January 6, 2013

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Retail Operations
New Storage And Warehouse Tax Applies To Third Party, Business Transactions

  

This morning the Department of Revenue issued guidance on Minnesota's new tax on storage and warehousing services taking effect April 1. This business tax, coupled with two others, was part of the final omnibus tax package passed in the final few hours of the 2013 legislative session. Groups including the Minnesota Retailers Association have called for the repeal of the business-to-business taxes early in the 2014 session.

  

Examples of storage and warehousing services taxed under the new law:
- Document storage and warehousing (not digital storage);

- Coal storage;
- Customs (foreign trade) warehousing;
- General warehousing and storage of goods;
- Hazardous waste storage;
- Lumber storage terminals;
- Liquor warehousing;
- Self-storage services the purchaser can deduct as a business expense on its federal income tax return; and  

- Storage for construction machinery or supplies.

 

Examples of storage and warehousing services NOT subject to the new tax:

- Agricultural products;
- Refrigerated storage;
- Electronic data storage;
- Self-storage services and storage of motor vehicles, recreational vehicles, and boats (when those services cannot be deducted as a business expense); and 
- Petroleum products (interstate petroleum terminals).

Click here to join with other Minnesotans asking for a repeal of Minnesota's business-to-business taxes. 

 


MnRA Leadership
Hiltner Assumes 2014 Chair Role, MnRA Thanks McCalpine-Wittenmyer For Her Leadership

 

With the advent of a new calendar year comes member leadership transition at the Minnesota Retailers Association (MnRA).


MnRA thanks outgoing Board Chair Lisa McCalpine-Wittenmyer, senior regional director of state government relations for Walgreen, for her leadership throughout 2013.

 

In the coming weeks, MnRA will release its 2013 Annual Report, highlighting accomplishments and recapping activities for the year. Thank you Lisa for your leadership!

Mike Hiltner assumed the role of Board Chair for 2014 on January 1. Mike is director of government relations at Best Buy.  Mike previously served as MnRA's Legislative Committee Chair and has been active on the Board and Executive Committee. 

 

Thank you to both Lisa and Mike for your service to Minnesota's retail industry through your leadership roles at MnRA!   

   
Bottle Bill
MPCA Hosting January 14 Meeting To Review Plan And Present Cost-Benefit Report

  

In an effort to increase recycling rates to 80 percent in Minnesota, the Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) issued a September 2013 draft program design in preparation for a report due to legislators this month. The program, as originally published, would add a ten cent recycling fee at the point of sale to beverage containers up to one gallon.

MPCA is hosting a second public meeting on January 14 to present an updated program design and a related cost-benefit study.  The updated program design is scheduled to be released on MPCA's website on Tuesday, January 7.  

 

MnRA encourages retailers with an interest in this issue to attend the January 14, 9:00 - 11:30 a.m., public meeting at the Minnesota Department of Corrections (1450 Energy Park Drive, Suite 200, St. Paul, MN  55108).  No webcast is available for this meeting and note the meeting is not at the MPCA offices.  MPCA asks that attendees register in advance. 

 

Click here to read MnRA's feedback on the originally proposed program.
 

Holiday Sales
Share Yours Holiday Season Sales Observations With MnRA

  

The day after the Christmas holiday, talk radio, television, and online news outlets lit up with stories of holiday sales numbers. The Minnesota Retailers Association was contacted by a dozen reporters looking for the Minnesota story.

Please take a moment to help MnRA understand your holiday season sales experience by taking our quick survey for Minnesota retailers.

 


Member Service
MnRA's RetailPlus+ Buying Group

The Minnesota Retailers Association (MnRA) has leveraged the collective clout of our members to offer increased savings on the products and services essential to retailers. These vital products and services help Minnesota retailers navigate the often complicated terrain of operating as a retailer.

Thank you for your patience as we redesign the web presence of the RetailPlus+ Buying Group in the coming weeks.

Question on the program? Contact the MnRA staff at (651) 227-6631.  

 
Bar code
Minnesota Retailers Associaiton
400 Robert Street North, suite 1540
St. Paul, MN 55101
Tel. (651) 227-6631 - mnretail.org - [email protected]


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