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An Update from the MA DOR:
Tax Amnesty Period to Run from November 1 to December 30, 2024
As we reported last month, a 60-day tax amnesty was authorized in the Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Act. We wanted to provide some new details. The tax amnesty will begin on November 1, 2024, and end on December 30, 2024. DOR will waive most penalties for eligible taxpayers who submit an online request for amnesty, file outstanding returns, and pay tax and interest owed. Please stay tuned to the Tax Amnesty webpage, which will be updated regularly (including additional FAQs) with more information. Links to video tutorials on how to complete the process, and to the form to request amnesty will be available from the webpage by November 1.
Attention RAM Cannabis Members!
Cannabis Social Equity Trust Fund Grant
Application Period Now Open
The Healey-Driscoll Administration this week announced the availability of additional financial assistance from the Cannabis Social Equity Trust Fund with the launch of the new Social Equity Grant Program, which will offer grants to current and pre-licensed cannabis industry entrepreneurs. The Social Equity Grant Program (Grant Program) seeks to address the financial needs of Massachusetts cannabis social equity businesses by providing grants to eligible Marijuana Establishments, Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers, as well as Pre-Licensed Cannabis Business. The Grant Program will distribute grants to promote and support the increased participation of social equity participants in the cannabis industry.
To be eligible to apply for funds from the Social Equity Grant Program, applicants must be a duly organized business entity in good standing and located in Massachusetts that qualifies as a Pre-Licensed Cannabis Business or a Marijuana Establishment or Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers with a Provisional or Final License issued by the Commission that has a majority of ownership designated by the Commission as Economic Empowerment Priority Applicants or Social Equity Program Participants.
Grant Program Timeline:
- Application period opens September 24, 2024
- Informational webinar - October 1, 2024, at 12:00 PM
- Application deadline - October 17, 2024
Important RAM Survey Administered by
UMass Donahue Institute
RAM has engaged the University of Massachusetts Donahue Institute (UMDI) to conduct a survey on our behalf to better understand the unique challenges retailers experience across the Commonwealth. The survey findings will provide recommendations for advocacy with state and local officials and your participation is critical to understanding retailer-specific challenges in the state. RAM members were emailed an individualized link to complete the survey on October 7 th directly from UMDI Research Analyst Sofia Molina ( [email protected]). The subject line reads: RAM Survey Official Launch If you have not received this email, please check your junk folder. Your input is vital, as these results will be used in our public policy advocacy and education efforts, aimed at policy makers and the media.
The deadline to complete this survey is Friday November 1st by 5pm EST.
Click here for benefits summary.
RAMHIC Offerings for 2024
RAMHIC continues to partner with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts to offer members access to the carrier's entire portfolio of high quality, small group health insurance plans.
All members purchasing their health insurance coverage through the cooperative will also receive an expanded list of ancillary benefits, FREE of charge.
Click image above to view a BCBS produced informational video on the power of the RAM/BCBS Cooperative.
Please see our brochure for more detail on the expanded benefit package. Specific information regarding each benefit may be found below:
For more information please visit the RAMHIC page of our website.
Question 2 would eliminate the MCAS assessment as a graduation requirement for
our public high school students
Click on image to learn more and get involved.
Learn more about the Tip Pooling Ballot Question that will be in front of voters in November.
Find out how to get involved, spread the word and how each restaurant can help inform voters why they should be voting NO!
Click on image to learn more and to donate.
The Board voted to oppose Question 2, which would eliminate the statewide MCAS graduation requirement. This proposed law would eliminate the requirement that a student pass the MCAS test (or any other statewide or district-wide assessments) in mathematics, science and technology, and English to receive a high school diploma. Instead, for a student to receive a high school diploma, the proposed law would require the student to complete coursework certified by the student’s district as demonstrating mastery of the competencies contained in the state academic standards in mathematics, science and technology, and English, as well as any additional areas determined by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Where we now have one statewide standard for graduation requirement, passage of this law could result in hundreds of different standards determined locally across the state. The potential for this patchwork of inconsistent graduation standards across the state would negatively impact workforce development for all employers.
The Board of Directors also voted to oppose Question 5, a proposed law Requiring the Full Minimum Wage for Tipped Workers, because of the devastating negative impacts it will have on the restaurant industry in the Commonwealth.
This proposed law would increase, over the course of five years, the minimum hourly wage an employer must pay a tipped worker, on the following schedule: to 64% of the state minimum wage on January 1, 2025; to 73% in 2026; to 82% in 2027; to 91% in 2028; and to 100% in 2029. Also, under the proposed law, employers would be permitted to mandate participation in a “tip pool” that combines all the tips given by customers to consumer facing service workers and distributes them among all the workers, including non-consumer facing service workers.
Passage of this law would result in increased labor costs for businesses utilizing the tipped wage and a reduction in the amount of tips available to currently tipped service workers, at a time when high inflation continues to impact profitability for many businesses.
Congratulations to Neil Abramson, ECi Stores in Leominster
America’s Retail Champion 2024!
Click on picture to see Neil's Acceptance Speech
Photo: Neil with fellow RAM Board members, Erin Calvo-Bacci, CB Stuffer and Sean Conner, Lowe's at the
National Retail Federation's (NRF) annual Retail Advocates Summit in Washington, DC.
“Being an America’s Retail Champion means I am the voice carrying small retailers’ messages to policymakers,” says Neil Abramson.
MA Legislature concludes Formal Sessions…
yet more work lies ahead in Informal Sessions, possible Special Session
The MA Legislature blew past their own July 31st midnight deadline, adjourning at 10:00 AM on August 1st, concluding formal sessions for this year following contentious overnight discussions on several bills that, ultimately, did not advance.
The Legislature will continue to meet in informal session until the end of the year, where typically only non-controversial matters are handled, as there are no roll call votes taken and the objection of any one member can block the further progress of any bill.
The final days of the session saw action on some legislative priorities, land takings and local bills, but some higher profile items, such as the Economic Development Bond Bill, did not move out of conference. The House and Senate at one point in the final day had twelve active conference committees before them, and a handful of other bills of interest to RAM members and others in the employer community which had passed one branch of the Legislature and not the other – but that were viewed as being in play. Three conference committee reports were finalized, enacted and sent to the Governor for her review. The rest remain in differing stages of legislative limbo. House and Senate leaders remain optimistic at being able to get some additional legislation passed during informal sessions and are discussing the possibility of a special session to handle the Economic Development Bond Bill if an agreement can be reached.
What didn't and did get done?
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