Don't Tax the Internet

Americans for the Preservation of Liberty has joined a project spearheaded by Americans for Tax Reform to urge Congress to extend the moratorium on taxes on the Internet:

September 17, 2007

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,

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

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

Fred L. Smith, Jr.,
President,
Competitive Enterprise 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 Wright,
President,
Institute for Liberty Internet Freedom Coalition