October 10, 2002

Inside Veritas -
Article 1 -Steve Easley to Speak: “Mold and Mildew, a Growing Concern”
Article 2 - Business/Housing News Notes
Article 3 - Area’s Industry was Base for WSJ article
Article 4 - Taxation and Finance - Options for Business Auto Expenses
Article 5 - When legal action’s the only alternative
Association News Update From Laura
Economic Update - Employment: The obvious problem?
BS: Still about Nothing in particular
Housing Industry Update

Would you like to see a previous Veritas Issues? Click Here

Steve Easley to Speak: “Mold and Mildew, a Growing Concern”

   Internationally recognized construction consultant and media personality, Steve Easley, will be the featured speaker at the Association’s October 23 General Membership Meeting with the timely topic of, “Managing Moisture to prevent Mold and Mildew.” The former Purdue University professor of Building Construction & Contracting now specializes in solving science related building problems, with his primary clients being contractors, utilities, government & trade associations.
   Although his work’s been featured in Professional Builder, Fine Home Building, Journal of Light Construction and Popular Science (along with numerous other publications), he’s probably best known for his current co-hosting of “Michael Holigan’s Your New House” on the Discovery Channel and features on many other TV and radio programs such as “This Old House,” “Home Again,” and “The House Doctor.”
   The meeting’s sponsor is James Lumber, who arranged the Steve Easley appearance with Hansen Marketing.
   As always, the meeting’s set at Bonaparte’s, beginning with the sponsor’s Social Hour at 6:00, along with an extensive hors d’oeuvre menu. Meeting at 7:30.
   With the quality of the speaker and the timeliness of the topic, we urge builders, in particular, to attend. And, since we’re expecting a large turnout for the evening, it’s more important than ever that we have a solid count by the previous Thursday afternoon. So we urge that you RSVP by 5:00 p.m. on Oct 16th at 810.603.2200.

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Business/Housing News Notes

   A new study by the American Farmland Trust claims “the U.S. is losing two acres of prime farmland every minute to development,” and the “problem is worsening.” Now, we’re willing to accept this claim under the following condition: All government payments to farmers be based on acreage as claimed by the Farmland Trust. That we go back to pre-Freedom to Farm Act doles, and index annual bulk payments accordingly, taking inflation and the alleged declines acreage into account. By such method, we could probably trim $6 to $8 billion off the national budget.

   The real news in September’s auto sales report was the plunging market share experienced by GM. After approaching the 30% level in August, the nation’s #1 auto producer saw its share slip back to 25.2%.
   However, GM’s exceptionally strong sales activity of July and August depleted its inventory of 2002 models, while competitors were offering big discounts on a much greater inventory. So, as GM’s sales fell 13% from a year ago, Ford sales were up 3.5%, and Chrysler’s up 18.6%, giving it a 14.9% share of the month’s market. Chrysler’s at 14.5% for the year, just 4.1 points above Toyota’s 10.4% share.

Well, it looks like the price bubble DID burst, and it wasn’t home prices. An article in Tuesday’s Wall Street Journal told of plunging existing car prices, in response to the glut of used vehicles now on the market. As new car buyers, enticed by incentives, are trading in their existing models, they’re finding the value’s not much. It turns out that the values of a large number of 2000 models fell 40 to 60% over two years, and a number of new car buyers owe more on their vehicle than its book value. So, many of those 0% interest loans are for the cost of the new car, plus what’s owed on the old one.
To put the prices in perspective, the value of a ‘00 Taurus SE fell from $19,440 to $8,302 over the two years; Ford Expedition, $30,440 to $15,974; and a Ford Football Team? From 9 wins, 7 losses to WORTHLESS.

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Area’s Industry was Base for WSJ article

   It took six weeks to write, but last Friday’s Wall Street Journal article on factory built housing components, focusing on Genesee County, showed the difference in building philosophy between the large corporate builder and the small, custom builder.
   The article’s intent was to show the proliferation of panelized components in today’s new built homes, and the writer turned to the “Flint” area for his story, focusing on Pulte Homes’ developments in Grand Blanc. But in reality, it went in line with an article a couple of weeks back that stressed how large builders were increasing their market share. Deductively, we see that a larger share of homes are built with panelized components only because a larger share of homes are being built by the giant corporations that use such components.
   The defining statements in the article came from Pulte’s CEO, and a local builder. Noted Mark O’Brien, the move towards panelization comes from the need to provide “quality” at a time there’s no longer a steady supply of trades. “We go for quality,” O’Brien said, “we have to get it somewhere.”
   But the article also pointed out that “some builders, typically small local concerns, are resisting.” Then, as an example, it used the following quote from “Rodney Rajala, builder in Flint:” Said Rajala, “You take any master craftsman to one of these panelized, dollar controlled developments and he will show you the compromises that have been made with materials, quality and finishes.” Added Eric Hauger, factory built walls are often thinner, with lower quality, than what he uses on site.
   “Yet Pulte and other big builders say panelization improves their quality,” the WSJ explained. Improves or lowers? A question which may mean more than for what it was intended.

