Government Resources to Create, Maintain

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Government Resources to Create, Maintain Grow
My Business

• What Government Agency do I turn to for Assistance

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IRSs Stakeholder Liaison Linda Tuzzolo

• Partners with Key Stakeholders locally
• Delivers Information on IRS polices procedures
• Partners with local organizations to promote
  voluntary compliance through education
• Business tax Line 1-800-829-4933
• Small Business tax Center www.irs.gov/smallbiz

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Florida Department Of Revenuewww.dor.myflorida
.com

• The Florida Department of Revenue has three
  primary lines of business
• Administer tax law for 36 taxes and fees,
  processing nearly 37.5 billion and more than 10
  million tax filings annually.
• Enforce child support law on behalf of about
  1,025,000 children, 1.26 billion collected in FY
  06/07.
• Oversee property tax administration involving
  10.9 million parcels of property worth 2.4
  trillion.

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Florida Department Of Revenue
Fredrica Cosper, 239 338 2481

• FREE taxpayer education seminars, workshops and
  presentations about Florida tax laws and related
  topics are available to help you better
  understand your tax reporting and compliance
  responsibilities. Topics include Sales and Use
  Tax Unemployment Tax
• Communication Services Tax
• Documentary Stamp Tax Tax Law Changes
• Other Taxes
  E-Filing/E-Paying
• Industry specific seminars are available upon
  request for  
• Contractors County Tax Collectors
• Hotel and Lodging Motor Fuel Tax
• Motor Vehicle Dealers Restaurants and Bars

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SBA Programs and services to help you start,
grow and succeed

• Small Business Planner Business Plan,
  Management Skills, Insurance needs Laws
  Regulations
• Services Financial Assistance, Disaster
  Assistance, On line training
• Veteran Assistance / Women Business Centers
• Library Resources, Audio/Video, Web Chats, Forms
• Address 100 S. Biscayne Blvd. Miami, Fl. 33131
• Phone [phone]
• website www.sba.gov

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• Counseling is available in Cape Coral
• Various computer software programs to explore
• Address Located in the Social Security Building
  on East Colonial Blvd, Fort Myers
• Phone 239 - 489 - 2935
• Email Address score219_at_embarmail.com
• SCORE is a resource partner with the U.S Small
  Business Administration

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• Funding SBA FGCU
• SBDC is located in Cape Coral Funding the City
  of Cape Coral 1020 Cultural park Blvd., Unity
  3.
• Education for Small Business Owners Counseling,
  Seminars, Relationships with banking community
• Procurement Technical Assistance Center
• Contact Judy Pultro, Phone [phone],
• email jpultro_at_fgcu.edu
• Web Address. www.floridasbdc.com

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• Career and Service Centers
• Alliance of Educational Leaders
• Youth Programs
• Career Expo
  April 15th, 2009 FGCU

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The Employ Florida Marketplace

• A New Tool for Florida Employers Seeking Job
  Candidates
• www.Employflorida.com
• Cape Coral Location
• 1020 Cultural Park Blvd.
• Phone [phone]

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Florida Ready to Work www.floridareadytowork.com

• Florida Ready to Work
• Provides student/jobseekers with a standard
  credential that certifies their workplace
  readiness and ability to succeed on the job.
  Saves employers time and money by taking the
  guesswork out of the hiring process. Helps
  educators and workforce development partners
  prepare todays students/jobseekers for
  tomorrows jobs. Helps attract businesses with
  high-wage jobs to Florida which will grow
  Floridas economy.

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DFS Workers Compensation
Databases Available to the Public www.myflorid
acfo.com/wc

• Proof of Coverage Database
• Construction Policy Tracking Database
• Insurers Licensed to Do Business in Florida
• Compliance SWO Database
• DWC e-Alert
• Non-Compliance Referral Form (Whistle-Blower)
  Fraud Hotline [phone]
• Injured Employee Hotline[phone] - 1741

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Lee County Economic Development Office

• The Economic Development Office of Lee County
  government works to bring new companies to the
  area and help existing businesses grow and expand
• Website www.leecountybusiness.com
• Live chat line
• Phone 1- 239 - 338 - 3161. 
• Hours of Operation for Live Help are
• M-F 830AM - 430PM.

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Cape Coral Economic Development OfficeGrowth
Engine of Southwest Florida"

• Support our businesses and help them grow.
• Attract new and different types of high-wage
  businesses.
• Conduct national advertising and public
  relations.
• Invent new incentives.
• Help make the Cape the preferred business
  location in SW Florida.
• Address 1015 Cultural Park Blvd, Cape Coral, FL
  33990
• Phone 239 - 574 - 0444
• Web Site www.bizcapecoral.com

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• The Department of Business and Professional
  Regulation (DBPR) regulates over 1 million
  professionals and businesses in Florida ranging
  from
• Hotels and restaurants
• Alcohol and tobacco retailers
• Real estate agents and appraisers
• Certified Public Accountants
• Construction Trades
• The department regulates 19 professions and
  related businesses through 15 professional
  boards, 3 department regulated professions and 1
  council.
• The department affords licensure and regulation
  of these licenses via the Division of Regulations
  and Compliance
• The department is dedicated to protecting the
  health, safety and welfare of those living in and
  visiting Florida.

