Prepared and Distributed by The Midwest Hardware Association, Inc.
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Here at MHA we are grateful to each of our members. Every store and individual are cornerstones holding up our organization, through the contribution of their own unique and valuable representation. We want to recognize those of you who have dedicated years of support to our association.
Join us in celebrating these awesome anniversaries!
Celebrating 100 years of membership:
Gasser Hardware Inc, Boscobel, WI
Woodruff Appliance & TV, Woodruff, WI
Celebrating 75 years of membership:
Olson’s Ace Hardware, Franklin Park, IL
United True Value Hardware, Oconto Falls, WI
Noonan True Value Hardware & Rental, Springfield, IL
Thief River Falls Ace Hardware, Thief River Falls, MN
Celebrating 50 years of membership:
Harris Ace Hardware, Beloit, WI
Klingbeil Lumber Co., Medford, WI
Northbrook Ace Hardware, Northbrook, IL
Wilton Hardware Hank, Wilton, WI
Celebrating 25 years of membership:
Dukes Ace Hardware, Palos Hills, IL
Hartje Farm Home & Tire Center, La Valle, WI
Nelson Mill & Agri-Center, Prairie du Chien, WI
Schauer Hardware, Forest Park, IL
Links Do It Best Hardware & Appliance, Ashley, ND
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New MHA Website to Launch May 16
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Here at the association, we have been making BIG changes to our website and can't wait to share them with you!
These awesome improvements have modernized our site and streamlined functionality in your individual My MHA and My Payroll profiles. We hope you love our fresh look, new and improved features, and simple site navigation.
Because of this update, there will be some upcoming changes to your login information, so please pay close attention to your emails so you don't miss a beat!
If you did not receive our new website email on April 15, check your junk-email and/or spam filter, and be sure to mark [email protected] as a safe sender.
If you utilize payroll services, please understand that as of May 16, you will no longer have payroll report access for data prior to December 31, 2021. You can run your own reports up until May 16, 2023, after which your payroll specialist will still have access and can run them for you.
Please watch your email for more details to come!
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PaintCare is Set to Pass in Illinois
By Alec Laird, MHA Illinois Lobbyist and Vice President, Government Relations for the Illinois Retail Merchants Association
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After many years of negotiation, PaintCare will most likely pass the Illinois General Assembly.
PaintCare was formed to manage the first U.S. paint stewardship program that began in Oregon in July 2010. Since then the program has also been established in California, Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Maine, Minnesota, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and New York.
PaintCare programs are funded by a tax on the sale of each container of paint sold in the state or jurisdiction. Fees are based on container size and vary by state. The assessment of fees covers costs associated with setting up drop-off locations for post-consumer architectural coatings (includes paint, stain, and varnish) from households and businesses in each state with a program and operating recycling and re-use systems. Most drop-off locations are paint retailers. PaintCare also works with household hazardous waste programs and solid waste transfer stations to cover expenses related to paint transportation, recycling, and disposal of the paint they accept. There is no charge for dropping off paint at a PaintCare location. All sites accept all brands of paint, regardless of how old the paint is
The Illinois PaintCare legislation (SB 836) has passed the Senate unanimously by a vote of 54-0 and is currently in the House Environment committee where it is expected to pass. For eHelps members, retailers, including hardware stores, are NOT:
- required to participate in the program;
- required to be a take-back location;
- required to put the fee on the receipt;
- required to collect or remit any fee;
- considered manufacturers under the legislation; and
- responsible for any paint brands they may own or license.
Additionally, retailers are allowed to voluntarily participate in the program if they choose to do so. Retailers that serve as permanent collection sites could potentially be paid for participating in the program but could not charge the consumer for collecting the paint. Retailers are still allowed to charge for collection of paint as long as they are not participating in the program.
MHA expects the legislation to pass the House and be sent to the Governor. The program will not begin in earnest until 2025.
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Governor's Budget Calls For New Paid Family Leave Program
By Misha Lee, MHA Wisconsin Lobbyist
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Inside Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers' $103.8 billion two-year state budget proposal is a provision calling for the creation of a new state Paid Family and Medical Leave Benefits Insurance program which would provide up to 12 weeks of paid leave to eligible employees in Wisconsin (See item #1 Paid Family and Medical Leave). The leave would be available for a variety of reasons, including the birth or adoption of a child, the serious illness of a family member, or the employee's own serious illness. The program would be initially funded by $240 million in state funding to get it off the ground before eventually being fully funded by employers through a payroll tax paid by both employees and employers.
The proposal is supported by legislative Democrats and a number of public labor unions and advocacy groups who argue that it would help Wisconsin families and businesses retain and attract workers. Opponents of the proposal, including numerous business groups, argue that it would be too costly for businesses, especially smaller sized employers, and would lead to job losses. The governor’s plan is currently being considered by members of the state Legislature and the 16 member Joint Finance Committee as part of its biennial state budget review process. It is unclear whether the proposal will be passed into law, but Republicans who currently control both houses of the Legislature by large majorities are apprehensive to support it.
Here are some of the key details of the proposal:
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If you'd like to place an ad, please contact Sam Schmidt at
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Sales Trends December 2022
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Here are the most recent Illinois, Minnesota-Dakotas, and Wisconsin hardware store sales trends, gathered from association members using the MHA's monthly accounting services. The figures derived for each region include sales data from the following number of stores:
Illinois - 13 stores
Minn.-Dakotas - 8 stores
Wisconsin - 46 stores
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MHA is the recognized leader in providing accounting to independent hardware stores of all sizes and of all wholesaler affiliations. We provide accurate, timely, complete monthly financial statements and, because we do accounting for hundreds of hardware stores across the country, we offer something that other accounting firms can't.
With MHA monthly accounting service you receive:
- Monthly Profit & Loss Statement, Balance Sheet, and Cash Flow
- Accountant's Interpretation and Analysis Letter
- Complete reconciliation of all bank accounts, outstanding credit card transactions, merchandise payables, and other balance sheet items
- Preparation of sales tax, payroll tax, and other federal, state, and local tax reports
- Nationwide, toll-free telephone access to keep you in touch with the MHA staff
- Outstanding, professional service at reasonable prices
Our trained staff stays up to date on the latest tax developments and works closely with you to prepare and file returns that are accurate, complete, and on time.
Testimonial
“Because they work with other hardware stores around the nation, MHA gives us great insight on what to do when it comes to my accounting and finances. They are the best financial counselors to have for running a hardware store.”
David Tennies, Manager
Tennies Hardware
West Bend, WI
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