August 2013

Notice of Increase in State Sales and Use Tax Rate - Effective Sept. 1
 

The state sales tax rate on the storage, use or other consumption of tangible personal property or services and retail sales made on or after September 1, 2013 is 5.75%, an increase from 5.5%.  Please note that all local Ohio jurisdictions impose a local sales and use tax in addition to the state rate.  The Ohio Department of Taxation provides a database of sales and use tax rates called the Finder, which can be queried either by address or by zip code.  The Finder is available at this link.  Click here for a map of current sales tax rates.

 

The sales and use tax rate will change from 6.75% to 7.25% for Erie County, effective October 1, 2013.


To sign up for the Department of Taxation's e-mail alert service, click here.  When signing up, don't forget to check the box next to "Sales and Use Taxes".
 

10 Ways to Become a Better Listener
 

I never take the ability to listen for granted.  Maybe it's because my oldest daughter was born profoundly deaf, and though she has benefited from the modern technology (and miracle!) of a cochlear implant and the early intervention that has enabled her to hear, I have come to value listening more than ever.  It's also crucial to my livelihood.  As a writer, I certainly can't pen a story without carefully listening to those I'm writing about.
     As marketers, listening should be a top priority. But we all have the tendency to become numb to the noise that follows us in everyday life.  Messages are shouted from all channels these days, so in creating content we are always searching for new ways to cut through the clamor in order to get our communications through to our target audience.  However, we can't create an effective message unless we understand the need.  To read more, click here

This article courtesy of Michelle Crawley, Editor of OPMA's The Standard.

Summer Sees New Tick-Borne Illness Could Be Worse Than Lyme Disease 
 

A new disease spread by deer ticks has already infected 100,000 New Yorkers since the state first started keeping track.  As reported, the new deer tick-borne illness resembles Lyme disease, but is a different malady altogether - and it could be even worse.  The common deer tick is capable of spreading dangerous germs into the human bloodstream with its bite.  However, Lyme disease is one of many diseases that ticks carry.  The latest disease is related to Lyme, and an infected person will suffer similar symptoms.  "Patients with this illness will develop, perhaps, fever, headache, flu-like symptoms, muscle pains - so they'll have typical Lyme-like flu symptoms in the spring, summer, early fall," said Dr. Brian Fallon of Columbia University. "But most of them will not develop the typical rash that you see with Lyme disease."  Fallon, a renowned expert on Lyme disease at the New York Psychiatric Institute, said the importance of the new bacterium - called Borrelia miyamotoi - is that it might explain cases of what looked like chronic Lyme disease but did not test positive for Lyme.  To read more, click here.

For Longer Life and Less Cancer: Pesticides!
 

A large, U.K. government-supported study, The Pesticide Users' Health Study, 1987-2005 (PUHS) was released this summer.  This huge evaluation of various health outcomes focused on mortality and cancer incidence data collected from 59,000 male and 4,000 female certified pesticide commercial users over almost two decades.  The results, which are sure to come as a welcome surprise to those who are truly concerned about the possible adverse health effects of pesticide exposure, revealed a significantly lower rate of all-cause death as well as cancer death among the workers as compared to the general UK population.  The decreased total death rate was down by an astounding 42 percent, and the lower cancer death rate was down an almost-as-amazing 28 percent. (Of course, as welcome as these results will be to public health devotees and farmers, those activists who obsessively attack the alleged toxicity of pesticides will now have to do some regrouping.)  Read more.

Ohio Department of Agriculture Encourages Ohio Citizens to Check Their Trees for Signs of Invasive Pests

In an effort to protect the trees of Ohio, the ODA is encouraging Ohio citizens to check their trees for signs of the Walnut Twig Beetle and Asian Longhorned Beetle.  Both of these tree pests have been detected in southwest Ohio and threaten the health and viability of the state's hardwood forests, as well as some of the state's leading industries.  Signs and symptoms of both pests are visible this time of year.  Walnut Twig Beetles were first confirmed in Ohio in late 2012 in traps set by the ODNR's Division of Forestry officials in Butler County.  Additionally, scientists from the Ohio Plant Diagnostic Network, a cooperative partnership between ODA and OSU, recently isolated the TCD fungus from walnut branch samples from the Butler County area, marking the first time TCD has been confirmed in Ohio.  The Asian Longhorned Beetles were confirmed in Ohio in 2011.  To report signs and symptoms, contact ODA at (855) 252-6450 or [email protected].

