Jan Teague

President/CEO

360.943.9198, ext. 19

jteague@retailassociation.org

Mark Johnson

Vice President of Government Affairs

360.943.9198, ext. 15

mark.johnson@retailassociation.org

Tammie Hetrick

Vice President of Retail Services (RASI)

360.943.9198, ext. 13

 tammie@retailassociation.org

Jim Szymanski

WRA addresses key issues at national lobbying summit

By Jan Teague, President/CEO

I recently attended a two-day Washington,  D.C. Congressional lobby event sponsored by the National Retail Federation (NRF).  This year NRF celebrated "This is Retail" with a series of videos from five states, including Washington, highlighting members and the variety of jobs they do.

We also heard from George Will, who is a great commentator on politics in Congress.  Will is a conservative who writes for the Washington Post and often appears on TV news commenting on politics. 

The key part of the trip was going to visit with our state's Congressional delegation.  This year I was able to get into more offices than usual.  I visited the offices of Senator Patty Murray, Senator Maria Cantwell, Representative Dave Reichert, Representative Suzan DelBene and Representative Cathy McMorris-Rogers.  It was hot and muggy, but a great opportunity to wave the flag for retailers from Washington State.

On the Streamline Sales Tax issue, we have had some good votes from Senators Murray and Cantwell as well as strong support from Representative DelBene at the committee level.  There is renewed hope for a resolution this year with a House bill now in the Senate that extends a safety mechanism to not allow states to do any business tax of the internet businesses across state lines. 

Now we hope the bill will pass including language that taxpayers who buy online will have to pay their sales tax, which often is not done yet. That's what will be in an amended version that will have to travel back to the House for concurrence.  There is hope that sometime after the election cycle, the bill will finally pass both houses of Congress after years of talk about what to do.  I will keep you posted.

I also met with our Congressional delegation to talk about Data Security.  Data Security has gotten a lot of attention in the past few months and our hope is to get a payment card system that requires cardholders to keep a pin number like they do with credit cards.  We also want to see more cybersecurity information and coordination with various agencies that work in this field. NRF has formed a new cybersecurity partnership with merchants and financial services industries to look for opportunities to improve credit card security technology.

The industry is having trouble with patent litigation where a retailer will get sued for using a product legitimately.  We brought this to the attention of our Congressional leaders.  NRF is working with several coalitions to curb patent litigation and demand letter abuse.  This work and our lobby day campaign to bring awareness to the Congressional delegation will help us move a meaningful bill through the complex Congressional system.  I don't expect any action on this issue soon, but a House subcommittee has passed an act that is moving through the process called the "Targeting Rogue and Opaque Demand Letters Act," which is a good start. 

The Senate is slower to respond, members there don't have a bill and aren't expected to consider the issue until after the election cycle.

These issues are important to our members and it's good to have our national partners working in D.C. to marshal the issues through Congress.  Congress needs to hear from each state and while it is a long way to travel, our voice helps to move the ball forward. 

Retail sales grow 2.4 percent in first quarter

Retail sales this year increased 2.4 percent from January 1 through March, according to an update this week from the Revenue Department.

Retailers recorded $12.3 billion in sales during that period. Percentage wise, online and mail order sellers increased the most, 18.8 percent, followed by auto sales (up 6.9 percent); furniture and home furnishings (up 6.4 percent).

Among the state's larger cities, retail trade increased 3.3 percent in Seattle ($1.4 billion); Bellevue, (up 2 percent to $588 million); and Tacoma (up 1 percent, $514 million).

Taxable retail sales and retail trade by county and city, and a breakdown of sales statewide by industries are available here (http://dor.wa.gov/Content/AboutUs/newsroom/2014/trs-QT12014.aspx). Results for all counties and selected cities, including breakdowns of sales by industry sector, are available here (http://dor.wa.gov/Content/AboutUs/StatisticsAndReports/2014/qbr114/default.aspx).

Retail sales up 4.3 percent statewide in the past month

Unemployment drops in July 

The state issued a positive financial report this week that showed a 4.3 percent gain in July for retail sales compared to 2013 including solid gains in job creation and overall revenue to the state.

No single retail category showed a decline in the income review period from July 11 to Aug. 10, according to the Economic and Revenue Forecast Council.

Healthy retail trade sectors were led by online (up 13.2 percent), building materials and garden equipment (up 6.8 percent) and drug and health stores (up 6.8 percent).

State tax collections in the review period were $62.4 million, 5.1 percent higher than what was forecast in June.

Likewise, the state economy added 10,800 new net jobs during the review period, 5,500 more than the 5,300 expected in the June forecast. That pace helped to drop the state's July unemployment rate to 5.6 percent, the lowest level since August, 2008.

Click here for the full and latest monthly state revenue report.

