Tester Restates His Strong Opposition to Internet Sales Tax Bill

Senator cites the disastrous impact this legislation would have on small businesses in Montana

(U.S. Senate) – Today, Senator Jon Tester once again expressed his strong opposition to the Marketplace Fairness Act. In a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, Tester outlined the disastrous impact an online sales tax would have on small businesses in Big Sky country.

“Montana doesn’t have a sales tax for a reason,” Tester said. “This law would supersede the rights of our state and the will of our people by forcing Montana’s small businesses to collect a tax we don’t support to benefit states we don’t live in.”

Despite the fact that Montana does not have a sales tax, the misleadingly titled Marketplace Fairness Act would force Montana businesses who sell their products online to charge and collect these taxes for the other 46 states and 9,600 jurisdictions that do have a sales tax. In his letter, Tester made clear that he would oppose all efforts to advance the bill.

“Our states will face these burdens without seeing any benefits from Internet sales tax legislation” Tester wrote.

Tester has been a vocal opponent of the Marketplace Fairness Act. The entire letter can be viewed here.