• Is your goal to prosecute or get the merchandise back?
• Does your store have a zero tolerance policy for shoplifting?
• Will you prosecute shoplifters under 18 or over 65?
• Is there a minimum dollar amount before prosecuting?
• How will you confront and detain the shoplifter?
• What will you do if the shoplifter shows remorse or offers to pay?
• Who is responsible for calling the police?

Before last Sunday's symbolic caravan to Hudson to buy liquor ("Liquor activists make Sunday beer run to Wisconsin," March 16), Sen. David Osmek, R-Mound, stated: "I am tired of sending our tax revenue and our commerce every Sunday to Wisconsin."  

Well, as a longtime citizen of Hudson, let me say I am tired of Minnesota sending its liquor buyers to Hudson every Sunday.  

Our quiet town doesn't need your citizens desperately driving 30 miles to Hudson for alcohol on Sunday because they drank their whole supply on Saturday and can't wait until Monday for more.  

Their open displays of intoxication (public urination is a favorite), erratic driving, and disrespect for our citizens and town are unwelcome.

Should I even bother to mention the shootings in the liquor-store parking lots?  

We've had enough.  

The Hudson liquor-store owners will lose some business, but it will be a welcome respite for Hudson citizens and our police force.  

Hurry up, Minnesota! Legalize Sunday liquor sales already!

Robert Muchlinski,  

Hudson, Wis.

Editor's Note:   

Contrary to Senator Osmek's statement, the data shows Sunday sales will not be an economic boom in tax revenue, and history shows some liquor stores will go out of business, which will put people out of work and hurt purchasing consumers.  

Here are the facts:

Over the last six years, two states have passed a law allowing Sunday sales, Colorado in 2008 and Connecticut in 2012.

Colorado tax data since 2008 indicates Sunday sales was not the tax boon that proponents of Sunday sales had claimed.  

Over the six year period from 2008 to 2013, total tax receipts increased an average of 2.33 percent annually, which is very close to the increase of the rate of inflation on a yearly basis.  

When inflation is factored in, there simply is not an increase in revenue.

In addition, these tax receipts cited by Sunday sales proponents are for all total liquor sales, including on-sale at bars and restaurants, and do not specifically only include off-sale at liquor stores.

Another result of Colorado passing Sunday sales is the reduction of the number of liquor stores from 1,679 stores in 2007 to 1,552 in 2013, a loss of 127 businesses.

When the Connecticut governor and legislature approved Sunday liquor sales in the spring of 2012, an increase in tax receipts also never materialized.  

Their legislature's nonpartisan fiscal analysis office anticipated Sunday sales one year later would boost receipts over $66 million, but the final tally came in at just $60.4 million.  

Since then, total liquor tax collections by the state have remained stagnant for fiscal years 2012, 2013, and 2014 of between $60.4 and $60.6 million per year, which is well below the projected $66+ million per year.  

Additional information is available here .

Lastly, proponents of the off-sale of alcohol on Sundays insist Minnesota is losing alcohol sales and tax revenue to border states because Minnesota's stores are closed on Sundays.  

It's also important to recognize the combined Minnesota taxes on alcohol sales is higher than every state that borders Minnesota.  

If a consumer lives in a border community, they would save money six days of the week traveling across town to spend in the border state. 

The 2015 MMBA Annual Conference will be held on Sunday, May 17 - Tuesday, May 19, at Arrowwood Resort, in Alexandria, Minnesota.  

There will also be pre-conference activities on Saturday, May 16.

This Year's Conference Features:

Customer Service Journey Mapping Workshop

Journey maps are an innovative way to explore your customers' interactions with your organization, and reveal the best ways to boost customer loyalty, revenue, and brand engagement.

Journey Maps offer a detailed visualization of the customer experience that you're providing -exposing the good, the bad, and the ugly to form the heart of an effective customer experience program.

By highlighting what customers do, and the emotions they feel while they're doing it, journey maps pinpoint the changes you can make to realize the greatest impact in the most efficient way.

"By taking the time to truly understand how your customers view their experience, you can discover the moments that matter to create customers who love your brand." -Jim Tincher, Mapper-in-Chief

Heart of the Customer Founder and Lead Consultant Jim Tincher sees the world in a special way: through the eyes of customers.  

This passion, along with more than two decades of experience spearheading customer engagement initiatives for Best Buy, Gallup, UnitedHealth Group and other new and established companies, has led to his recognition as an industry leader in using customer research to identify unmet needs, develop new products, and improve customer service.

Pricing is much more than just dollars and a number.  

Higher prices and pricing power are earned.   

They do not come automatically.  

In order to earn it, businesses need to "do" something.

Presenter Per Sjöfors' long-term interest in pricing as a key business driver led to the founding of his company, Atenga.  

Atenga helps businesses gain better customer insights, to better understand their decision behavior, their perceptions, their drivers and their willingness to pay.  

Practical recommendationsallow organizations to sell more, often at higher prices.  

Per will explore how to increase that willingness to pay and therefore set higher prices and increase sales velocity.  

Take a Tour of Italian Wine  

Riccardo Legnaro, VP Italian Brands at Palm Bay International will be flying in to take you on a wine tour of Italy.

Microsoft Office Training

In response to member requests, Alexandria Technical and Community College Technology Specialist Linda Muchow will conduct a Microsoft Office Training.   

There will also be time to have fun and develop relationships with other attendees and industry representatives.

Click Here for Full Information on the 2015 Conference and the "A Place to Learn" Video