raise The Minimum Wage

2:48pm February 25, 2013

In his State of the Union address, President Obama proposed a plan to boost federal minimum wage from 7.25 an hour, to 9 dollars. Columnist Robert Reich, Secretary of Labor under President Bill Clinton, argues that plan is "a no-brainer."

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Electric Car Review Dust-Up May Put Brakes On Tesla Profits

1:19pm February 25, 2013

by Steve Henn

After The New York Times published a scathing review of Tesla's Model S electric car, the automaker's CEO took to Twitter to slam the reporter. Disputed facts aside, the timing of the spat could hurt Tesla, which is under pressure to improve its financial performance.

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National

Oakland To Issue IDs That Double As Debit Cards

9:11am February 25, 2013

by Richard Gonzales

Oakland, Calif., is issuing municipal ID cards to anyone who can prove residency. It doubles as a debit card. Supporters say it will help residents who are poor, without a bank or undocumented. Immigration control advocates say the city is abetting illegal immigration.

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Internet Providers To Crack Down On Pirates

9:11am February 25, 2013

If you download copyrighted material illegally, you might get a warning from your Internet service provider starting as soon as Monday. That's according to blogs covering file-sharing communities like Bit Torrent, where users share and download movies and music for free. The crackdown is led by big copyright holders like the Motion Picture Association of America.

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Economists Predict 2 Percent Growth In 2013

9:11am February 25, 2013

The latest survey of economic forecasters by the National Association of Business Economics predicts a 2 percent growth this year. That's down from last year's 2.2 percent. The current budget battle in Congress is partly blamed for slowing the economy.

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A Ford Focus electric concept car with a home charging unit on display at the 2013 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Mich., in January.

Flipping The Switch: What It Takes To Prioritize Electric Cars

10:48am February 24, 2013

by Dana Farrington

Estonia now has the world's first nationwide electric car charger network. What would the U.S. have to do to make a similar leap?

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