Request that Congress Promptly Extend the Internet Tax Freedom Act
Over 30 Free Market Groups Call for Congress to Extend Tax Ban
Full Document Available in PDF
Dear Member of Congress:
On behalf of millions of taxpayers, we request that Congress promptly extend the Internet Tax Freedom Act before it expires on November 1, 2007. If the moratorium is allowed to lapse, American taxpayers could be exposed to countless new and onerous taxes from states and municipalities simply for accessing the Internet.
Since 1998, Congress has ensured that Internet access is not subject to either state and local taxes or multiple and discriminatory taxes on Internet commerce, regardless of the technology consumers use to access the Internet. With the moratorium’s expiration rapidly approaching, it is imperative that Congress continue to prohibit Internet access taxes and multiple and discriminatory taxes on electronic commerce.
The Internet prospers today as the result of unshackled innovation and technological growth unfettered by government taxation or regulation. Although policies up to this point have temporarily put a hold on government interference, passing a permanent ban on Internet taxation would send a signal that the Internet is open for further growth and development.
Taxing access and Internet activities would not only hinder the expansion of technology that fuels our modern economy, but it would also rebuild communication barriers among families, hamper growing businesses, and negatively impact our lives in countless ways.
The U.S. cannot afford to open the free Internet market to taxation. The time of temporary moratorium has passed. Once again we, the undersigned groups, urge you to co-sponsor and work to pass S. 156 and H.R. 743 which would permanently extend the federal moratorium on Internet access taxes.
Sincerely,
Fred L. Smith, Jr.
President
Competitive Enterprise Institute
Barbara Anderson
Executive Director
Citizens for Limited Taxation
John Berthoud
President
National Taxpayers Union
Greg Blankenship
President
Illinois Policy Institute
Chris Derry
President
Bluegrass Institute
Leon Drolet
Executive Director
Michigan Taxpayers Alliance
Ryan Ellis
Executive Director
American Shareholders Association
Richard Falknor
Executive Vice-President
Maryland Taxpayers Association, Inc.
Colin A. Hanna
President
Let Freedom Ring, Inc.
Tom Hoefling
President
Idahoans for Tax Reform
Derek Hunter
Executive Director
Media Freedom Project
Kimberly Kuo
Executive Director
MyWireless.org
David A. Keene
Chairman
The American Conservative Union
Matt Kibbe
President
FreedomWorks
Thomas P. Kilgannon
President
Freedom Alliance
Phil Krinkie
President
Taxpayers League of Minnesota
Chris Lilik
Young Conservatives of Pennsylvania
Jeffrey Mazzella
President
Center for Individual Freedom
John McClaughry
President
Ethan Allen Institute
Tom McClusky
Vice President of Government Affairs
Family Research Council
Bill McMaster
State Chairman
Taxpayers United Michigan Foundation
Chuck Muth
President
Citizen Outreach
Grover Norquist
President
Americans for Tax Reform
Tim Phillips
President
Americans for Prosperity
C. Preston Noell III
President
Tradition, Family, Property, Inc.
Andrew Quinlan
President
Center for Freedom and Prosperity
Amy Ridenour
Vice Chairman
Americans for the Preservation of Liberty
Lori Roman
Executive Director
American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)
Richard O. Rowland
President
Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
Thomas A. Schatz
President
Council for Citizens Against Government Waste
Curt Smith
President
Indiana Family Institute
Pat Toomey
President
The Club for Growth
Mead Treadwell
Alaskans for Tax Reform
Steve Voeller
President
Arizona Free Enterprise Club
Mark Warden
President
Budget Watch Nevada
Paul M. Weyrich
National Chairman
Coalitions for America
Jason Williams
Executive Director
Taxpayers Association of Oregon
Jason Wright
President
Institute for Liberty
Internet Freedom Coalition