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• The Florida Department of Business and
  Professional Regulation (DBPR) provides
  up-to-the-minute information about all of our
  licensed professionals online at
  www.MyFloridaLicense.com
• Sergio L. Gonzalez, MSIT Regional Program
  Administrator
• D B P R - Division of Regulation Region VII
• 2295 Victoria Avenue, Suite 263
• Fort Myers, FL  33901-3877
• Bus [phone]  Facsimile [phone]
  Sergio.Gonzalez_at_DBPR.State.FL.US
• To verify a license, please call 850.487.1395
  TALLAHASSEE
• LOCALLY - REGION VII - 239.338.2377
• To report UNLICENSED ACTIVITY call toll-free,
  1.866.532.1440.
• Mailing address
• Department of Business and Professional
  Regulation
• 1940 North Monroe Street
• Tallahassee, FL 32399

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• The Division of Hotels and Restaurants (HR)
  licenses, inspects and regulates public lodging
  and food service establishments
• Last fiscal year, the division conducted more
  than 140,000 public food service and lodging
  establishment inspections cited over 750,000
  violations of sanitary standards in public food
  service and lodging establishments
• Division of Hotels and Restaurants Hospitality
  Education Program (HEP)- Food HANDLER Training
• For questions about this training, please call
  HEP toll-free at 800.704.1076

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• The Division of Agent and Agency
  Services
• Its missions is to protect the insurance-buying
  public by licensing competent and trustworthy
  individuals and entities and expeditiously
  investigating alleged violations of the Florida
  Insurance Code.
• Web Site www.myfloridacfo.com/agent
• LICENSING HELPLINE 1-850-413-3137

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DFS Division of Agent Agency Service

• The Bureau of Licensing administers the insurance
  laws, rules and regulations relating to license
  qualification, pre-licensing and continuing
  education.
• The bureau receives and answers in excess of
  440,000 customer telephone calls annually.
  Through execution of its programs, the bureau
  ensures that licensed insurance representatives
  are qualified and competent to engage in the
  business of insurance.
• The Bureau of Investigation is statutorily
  responsible for the investigation of alleged
  violations of the Florida Insurance Code by
  licensed and unlicensed persons.
• Fiscal year 2005-2006 the bureau completed 2,392
  investigations. Suspected criminal violations
  uncovered during the course of investigation are
  referred to the Department of Financial Services
  Division of Insurance Fraud or other law
  enforcement agencies as appropriate.

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Division of Insurance Fraud

• According to the Coalition Against Insurance
  Fraud (CAIF), Floridas Division of Insurance
  Fraud leads the nation in the recovery of
  insurance fraud related losses through court
  ordered restitution. In Fiscal Year 2007/2008,
  cases presented for prosecution by The Division
  of Insurance Fraud resulted in 94 million in
  court ordered restitution. Florida ranks in the
  top four (4) among all states fraud divisions
  and bureaus in key measurements of success
• 2nd in the number of arrests
• 3rd in the number of cases presented for
  prosecution
• 4th in the number of referrals

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DFS - Division of Insurance Fraud

• Fiscal Year 2007/2008, investigative efforts
  resulted in 873 cases presented for prosecution,
  816 arrests, and 663 convictions. Also during
  Fiscal Year 2007/2008, The Division of Insurance
  Fraud received and reviewed 9,916 insurance fraud
  referrals and opened 1,742 cases for
  investigation.
• Insurance fraud is not a victimless crime! It is
  estimated that insurance fraud costs the US 80
  billion dollars or more a year. Those costs get
  passed down to you, the consumer. The CAIF
  estimates that cost to be approximately 950 per
  family. Reporting insurance fraud is easy and
  just a click away.
• REPORT FRAUD 1 800 378 0445

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Division of State Fire Marshal

• The Bureau of Fire Arson Investigations
  Vision
• That all Floridians, businesses and government
  agencies enjoy maximum protection from threats of
  fire, arson and other natural and man-made
  disasters and hazards.
• The Chief Financial Officer is also the State
  Fire Marshal.
• Website www.myfloridacfo.com/sfm

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DFS Fire Marshal

• THE BUREAU OF FIRE ARSON INVESTIGATIONS
• UTILIZES THE ARSON REWARDS PROGRAM AND ARSON TIP
  HOTLINESPONSORED BY THE FLORIDA ADVISORY
  COMMITTEE ON ARSON PREVENTIONThe toll-free
  number to call is
• 1- 877- NO- ARSON 1- 877- 662- 7766 

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DFS Fire Marshal

• Accelerant Detection
• K-9 Units
• Train 24 7
• Respond to fire arson scenes throughout Florida
  
• Their keen sense of smell helps locate gasoline
  other accelerants used by arsonists

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• Division of Consumer Services
• Provides Florida consumers with information and
  education they need to make informed financial
  decisions
• Consumer assistance and answers to general
  insurance and financial questions are available
  through our toll-free helpline
• Toll Free Helpline 1- 877- 693 - 5236
• Website www.myfloridacfo.com
• FLORIDA HOUSING HELP WEB SITE

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DFS Consumer Services

• Our free community outreach programs reach
  thousands of Floridians each year.
• Consumer guides are available free of charge on a
  range of topics relevant to today's insurance and
  finance markets. You can order or review online
  and print them individually.

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• HUD Certified Counselors
• Can assist business owners with foreclosure
  problems or load default
• 4040 Palm Beach Blvd. Suite C. Fort Myers, Fl.
  33916
• Phone [phone]
• Web Address www.horcswfl.org