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Taxation and Finance ---- Options for Business Auto Expenses

   An employee can substantiate car expenses by arduously keeping an exact record of his or her expenses, such as gasoline, insurance, and other costs. However, there are other mileage allowance calculations that may be used by either employees or employers that are more cost effective and time efficient.
What is a mileage allowance?
   A mileage allowance is a payment under a reimbursement or other expense allowance arrangement that is: 1) Paid for ordinary and necessary business expenses incurred by employees for transportation expenses in performing services as an employee; 2) Reasonably calculated not to exceed the amount of the expenses or anticipated expenses; and 3) Paid at the standard mileage rate, at a flat rate or stated schedule, or in accordance with any IRS-specified rate or schedule.
Standard mileage rate
   The standard mileage rate method is a simplified method available to both employees and self-employed persons in computing deductions for car expenses. Under the standard mileage method, the employee determines the amount of the allowable deduction by multiplying all the business miles driven during the year by the standard mileage rate.
   The IRS recently announced the standard mileage rates for ‘03 when computing the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business purposes. For 2003, the standard mileage rate for the use of a car for business purposes is 36 cents for each business mile driven. This is down from 36.5 cents a mile in 2002.
Fixed and variable rate (FAVR) mileage allowance
   Under the FAVR method, an employer reimburses its employees’ expenses with a mileage allowance using a flat rate or a stated schedule that combines periodic fixed costs (including depreciation, insurance, registration and license fees, and personal property taxes) and variable payments (including gasoline and all gasoline taxes, oil, tires, and routine maintenance and repairs).
   An employer may maintain more than one FAVR allowance. A FAVR allowance that uses the same payer, standard automobile, retention period, and business use percentage is considered one FAVR allowance, even if other features of the allowance vary.
   The amount of A FAVR allowance must be based on data that is derived from the base locality, reflects retail prices paid by consumers; and is reasonable and statistically defensible in approximating the actual expenses of the employees receiving the allowance.
Limitations
   There are limitations that apply to FAVR allowance, including:
1) An allowance may be paid only to employees who substantiate to the employer that they have at least 5,000 business miles per year;
2) An allowance may not be paid to a control employee. For these purposes, an employee is not a control employee merely due to compensation exceeding $100,000;
3) A majority of employees covered by the allowance may not be paid to management employees; and
4) At all times, at least 5 employees of an employer must be covered.

Reporting and recordkeeping
An employee, whose car is initially covered by a FAVR allowance or is again covered if such coverage has lapsed, must, within 30 days after such coverage has begun, provide his employer with a written declaration. The declaration must contain: the make model, and year of the auto; written proof of the insurance coverage limits on the car; the odometer reading; the car’s purchase price; and whether the employee has claimed depreciation on the car.

What does the deduction mean?
A deduction computed using a FAVR allowance is in lieu of all operating and fixed costs incurred by an employee in driving an automobile performance of services as an employee, except for tolls, parking fees, and interest incurred on the purchase of an automobile. These latter items may be deducted separately to the extent that a deduction is otherwise allowed.
For more information about these substantiation options, please contact your tax advisor.

R, P & T

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New Meeting Format 10/23

During this year’s meetings it’s been evident that many of our members were enjoying the networking taking place during social hour and were reluctant to end it to sit down for dinner and the meeting. So yesterday, the directors decided to try something more accommodating, and to do it immediately! On October 23, we’re planning an extensive hors d’oeuvre menu during an extended social hour (6:00 to 7:30). Then, we’ll go right into the program (no buffet), with only announcements and the guest speaker.

Barry

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Beyond Seinfeld: It’s still about "Nothing" in particular

Detroit: Flint’s Takeover Twin Sister?

