Future plans: CenturyLink’s headquarters will remain in Louisiana even though its incoming CEO has no plans to leave Colorado for the Bayou State, The USA Today Network of Louisiana reports. Jeff Storey will become CenturyLink’s new CEO once long-time chief executive Glenn Post retires on Jan. 1, 2019. Storey is the current president and chief executive of Colorado-based Level 3 Communications, which CenturyLink is acquiring for $24 billion in cash and stock. The deal is expected to close sometime this month. Storey, however, who lives outside of Denver, says he has no plans to move—leading some to wonder if Louisiana’s largest publicly-traded company will eventually call Colorado home. Read more.
Feeling uneasy: The monthly NFIB Index of Small Business Optimism declined in September to 103.0, down from 105.3. The decrease is due to a steep drop in sales expectations across the country, according to the National Federation of Independent Business. The number of small business owners who expected better sales plunged a net 12 points last month. Additionally, the number of owners who think it’s a good time to expand dropped a net 10 points. State-specific data is not available. But Dawn Starns, NFIB state director for Louisiana, says small business owners here are anxious about congressional action on issues like health care and taxes. See the full report.
On shaky ground: Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross plans to ask Congress on Thursday for a major increase in funding to salvage the 2020 Census, The Washington Post reports. The decennial program is expected to cost $15.6 billion, 27% percent more than earlier projections. The program has long been beset by cost overruns, poor planning and a U.S. population less likely to self-report. The constitutionally-mandated Census determines the distribution of congressional seats, affects the shape of districts and helps decide the flow of more than $675 billion a year in federal funding. It’s also vital to businesses, civic organizations and others whose work relies on demographic data. Read more.
