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August 1, 2008

Retail of the Year Nominations
CRMA Golf Outing Invitations to be Mailed
Is the Legislature Planning a Special Session?
Get Ready for Sales Tax Free Week
Member Services Update
Retail News and Notes


• By now you should have received your Retail of the Year nomination form.

• The Retailer of the Year award is given annually and is one of the highest honors that CRMA can bestow upon a retailer. Our nomination process is the most important phase of the selection process and we encourage all members to consider a retailer for this year’s award and send in your nomination today.

• The 2008 Retailer of the Year will be honored at our annual awards luncheon which will be held Nov 13, 2008 at the Bushnell’s Autorino Great Hall.

• If you would like to nominate a retailer but do not have a nomination form, please call our office today at 860-527-1044 or email Cathy at cathy@crmaonline.com.

CRMA Golf Outing Invitations to be Mailed

• As mentioned in previous Friday Facts, this year the 2008 CRMA Golf Outing has made some major changes.

• Those changes have been outlined in an invitation to members and friends of retailers that will soon be in the mail.

• But for now, please save this date: OCT 6TH 2008 for this year’s Golf Outing.

• As you will see from the invitation, we have also moved our location to the prestigious Hartford Golf Club.

• We are very excited about these changes and hope that all members and friends will join us on that day.

Is the Legislature Planning a Special Session?

• With the rising cost of fuel comes serious concern that this winter will see a crisis in home heating oil and because of that the Governor would like the General Assembly to come back into special session to address this issue.

• In addition, the fortunes of the state budget have taken a nice turn for the better. The administration now has a budget surplus of some $22 million, so from the Governor’s perspective things are looking better.

• The Democratic Majority however, does not seem to be in a rush to go back into session, maybe because many of them are trying to raise money from constituents in order to qualify for public financing of their campaigns.

• Or the reason could be that the Minority Republicans are ready to offer amendments during the special session that would roll back some gas taxes. The Democratic Majority does not want to deal with that hot issue as the summer winds down and the fall campaigns heat up.

• We will keep you posted on what is going on in the crazy house otherwise known as the Connecticut General Assembly.

• One last note from the other side, we hear that there are a number of members of both the House and the Senate from both sides of the aisle but mostly the D’s, that are having trouble raising the necessary dollars in order to qualify for the State’s new public financing law.

• A State House candidate needs to raise $5,000 from 150 residents of the district in contributions between $5 and $100.

• A State Senate candidate needs to raise $15,000 from 300 residents of the district in contributions between $5 and $100.

Get Ready for Sales Tax Free Week

• The States annual sales tax free week will take place this year beginning August 17th - 23rd.

• As you know by now, the sales tax free week applies to any purchase of clothing and footwear under $300.

• Look for more information on the sales tax free week in our next issue.

Members Services Update

• The CRMA menu of money saving programs continues to march on.

• This week we held a conference call with a member to talk about our great bank card program with Global Payments. We also did a site visit to another member for the same purpose.

• And with energy costs continuing to rise, members should contact us today about our retail energy supply program with Integrys Energy.

• Finally, we continue on our journey to form the states first Self Insured Workers Compensation Fund for Retailers.

• Earlier this month we held another meeting with the Department of Insurance who have pledged to work closely with us to make sure the program is properly run and that we have a strong working relationship with them.

• If you are interested in any or all of these programs, please call Cathy in our office at 860-527-1044 or email her at cathy@crmaonline.com.

Retail News and Notes

• Target sells new hipster baby wear line Mike and Stephannie Weikert spent a chunk of their savings to develop a trendy line of baby apparel dubbed "Small Roar." The T-shirts and onesies featuring such images as an empty speech balloon symbolizing free speech and a pacifier over the word "pacifist" now are available at Target.com. The Sun (Baltimore) (free registration) (7/30)

• U.S. consumers to face higher holiday prices
Retailers are predicting price increases of up to 15% for holiday merchandise this year. The high cost of gas, a weak dollar and increased Chinese labor costs are fueling the price increases. The Boston Globe/Associated Press (7/30)

• Dunkin' Donuts rolls out healthier fare
Dunkin' Donuts will launch new menu items in August in order to provide its customers with more nutritious food options. Two new flatbread sandwiches made with egg whites will contain less than 300 calories and 9 grams of fat or less. Houston Chronicle/Associated Press (7/30)