   A recent column by former Detroit News editor Thomas Bray suggests Detroit ‘s fiscal condition is so grave, it could soon be joining Flint as a state takeover target. Pointing out that the city has already “lost control of several key functions (Recorders’ Court, city schools)” and faces regionalization of its transportation and water systems,” Bray writes there’s an “unmistakable signal: Patience with Detroit has run out.”
   Noting the incompetence of a number of city department operations, from water, to health, to clerk, he says “Detroit is rapidly becoming a city in name only.” And, he concludes, “without the tens of millions poured into it annually by state taxpayers, it would quickly pass to receivership.
   Of course, the concept of take-over will bring about the question: Who would be Detroit’s Ed Kurtz? We’d suggest William Clay Ford, Jr., Mike Illitch or, as a dark horse, Matt Millen. Each has done so much for Detroit’s image, they’d have to be the top candidates.

Loggers cut scholarships to treehuggers' kids

   “We are not going to use timber dollars to send the professors’ kids, teachers’ kids, physicians’ kids to school because they’re the ones helping to shut down the industry with donations to Greenpeace. They support those people who are killing us.”
   That was the explanation by the Clemens Foundation for excluding students from Philomath, a small Oregon logging town, from its scholarship program that historically paid for any student wanting to go to college. We want to go back to the original intent of the program, said Foundation Director Steve Lowther, and “send kids from timber, ag, mining and ranching backgrounds.”
   Turns out Philomath was invaded by “yuppies” who commute to jobs at Oregon St. University and Hewlett Packard, who found free education an alluring attraction. And, these “invaders” changed the community’s culture dramatically. Now the dress code allows hair dye and body piercing, while the curriculum’s now perceived as having an “anti-logging bias.” .... Welcome to suburbia!

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Association News and Events by Laura

   If the opening weekend was any indication, the Fall Parade of Homes will be recognized as one of the most successful in modern times. Reports from participating builders suggest traffic was up dramatically from recent events, with people waiting at the door for the noon opening. Furthermore, traffic at bamfhome.com was stronger than expected prior to the opening. Normally, fall Parade web traffic is roughly 30% below spring. However, the lead-in week’s traffic was well above the record setting pace of Spring ‘02, with 2,214 visits from 9/28 to 10/4.
   The Parade runs through October 20th.

Association Notes

The Habitat House is now roofed and closed in ...look for an update at the October meeting and in upcoming Veritas’.

No NAHB Dues Increase ... for now?
   At NAHB’s Board Meeting in Alaska last month, the directors refused to give the leadership the $30 per member rise in dues it had requested. So, in order to balance the budget, leadership had to cut spending, thus eliminating Nations’ Building News; Leadership training; the positions of Membership Director and Regulatory manager; funding “Builders Care;” and reductions in other programs we’re sure you’ll miss as much as those eliminated. However, they’ll try again at the winter convention.
   Did you know that $181, nearly 40% of you dues to BAMF are taken by NAHB and MAHB?

Economic Update: Employment: The obvious problem?

   When employment data was released last week, the proverbial “good news,” “bad news,” situation was evident. The good news: the jobless rate fell to 5.6% from 5.7%. The bad: total employment declined by 43,000 jobs. So, the often stated concern about “recovery without jobs” continued.
   But we couldn’t help but remember another time when the unemployment rate slipped to 5.6%. It was November, ‘94, and the Federal Reserve was terrified that the economy was overheating at a rate that would surely create inflation. In response to the growth in jobs, the Fed raised short term rates from 4 to 4.5% (on the way to 6% in winter of ‘95). Conventional wisdom at the time was that growth creating an unemployment rate below 6% was unsustainable without leading to inflation.
   Today, though the numbers are the same (except the economy has 15 million more jobs), the well founded concern is the possibility of a “double-dip” recession. And, if 6% remains a target for unemployment, no one would dare say so publicly.

Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
   Real GDP — the output of goods and services produced in the U.S. — rose at an annual rate of 1.3% in the second quarter, according to the final revision by the Bureau of Economic Analysis.
   Although the Q2 figure was well off the first quarter’s 5% growth, it was up from the department’s revised estimate of 1.1% released in August. However, there were a number of notable factors in the late September report.
   For example, personal consumption expenditures increased at a 1.8% rate during the quarter, a significant falloff from the 3.1% rise in Q1. Residential fixed investment increased 2.7%, dramatically below the 14.2% first quarter rise. There was also an evident surge in import/export activity as real exports of goods and services surged 14.3% (up from 3.5%), while real imports were up 22.2% (up 8.5% in the first quarter).
   Finally, the report showed little evidence of an inflation problem, as prices were up at a 2.3% rate while the core rate (minus food/energy) was at 1.5%.

