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Letter to the editor

Talk of the bay: 'Tax lady' forms plan to take on establishment

By Times Staff
Published September 17, 2007

California tax attorney Roni Deutch, known for her nationwide "tax lady" advertising blitz, wants to take on the big boys at H&R Block and Jackson Hewitt with plans to open 50 tax-preparation franchises in the greater Tampa Bay area. Deutch launched the concept last year on the West Coast and plans to charge between $39,000 and $93,000 for each franchise location. Roni Deutch Tax Centers is chasing a chunk of the 44-million tax returns prepared by professionals each year. Each outlet will open for three months from mid January through April 15, with one-day workweeks for the rest of the year. Deutch's in-your-face advertising claims she has saved clients millions over the years.

Helpful hints to avoid foreclosure

There are resources for homeowners facing foreclosure. That's the message Congresswoman Kathy Castor is bringing to Tampa this morning. Castor will be visiting the east Tampa home of Isaline Wyatt, who will talk about how she worked with the CDC of Tampa to restructure her loan and avoid foreclosure. In addition to the CDC, among the community groups represented will be ACORN, First Housing and St. Petersburg Neighborhood Service.

Boxers weigh in for salary status

Want to be a pro boxer in Florida? Then you should know that the salary range is an all-inclusive $14,570 to $94,040, and that you'll need some hepatitis shots and an eye exam. How do we know? Boxers - like construction contractors, barbers, mappers, auctioneers and assorted other professionals - are overseen by the state Department of Business and Professional Regulation. And last week, the department launched what it calls an eCareer Fair, which compiles salary and licensure information on the professions it sanctions. Find the eCareer Fair at www.myflorida.com/dbpr/pro/index.html.

Scholarly advice for entrepreneurs

Mike Fountain's business start-up credentials go well beyond his Ph.D. and MBA degrees and his role as director of USF's Center for Entrepreneurship. He sits on the advisory boards of at least six area tech businesses and organizations, from StarTec to DocuVantage. On Wednesday, he'll offer some tales about the entrepreneur's role in different life stages of a company in a program dubbed "Entrepreneurial Programs - Been There Done That." It takes place at 9 a.m. at the USF St. Petersburg College of Business, room 345. It's part of a monthly series of small-business networking breakfasts put on by the College of Business and USF's Small Business Development Center. RSVP with name, company, phone number and number of attendees to sbdc@stpt.usf.edu.

[Last modified September 14, 2007, 23:15:02]