Sen. Enzi, R-Wyo., Sen. Durbin, D-Ill., and Sen. Alexander, R-Tenn., offered their Marketplace Fairness Act yesterday as an amendment to the Small Business Jobs and Tax Relief Act. The Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA) opposed the Marketplace Fairness Act when it was first introduced, and we remain opposed to it, as it would impose tax collection burdens on small Internet businesses, which are some of the most promising candidates for future economic growth.
The following statement can be attributed to CCIA President & CEO Ed Black:
“Such a burden for small online businesses certainly does not belong in a bill called the Small Business Jobs and Tax Relief Act. It has never been and should not be the job of small businesses to collect taxes for state and local governments outside where they live and do business. This is not relief and not fairness – it is government expanding tax collection in ways that would require online businesses to suddenly learn tax laws for hundreds of state and local jurisdictions outside where they operate.”
“This proposal, and other online sales tax collection proposals like it, would allow states to penalize the innovative e-commerce business model by targeting small online businesses as convenient sources (and collectors) of revenue.”
“What we need are pro-growth policies that foster innovation and progress — rather than favor existing business models at the expense of consumers and growth.”