Economic Notes:
The bureau also reported Personal Income & Disposable Personal income were up 0.4% in August, after showing no growth in July. Personal consumption was up .3%, $23.7 billion over July. ..... After showing signs of growth since January, Manufacturing Activity contracted last month according to the Institute of Supply Management’s index. It’s hardly a surprise that activity began to decline since it showed a reading of 50.5 in August, meaning it was barely expanding at the time ... and, throughout the 9 months, manufacturing jobs continued to decline.

Housing Industry Update - Housing stays strong despite economy

As fixed rate mortgages continued to fall throughout the summer, homes continued to sell at record levels despite the problems that remained evident in the economy as a whole. In fact, new homes actually sold at an all time record pace in August, up 1.9% from July’s revised rate of 977,000 units.
However, since new home sales have been revised downward for each of the preceding three months, the “record” may be somewhat presumptive.
Still, there’s little question that sales are strong enough to be leading to the second consecutive record year.
For the same month, existing single family homes sold at a rate of 5.28 million units, which is down from July (and most of the year), but close to the annual record pace of ‘01. Furthermore, unlike Commerce Department data regarding new homes, the “Realtors’” existing home sales have recently been understated when first reported.
Existing homes have sold at roughly a 5.6 million unit clip all year, and the realtors now forecast 5.47 million through December, a 3.2% rise from 2001. They also expect a new record of 929,000 new home sales by year’s end, up 2.2% from ‘01’s record level.

Michigan’s building activity experienced a solid 7.8% jump in August, compared to July, as permits were issued at a rate of 50,434 units, roughly equal to 2001’s year end rate. A total of 4,877 units were authorized for the month, according to Census bureau data.
However, the number of single family permits, 3,863, was the lowest number for any August since 1998.
From a local market perspective, single family activity across the “Detroit” area (including Ann Arbor and Flint) is up slightly in comparison to last year. However, regional single family activity’s off 7.4% from 2000, and 11% from the Jan thru Aug ‘99.
Genesee County’s running roughly 180 units behind last year’s single family pace. During the first 8 months it’s built 1,258 single family units, more than 12% below ‘01’s 1,436.

