State Retail Execs Hit the Hill to Press Delegations for E-Fairness
Arlington, VA – More than a dozen executives from state-based retail associations are joining the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) on Capitol Hill today to update home-state lawmakers on the pressing need for Congress to pass e-fairness legislation this year.
Today’s visits come after yesterday’s move by Sens. Mike Enzi (R-WY), Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Lamar Alexander (R-TN) to offer an updated version of the Marketplace Fairness Act as an amendment to the Small Business Jobs and Tax Relief Act.
“We’re here to remind lawmakers of the thousands of Main Street businesses in Indiana that are imploring Congress to end special treatment for online-only retailers,” said Grant Monahan, President of the Indiana Retail Council. “With thousands of local jobs at stake, we need Congress to act by the end of the year.”
The online sales tax loophole gives Internet retailers like Amazon an automatic 5-10% price advantage over brick and mortar retailers that are required to collect state sales tax. Congressional action is required in order to close the loophole, and state retail executives are urging their home-state lawmakers to act quickly.
“Nothing is more important to the retail community in South Dakota than for Congress to close this loophole and pass e-fairness legislation,” said Shawn Lyons, Executive Director of the South Dakota Retailers Association. “Retailers of all stripes and sizes in South Dakota need the government to get its thumb off the scale and let everyone compete on a level playing field.”
Despite a flurry of recent activity in states like Texas and New Jersey that have passed new laws to require Amazon.com to collect state sales tax, only Congress can close this loophole permanently nationwide.
“All retailers in Nevada are asking for is a chance to compete in a truly free market, where everyone plays by the same rules whether they do business on Main Street, online, or both,” said Bryan Wachter, Director of Public and Government Affairs at the Retail Association of Nevada.
The House Judiciary Committee is expected to hold a legislative hearing on companion legislation, H.R. 3179, the Marketplace Equity Act, sponsored by Representatives Steve Womack (R-AR) and Jackie Speier (D-CA) on July 24th.