Source: ERFC

Former Governors urge Supreme Court to avoid interfering with lawmakers on school funding

Five of the state's surviving former governors have urged the state Supreme Court to refrain from dictating levels of state education funding to the state Legislature.

The former governors filed a friend of the court brief urging the highest state court to allow lawmakers to address school funding in the 2015 before deciding whether enough progress has been made toward meeting a 2018 to fully fund state schools.

In the court's opinion, lawmakers have fallen short of their constitutional obligation to make full school funding their highest priority. The court also has asked the state to show why it should not be held in contempt of court for its efforts to date to increase school funding.

Former Attorney General Rob McKenna wrote the brief for former governors Dan Evans, John Spellman, Mike Lowery, Gary Locke and Christine Gregoire.  Click here to read the brief. In their brief, the governors express concern that further court pressure on lawmakers would hinder progress toward increasing school funding by the court imposed deadline year.

Governor, health director proposed temporary fix for exchange mistakes

Gov. Inslee and state Insurance Commission Mike Kreidler have announced a temporary fix for patients to circumvent the Washington Healthplanfinder.org, the state's online payment mechanism for Obamacare patients.

Patients who get snagged in technical problems with the computer software or the recorded data may be allowed to pay their insurance carrier directly instead of attempting to navigate the mistake-plagued finder.

An estimated 6,000 accounts of ratepayers have been affected by billing problems or missing confirmation that they have coverage.

In a recent announcement, Richard Onizuka, CEO of the Washington Health Benefit Exchange, said he hoped that significant progress could be made at fixing software and record keeping shortcomings by the end of this month.

Click here for more on this story from the Puget Sound Business Journal.

Source: PSBJ

Majority support choice, not mandatory support for unions, new poll shows

Eighty-four percent of Oregonians support allowing union employees to leave their union without force or penalty, a concept generally referred to as Right to Work.

Those are the results of a new poll released this week, a part of National Employee Freedom Week.  Another poll shows that 82.9 percent of Americans nationwide support the Right to Work principle.

The results, released by Oregon's Cascade Policy Institute, dovetail with a current series of video reports by the Olympia-based Freedom Foundation outlining labor union practices unpopular with some members. The issue surrounds union dues going to support candidates with whom some union members disagree. Freedom Foundation CEO Tom McCabe recently addressed the WRA regarding his organization's video reports.

McCabe said he hopes his reports will build support to improve labor union transparency.

Visit www.UnionInjustice.com to watch the videos.

Source: Cascade Policy Institute

Businesses can avoid layoffs with Shared Work

By Chad Pearson, Shared Work Marketing Manager

Employment Security Department

It can happen to any business. Demand for your product or service slips. Maybe the market goes in the tank. All you know is your business is in a fix, and you've got hard decisions to make. You don't want to lay off your skilled employees, but what else can you do to cut costs?

The Employment Security Department provides an alternative.  It's called Shared Work.

Under the program, businesses can reduce the hours of permanent employees, who can then collect partial unemployment benefits to replace a portion of their lost wages. This translates into immediate payroll savings and prevents the loss of skilled employees.

Plus, to make the program more affordable, the federal government will cover more than 92 percent of Shared-Work benefits through June 2015. That means you can participate almost for free and there will be practically no effect on your unemployment-insurance tax rate. 

Sterling Ramberg, co-owner of The Gear Works, had this to say about Shared Work: "We invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in our employees' training and couldn't afford to lose them.  Shared Work helped us avoid that."

The flexibility of the program also makes it attractive. Your business can enroll some or all of your employees.  You use it only when needed, and you can vary each employee's reduction anywhere from 10 to 50 percent per week.

Recent surveys show that Shared Work helps keep skilled workers, reduces payroll costs and improves employee morale. Employers who have used the program consistently recommend it to others.

To learn more, watch our Shared-Work video, visit www.esd.wa.gov/shared-work or call 800-752-2500.

Safety tip: (one in a series)

Guard against cuts and blood-borne diseases

Blood-borne pathogens are infectious microorganisms in human blood that can cause disease in humans.  That's why it's so important for anyone in retail to guard against cuts that are possible on the job.

These pathogens include, but are not limited to, hepatitis B (HBV), hepatitis C (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Needle sticks and other sharp-related injuries may expose workers to blood-borne pathogens.

Environments that are most exposed to the threat of blood-borne diseases are healthcare and the general public.  Working in retail, too, brings employees in contact with the general public and can also put you at risk for being exposed to blood borne pathogens and even contracting blood borne diseases in the workplace if proper prevention measures aren't taken.

Because you can't tell simply by looking at a person's blood if he or she is infected with blood-borne pathogens, you must exercise "universal precautions," which means treating all blood and blood-containing materials as though they do actually contain blood-borne pathogens.  Prevention includes

*Regular hand washing.