Look Here for Previous Issues of Veritas

Volume 14 Issue 17, October 10, 2002 - Aricles include (“Habitat House” taking shape after active framing weekend, Moratorium Still in Affect, Squeezing Small Builders, When legal action’s the only alternative)
Volume 14 Issue 16, Septenber 9, 2002 - Articles include (Jeff Wright to speak: Moratorium, water line, head 9/18 agenda
Squeezing Small Builders, Your Company's Business Plan: Roadmap to Success, Jobless rate falls, so does confidence)
Volume 14 Issue 15, August 22, 2002 - Articles include (Despite denials, housing "bubble" could burst; but probably not here, Sewer/Water Moratorium, Education Savings Program, Indict Secretary "Don" Evans,Was Commerce "cooking" the books?)
Volume 14 Issue 14, July 30, 2002 - Articles include (MAHB directors run for cover on statewide sewer and water crisis,
Sewer/Water Moratorium, Three Critical Primary Races, Weak employment - weak confidence)
Volume 14 Issue 13 July 16, 2002 - Articles include (Moratorium draws focus to statewide sewer and water crisis, The Feeling of Helplessness, Job Applicant Background Check, Insurance Premiums Choking Employment?)
Volume 14 Issue 12 June 25, 2002 - Articles include (Your health insurance premiums now finance European socialism,
After 12 Painful Years, Relief on the Architects’ Seal, Financial Records' Retention, Insurance Premiums Choking Employment?)
Volume 14 Issue 11 June 6, 2002 - Articles include (The "Real" winners in Income Growth: Gaines/Argentine Twps,.Census exposes "Farm" legend, Financial Records' Retention, Dollar's decline is cause for concern)
Volume 14 Issue 10 May 29, 2002 - Articles include (Revenue Sharing: What the State Withholds; Housing can Give Back, Cancellation of network news?, New 2001 Audit Statistics, Road Commission's Subdivision Development Progress online)
Volume 14 Issue 09 May 9, 2002 - Articles include (Farm Bill Legacy: As Always, Policy Comes in Second to Politics,
Court Strikes Rogue Law, Home Office Deduction Rules, Growth Up; Jobs Down; Markets Schizoid)
Volume 14 Issue 08 April 29, 2002 - Articles include (Sewer and Water Capacity: The Primary Issue for Michigan Growth, “Fortune” knows “Flint” 2002, Employees Called to Active Duty, Local Existing "Prices" Soar)
Volume 14 Issue 07 April 3, 2002 - Articles include (Can't clone your best employees? profiling can be the next best option, What about North America's Border War?, Local Existing "Prices" Soar)
Volume 14 Issue 06 March 20, 2002 - Articles include (Michigan's leadership in home appreciation values seems over,
"Max Bickford" Educates America on Sprawl, Early Withdrawal from Individual Retirement Accounts)
Volume 14 Issue 05 March 5, 2002 - Articles include (When National Retailers Bring About Blight, Rules for Deducting the Cost of Computer Software, Home Builders’ Liability Crisis, Is it “Dewey Defeats Truman;” Circa ‘01?)
Volume 14 Issue 04 February 20, 2002 - Articles include (Little Change in Local Housing Trends as South/East Dominate, Independent Contractors; how to classify workers,Warning! Grand Blanc Builders)
Volume 14 Issue 03 February 5, 2002 - Articles include (More than thirty exhibits set for fifth annual “exhibitors’ night”,
Need a different type of economic thinking, Benefit: Group - Term Life Insurance, Reality: area activity fell in ‘01)
Volume 14 Issue 02 January 23, 2002 - Articles include ( Local housing data surprises, Local affordability slips in Housing Opportunity Index, ‘02 Rates for Mileage; FICA threshold, As signs point up; why the uneasiness? )
Volume 14 Issue 01 January 7, 2002 - Articles include ( Former Governor/Ambassador to speak at January 16th meeting,
State’s #1 in Home Ownership, How times change in 12 years, 1 negative quarter a recession makes?)
Volume 13 Issue 23 December 10, 2001- Articles include (State Housing Activity Plummets in Fall, “Recession” Aside: It’s mostly a banner year for housing, There’s Tax Relief for Bad Debts, 1 negative quarter a recession makes?)
Volume 13 Issue 21 October 31, 2001 - Articles include (State’s New Housing Activity Down 5.8%, A New Danger Lurks in Detroit, Tired of Unsolicitated Mail, Telemarketing and E-mail?, Anti-Sprawl issues take ‘back seat’)
Volume 13 Issue 20 October 18, 2001 - Articles include (Parade shows little fallout from Sept. 11, Most Important Parade: Ever!, Charitable Donations and Tax Deductibility, Anti-Sprawl issues take ‘back seat’ to economics)
Volume 13 Issue 19 October 5, 2001 - Articles include (‘Flint’ area activity still leads the state, Most Important Parade: Ever!, Thought there were no inflation worries?,“big” question; what’s the impact of 9/11?)
