Archive for the ‘Jasmine Butler’ Category

by Attorney Jasmine Butler Are you, or someone that you know, a Black owner of a product-based business or interested in becoming one? If so, would you like to have sales generated by the second largest online retailer? For those who answered “yes,” Amazon has launched the Black Business Accelerator (BBA) program. This initiative formed out of a collaboration with Amazon’s Black Employee Network. Alongside the Network, the Minority Business Development Agency and U.S. Black Chambers Inc. are the strategic partners who will provide training, resources, and advice. Though millions of sellers on Amazon list their products for purchase, this… read more »

Municipal Planning for the Coming Solar ExpansionWhile PA’s solar power industry is rapidly growing, government regulation of solar power remains in its infancy. Pennsylvania currently has no state laws or regulations for solar arrays. This leaves local municipalities as the first line of regulation for solar collection systems. The following are just a few of the important issues for municipalities to keep in mind as they attempt to provide appropriate regulation of solar facilities.Use a good definition. Municipalities should be forward-looking in defining solar use to control ancillary uses and construction such as storage and distribution of energy. An increasing amount of solar array… read more »

Negotiating the Right Lease York and Adams Counties are among Pennsylvania’s leaders in proposed solar production; between them, over 5,000 acres are currently targeted for solar project development, with more on the way. Landowners should be wary when preparing to enter into a long-term solar lease for their valuable land and resources. When dealing with solar energy companies, it is critical to seek sound legal advice to assure success and avoid poor decision-making. The following are just a few issues in solar leasing which require careful consideration and experienced legal assistance: Get the right terms. Solar leases generally cover twenty to fifty years. In such a long… read more »

Solar energy generation is here in Pennsylvania, and it is growing. Currently, developers in PA have over 370 solar projects in process, requiring 60,000 to 80,000 acres of land for solar generation. The Commonwealth’s PULSE program, recently announced as part of Governor Wolf’s GreenGov initiative to advance renewable power, is the largest solar commitment by any government in the U.S. to date and proposes to generate fifty percent of the State Government’s electricity needs. The PULSE ProgramThe PULSE program will be powered by seven solar arrays constructed in six central PA counties including York and Adams Counties. York and Adams Counties… read more »

CGA Law Firm is excited to welcome four attorneys: Jasmine Butler, Beth Kern, Daniel Fennick, and Ronald Perry. Jasmine and Beth are new attorneys with work ethic and drive; Dan and Ron bring over 80 years of combined legal experience from practices in their own firms. “The four new attorneys each demonstrate a sincere commitment to integrity and excellence.” Jeff Rehmeyer, President of CGA Law Firm, explains. “Creating a firm based on core values and choosing principle-focused people is the key to our warm, collaborative CGA culture.”  Jasmine N. Butler is currently focusing her practice in Real Estate, Business, Alternative Dispute Resolution,… read more »

Are you currently a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) borrower considering eligibility for an Employer Retention Credit (ERC)? If so, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 may now provide you with an opportunity to claim this credit. ERCs can now be retroactively claimed by PPP borrowers for the year 2020 and subsequently, in 2021.In Section 206 of the Act, the ERC was expanded to include PPP borrowers as claimants, and the credit can now be backdated to March 12, 2020. Employers are permitted to claim a credit of 50% of qualified wages, in which the qualified wage paid to each employee is… read more »

On January 8, 2020, the U.S. Department of Treasury and U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) reported that the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) restarts this coming week. As soon as Monday, January 11, commencement for first-time borrowers and various existing borrowers will ensue. Solely community financial institutions are eligible to withdraw PPP loans on Monday, January 11. The second withdrawal of PPP loans will be disbursed on Wednesday, January 13 – this order of distribution is expected to bolster capital accessibility. Consequently, all remaining PPP lenders will be permitted to participate. Visit the SBA website for more information AttorneyIf you or someone… read more »

With the newly authorized Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (the “Act”), Congress has agreed to allot $284.5 billion to the Small Business Administration (SBA) for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. In this second round, prior PPP recipients may borrow up to $2 million – a significant decrease from the $10 million maximum permitted by the CARES Act; the bill specifically allocates $35 billion to new PPP borrowers.  New Information on Expenses  Section 276 of Division N in the new bill provides that these expenses are now wholly deductible for those who paid business expenses with forgiven PPP funds. The new bill… read more »

Pursuant to the Right-to-know law (RTKL) Advisory, the Office of Open Records (OOR) has new advice for agencies within “yellow” status counties. These agencies should continue processing RTKL requests and appeals as usual. If an appeal is negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the agency or requestor cannot meet a required deadline, the OOR may prolong the appeal deadline. In particular, agencies located within a county transitioning into “yellow” status may need to provide evidence showing why the appeal deadline needs to be extended. In regards to offices being closed, any day that falls within an office closure is… read more »

While the Right-to-Know Law (RTKL) continues to be in effect for most municipal entities, its function has been temporarily suspended for the Commonwealth due to the current COVID-19 emergency. Pursuant to Section 901 of the law, all requests must receive a response within five business days – excluding days closed for business. If an agency faces “bona fide issues” related to this pandemic, the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records’ (OOR) advisory permits temporary suspensions exceeding the scope of that law. The OOR recommends the agency seek their solicitor’s advice before taking this recourse. Under Act 15, municipalities operating under an… read more »