U.S. Hazard Communication Standard Training on OSHA Label and SDS Updates - Compliance Deadline is December 1, 2013

 

In 2012, the US Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) was revised to align with the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS).  Specific changes to the HCS to align US chemical hazard communication with the world standards include: 1) New label requirements for (non-pesticide) chemical labels; 2) A change from Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) to Safety Data Sheet (SDS); and 3) A new, 16-section standard format for Safety Data Sheets (SDS).  OSHA has set a training deadline for being familiar with these new components by December 1, 2013.  To ensure completing this requirement is easy for you and your staff, members of OPMA can log-on to the NPMA Online Learning Center and take the HCS Training Course.  This interactive module will provide learners with the updated information about the Revised Hazard Communication Standard training required by OSHA. 


NPMA Online Training
Library Update (Learn About the Changes)
OSHA Hazard Communications Standard

130th Ohio General Assembly Legislative Update
 

The first six months of the 130th Ohio General Assembly (before summer break) was dominated by the state's biennial operating budget.  House Bill 59 contained significant policy changes including a tax reform package that allows a 50% deduction on the first $250,000 of business income for pass-through entities as well as a 10% income tax cut for all Ohioans phased in over the next three years.  The Ohio Senate added a provision that will allow BWC to move to a prospective premium payment system for employers giving one-time $900 million premium forgiveness to state-fund employers.  Additionally, Governor Kasich proposed putting another $1 billion back into the hands of Ohio's job creators by suggesting a dividend credit, to be paid this summer, immediately putting dollars back in the hands of small-business owners to hire additional employees, purchase new equipment and grow the businesses to improve Ohio's economy.  Additionally, funds have been dedicated for safety grants and will go a long way to help crate even safer workplaces.  Finally, the BWC board also approved aggregate premium rate reductions of 2 percent for private employers and 4 percent for public employers.  Read more 

  

Biggest Jumps in Bed Bug Infestations

 

Tracked by branches of Terminix, the summer 2013 list of cities with the largest jumps in bed bug infestations has two Ohio cities in the top 10.

Sacramento, CA - 54%
Milwaukee, WI - 53%
Las Vegas, NV - 50%

Columbus, OH - 47%

Baltimore, MD - 46%
Riverside, CA - 41%

St. Louis, MO - 40%

Cleveland, OH - 36%

Louisville, KY - 31%

Denver, CO - 28%


Ohio Pest Management Association
136 South Keowee Street | Dayton, Ohio 45402
(937) 424-3300 | fax: (937) 222-5794
Email
 | OPMA Website
In This Issue
Notice of Increase in State Sales and Use Tax Rate
10 Ways to Become a Better Listener
Summers Sees New Tick-Borne Illness
For Longer Life and Less Cancer
ODA Encourages Tree Checks
U.S. Hazard Communication Standard
130th Ohio General Assembly Update
Biggest Jumps in Bed Bug Infestations
Board of Directors

President
Brian Beining

 

Vice President
J. Gerald Moore
Email

Secretary/Treasurer
Brian Alonso
Email

Immediate Past President

Hank Althaus
Email

Directors:
Molly (Patton) Marsh
Email

Chris Snow
Email

Tami Burkel
Email
 
Mike Faler

Craig Farrell
Juliette Campbell

Training School Offers Credits
 
 

On September 19, 2013, OPMA will hold a Training School for recertification credits at the Ohio Department of Agriculture in Reynoldsburg.  If you need credits before the September 30th deadline, this is your last chance!

     We also offer reciprocating credits with Michigan, Kentucky, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Indiana.

     If you need credits in categories 10A, 10B, 7, 10D, 10C or Core - you need to register today!  Registration begins at 7:45 AM and classes will run until 3:45 PM.

 

Training School Registration

 

Save the Date
 
 

The OPMA Winter Meeting will include a track specifically for those interested in the management of a pest control business as well as a Training School for those needing recertification credits PLUS the industry's most sought after vendors and industry suppliers . . . all under one roof.

     Mark your calendar for December 9-10, 2013 at the Holiday Inn Worthington.

 

Visit the Website for Details

 
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