Volume 13 Issue 18 September 19, 2001 - Articles include (Housing comes together for victims, The day we learned so much!, Sales and Use Tax for Contractors, What if home prices collapse?, “big” question; what’s the impact of 9/11?)
Volume 13 Issue 17 September 4, 2001 - Articles include (U.S Real Estate values soar 8.6% in Q2, Farmers whine; Americans pay!, New Rules Regarding Making Mid-Year Plan Elections,What if home prices collapse?).
Volume 13 Issue 16 August 17, 2001 - Articles include (Administration imposes 19.3% tariff, Biting the Hand that Feeds You, Assisted living residents’ monthly fee deductibility, Economy weakens and sentiment rises)
Volume 13 Issue 15 August 1, 2001 - Articles include (State Housing activity may be sliding, The industry that defies gravity, BAMF Truck for local events?, GDP falls, but corporate profits could rise)
Volume 13 Issue 14 July 17, 2001 - Articles include (Senate Bill 351 gets immediate effect, Nightmare on Pennsylvania Ave, Education Tax Breaks in 2001 Tax Act, Sprawl Battle: State v County, Vanishing Surplus is story of the week)
Volume 13 Issue 13 July 2, 2001 - Articles include (State/region: single family activity falls, Rulings explain last fall’s “big $”, Employee v. Independent Contractor or ‘W-2 v 1099’, Gasoline Prices + Confidence = Growth?)
Volume 13 Issue 12 June 19, 2001 - Articles include (Did weather hurt existing home sales?, They should read there own paper!, Opportunities & Pitfalls: “Tax Relief Act of ‘01”, Slowdown: continuing or bottomed out?)
Volume 13 Issue 11 June 5, 2001 - Articles include (East Coast/N. Calif: Prices go Wacko, Left Wing Attacks on NAHB Staffer, New Retirement Plan Distribution Rules, Surprise! Confidence up; jobless down)
Volume 13 Issue 10 May 23, 2001 - Articles include (The “New Frontier” of Metro-Detroit?, Census data made economists look like morons, Greenspan limbo: How low will he go?)
Volume 13 Issue 9 May 8, 2001 - Articles include (Spring Parade Opens Saturday, Business News & Issues, Term limits + new salary = pension opportunity, Taxation and Finance, GDP’s growing, and so are jobless lines)
Volume 13 Issue 8 April 24, 2001 - Articles include (Local tax base growth exceeds population, Housing gets its due; but are “they” listening?, Consumers are spending; but business?)
Volume 13 Issue 7 April 2, 2001 - Articles include (County plan calls for $1,000 tap-in Fees, Home values soar; area prices recover, The Equity Affect & America’s Economic Psyche, Michigan Legislative Update)
Volume 13 Issue 6 March 20, 2001 - Articles include (Does “Fed” action impact mortgage, How much power over private business is legit?, MRC Delay: New Target - 7/31, How big will tomorrow’s rate cut be?)
Volume 13 Issue 5 March 5, 2001 - Articles include (State's appreciation rate below U.S. in '00,Venice: A 21st Century Atlantis?/Michigan’s “Greens” take action, Economy: Recalling a mid ‘50s commercial)
Volume 13 Issue 4 February 21, 2001 - Articles include (An historic 1st: Local economy’s in 6 year period of stability,
New housing stand’s alone?, “Triggers” to protect from surplus’ euphoria, Stair Geometry Confusion?)
Volume 13 Issue 3 February 6, 2001 - Articles include (Michigan housing activity off by 1620, Local; Regional permit decline in line with state & nation,“Chrysler” situation brings bad memories, Single State Code Coming May 30th?)
Volume 13 Issue 2 January 16, 2001 - Articles include (New code is focus of 1st meeting of ‘01, Cost of business operations, “Exec” government in county’s best interest, Environmentalists attack Interior nominee)
Volume 13 Issue 1 January 3, 2001 - Articles include (3rd quarter existing home prices soar, Building Officials’ 2 Day Training, Will surging economic fears be self fulfilling?, The big question: soft landing, or recession?)
Volume 12 Issue 23 December 7, 2000 - Articles include ( Time for another burning of “Money?”, Building Officials’ 2 Day Training, Economic expectations often unrealistic, Is the Fed getting ready to cut rates?)
Volume 12 Issue 22 November 16, 2000 - Articles include ( 3rd quarter local data show prices fall, Vehicle sales showing softness, Perhaps election results were definitive, Economy strong amid “modest” slowdown)
Volume 12 Issue 21 October 31, 2000 - Articles include (Building activity down 17.8% thru Sept?, County Leaders deserve reelection, Vote ‘divide and conquer’: its our only hope, Q’3 GDP cools; but is slowdown imminent?)
Volume 12 Issue 20 October 17, 2000 - Articles include (Beyond Prescription Drugs & Education, The $230 billion surplus: real or fantasy?, Looks like growth may well have returned)
Volume 12 Issue 19 October 3, 2000 - Articles include (Campaign: “Housing is Forgotten Issue”, Job Creation study’s analysis ignores local economic reality, Preserve America’s Sanity: End soft money, Poverty low; Spending up; etc)