*Wearing protective clothing such as latex gloves when dealing with an injured person.

*Avoiding poking yourself with the needle from tagging guns; being careful with box cutters and cleaning up broken glass so that no blood is drawn.  

*Taking special care when handling garbage bags because sharp objects can protrude from such bags.

Additional information can be found here:

RASI SAFEYTV video

L&I Blood Borne Pathogens

WRA employs Rick Means as a Safety Specialist who is available to members to help draw up safety plans and suggest topics for safety meetings. Contact him at 360-943-9198, Ext. 18 or rick.means@retailassociationservices.com.

Fundraiser scheduled for Sen. Tim Sheldon

Supporters of Sen. Tim Sheldon, D-Hoodsport, are organizing an election fundraiser on his behalf from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Olympic Flight Museum, on Sept. 17. The museum is at 7637 A Old Hw9 99 adjacent to Olympia Airport.

WRA has endorsed Sheldon's re-election effort. He has been a consistently strong supporter of WRA's legislative agenda with a 100 percent pro WRA voting record.

The outcome of Sheldon's race in the 35^th district, including Kitsap, Mason and Thurston counties, will be critical to maintaining a moderate state Senate that understands the needs of retailers and votes to support their needs. A host committee for the event is in formation.

Contact Linda Matson, 360-481-3503 or lmatson@matsonassociates.com for more information.

State updates recycling law for lights containing mercury

The state Office of the Code reviser has issued updates to the state law for recycling mercury-containing lights incorporating changes from a bill passed in the 2014 legislative session.

The bill (HB 2246) addressed how to finance the producer-operated recycling program. It took effect in June of this year.

Click here to review the updates.

Source: Ecology

WRA members can get discount at employment seminar

WRA members are eligible for a 20 percent early online registration fee discount to an annual labor and employment seminar scheduled in Seattle on September 9.

Attorneys from the firm Lane Powell will address a range of topics including employment law updates, managing employees with mental disorders, use of technology and complying with drug use following voter approval for marijuana use in Washington State.

The all-day event is scheduled for Motif Seattle's Emerald Ballroom, 1415 Fifth Avenue in Seattle. Click here for further details including speakers. Contact Kelsey Lamon, 206-223-6005, lamonk@lanepowell.com with any additional questions.

Shippers save thousands of dollars with WRA partner

Shipping customers saved an average $3,100 in 2013 by shipping with PartnerShip, a partner with WRA.

Enrolled WRA members can save up to 27 percent on select FedEx services.

WRA encourages all members to explore this service. Visit here to enroll. Shipping customers with further questions are encouraged to call Partnership at 800-599-2902. You also may click here to receive a free rate analysis to help with your shipping decision.

Help elect pro-retail candidates by donating to the PAC

By Mark Johnson, VP Government Affairs

The election season is upon us.  This is an important year with all of the state House members and half of the state Senate up for election. 

WRA's Retail Action Council Political Action Committee, or as we call it the RAC PAC, will be a major player in helping elect pro-retail candidates to the legislature.  Our process is very involved and thorough to ensure the greatest chance for success. 

First, we are diligently working on a voting record for all current members of the legislature.  We select approximately 10 bills per chamber that we were involved in and score the legislators on whether they voted with us or sponsored something we liked or didn't like.  We then combine the 2014 scores with the 2013 scores for a biennium or two-year total.  This gives a better representation of the legislators overall support or lack thereof.  Once the voting record is done the RAC PAC will make its first round of endorsements. 

Surveys will be sent to all candidates who don't have a voting record and who have filed to run for the legislature.  After scoring the surveys we will decide which candidates to interview based on their scores and the viability of their districts to elect them.  Recommendations will then be sent to the RAC PAC for consideration of endorsements and contributions.

RAC PAC contributions are very important to help the pro-retail candidates to get the word out.  Yard signs, letters, websites, radio, bill boards and TV all cost money.  A contested House race can run anywhere from $100,000 to $300,000 and an average Senate race can cost upwards of $500,000. 

Individual donation limits to candidates this year are $950 per election, so for the primary and general you can give $1,900.  Contributions to PACs are unlimited.  We can also accept corporate dollars.

In order to secure a pro-retail legislature it is critical that contributions to the RAC PAC be made.  If you are in a position to donate please mail a contribution made out to:  The Washington Retail Association Retail Action Council PAC, P.O. Box 2227, Olympia WA  98507-2227.  We appreciate all of the WRA members who have already donated.

Save the date for the 2014 business fair

Organizers have settled on Sept. 27 for this year's annual small business fair at Renton Technical College.

WRA is an annual exhibitor at the fair, where speakers address numerous seminars on starting and growing a small business. Admission is free.