BECOMING A MEMBER OF RAM IS ONE OF THE BEST DECISIONS YOU CAN MAKE FOR YOUR BUSINESS.
By joining you gain access to exclusive, money saving discounts on services and programs, legislative updates and advocacy as well as valuable educational opportunities. We aim to help you grow and protect your business, promote the retail industry and save your business money.
Advocacy
As the active voice of the retailing community, RAM represents members and their interests before all branches of state government in an effort to protect, preserve and promote the thriving retail sector of the Massachusetts economy. RAM's staff of registered lobbyists remains keenly engaged in the debate and discussion on both the legislative and regulatory fronts with regard to all issues that impact the retail community. RAM breaks down the issues so you can clearly see the potential impact they could have on your business.
How to Help Massachusetts Retailers
Globe Editorial, April 22, 2017
RETAIL STORES HAVE taken a real hit in the last several years. Just last month, the national retail sector shed 30,000 jobs. Last year, the retail sector job loss was almost 90,000.
That shouldn’t come as a surprise. After all, hardly a month goes by without news of another retail chain closing stores
Smart Tax Policy Protects the Home Team
“Don’t tax you, don’t tax me, tax the fellow behind the tree;” so said former Louisiana Senator Russell B. Long when describing “tax reform.” This is a pretty clear description of the political process behind tax debates at the state and federal levels. And this message is worth keeping in mind as we face major tax changes and debates over the next year on Capitol Hill concerning the Border Adjustment Tax; and on Beacon Hill and the state ballot on the so-called Millionaires Tax.
There is no better example of Senator Long’s “behind the tree” saying than the sales tax. Big business prefers to have consumers pay more rather than them, and big non-profits like healthcare providers don’t care where the tax dollars come from, so long as they are exempt from taxes and they keep getting increased taxpayer support for their growing bottom lines.
Free e-Training for Members
RAM is pleased to offer social media and e-commerce training to retailers throughout the state of Massachusetts. The training is free for employers and employees whose organization pays into the state Workforce Development Fund. All for-profit employers with payroll employees in Massachusetts contribute to the Workforce Training Fund. Some nonprofit organizations with payroll employees in Massachusetts contribute to the Workforce Training Fund, but others do not.
RAM Responds to Health Care Tax Proposal -- Focus First on Reducing Health Care Costs
Employers should not be asked to pay more until the state takes meaningful steps to reduce health care costs, to lower small business premiums, to address issues of provider price variation, and to reign in unnecessary provider and hospital spending.
Bring Back the Sales Tax Holiday? It's up to you.
In 2016, there was no Sales Tax Holiday. A number of elected officials claimed that the state couldn’t afford it. This year, we need to bring back the tax holiday, because we can’t afford not to.
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