Volume 12 Issue 18 September 19, 2000 - Articles include(Despite rates, sales still near record, Job Creation study’s analysis ignores local economic reality, Maybe it is time for a County Executive)
Volume 12 Issue 17 September 5, 2000 - Articles include(Area’s “affordability ” continues slide, NAHB comes to S.E. Michigan, Save our forests: Cut rather than burn, Some act like the economy surrendered )
Volume 12 Issue 16 August 15, 2000 - Articles include(County wide home prices fall again, Primary results teach important lesson, Selling Investment Property Like Kind Exchanges, More Indications of cooling economy)
Volume 12 Issue 15 August 2, 2000 - Articles include(Housing starts fall throughout region, Locally, Primaries are crucial,
Surprise: Fieger party attacks high court, Suspicions on Flint sales confirmed, 2nd quarter growth surge puzzling?)
Volume 12 Issue 14 July 17, 2000 - Articles include (Jobs’ discrepancies could be explained, Illinois farm town gives grants to extend “Sprawl”, More proof that BAMF serves the public, Local control or minority rule?)
Volume 12 Issue 13 July 5, 2000 - Articles include ( An end to the claim that housing “costs”, “Suburban Beauty ... Why Sprawl Works”, Taxation and Finance .. by Rachor, Purman & Tucker, Psychotic world of economic analysis)
Volume 12 Issue 12 June 21, 2000 - Articles include (May Housing Activity Declines from '99, Past two weeks said much about the area’s future, Attacking the goose who lays golden eggs, State still tops in appreciation)
Volume 12 Issue 11 June 6, 2000 - Articles include (“How builders buy (political) access, influence", Business Briefs: Sugar update; autos roll on ...,Why Developers Contribute in Local Races, So, the economy’s slowing, you say?)
Volume 12 Issue 10 May 19, 2000 - Articles include (Builders Now Oppose Farm Preservation Bill, Business Briefs: Sugar update; autos roll on ..., Now Rosie’s “My Friend;” Where’s Kathie Lee?)
Volume 12 Issue 9 May 4, 2000 - Articles include (State Windfall from Proposal ‘A’ is Enormous, Business Briefs: Why Agriculture always wins, Parade, Housing Quarterly & Industry Pride, Tax Planning for the year 2000)
Volume 12 Issue 8 April 19, 2000 - Articles include (Town Hall meeting on Sprawl bombs badly, Where Government Appreciates Housing, “Inflation is back!” says Disney News)
Volume 12 Issue 7 April 7, 2000 - Articles include (Final Answer? “Cows don’t go to school.”, Briefs: With local industry impact, Mr. Gore: It's Still "The Economy Stupid!", Equity v Savings; Plastic Timber; & More)
Volume 12 Issue 6 March 15, 2000 - Articles include (State's Home Values soar fastest in U.S., Briefs with local industry impact, Finally, that NIKE factory makes sense)
Volume 12 Issue 5 February 29, 2000 - Articles include ("Sprawl"; Its "costs" may be benefits, Briefs with local industry impact, Policy v Politics: The latter Usually wins)
Volume 12 Issue 4 February 16, 2000 - Articles include (Auto World II? or Legitimate Venture?, Briefs with Local Housing Industry or Economic Impact, The Dilemma that Killed the Coronation)
Volume 12 Issue 3 January 31, 2000 - Articles include (Table Top Exhibitors Nearly Double, Single Family/Condos: Up 14.6%, The "Era of Big Government" is Back!)
Volume 12 Issue 2 January 19, 2000 - Articles include (Local Single Family/Condo Activity Up 9.7%, Special Interest beats another development, Downtown Ramada up for Auction)
Volume 12 Issue 1 January 4, 2000 - Articles include (Local Housing Data Stronger Than Expected, State Code Brings Immediate Change, New Challenges for a Totally Different Era)
Volume 11 Issue 23 December 14, 1999 - Articles include (Housing's Incredible Growth Marked '90s, Proposal A Made Michigan #1, Oh! How U hate to see the nineties go)
Volume 11 Issue 22 November 17, 1999 - Articles include (No Resolution of Single State Code, Water Control in the 21st Century, Term Limits? Bring back the Pros!)
Volume 11 Issue 21 November 2, 1999 - Articles include (Genesee continues to lead region, Governmental Affairs Update, Editorial Credibility: Free Press Blows It!)
Volume 11 Issue 20 October 21, 1999 - Articles include (Single State Code Makes it to Floor, Judge adds $20 million in Novi Case, Government Policy and a fragile economy)
Volume 11 Issue 19 October 5, 1999 - Articles include (NAHB's HOI finds "Flint" at midpoint, Battle over States' Ability to violate Federal Law, Time for a builder/developer President?)
Volume 11 Issue 18 September 16,1999 - Articles include (Sprawl Forum sets agreeable tone, Are we losing another institution?, and Wonder what conference they were at?)
Volume 11 Issue 17 September 1, 1999 - Articles include (County home prices take 12% leap, The Image that just keeps on Haunting, and "A Bumper Crop of Subsidies")