Tester to Washington: Don't Tax Internet Shoppers

Senator Champions Montana Common Sense and Calls on Washington to Reject Online Sales Tax

(U.S. Senate) – U.S. Senator Jon Tester today urged President Trump and Congressional leaders to reject a controversial bill to establish an online sales tax, misleadingly titled the Marketplace Fairness Act of 2017.

Under this bill small businesses in Montana would be forced to collect sales taxes for nearly 10,000 other states, cities and municipalities.

“Montanans have spoken loud and clear: we cannot afford a sales tax in our state,” Tester said. “Consumers and businesses owners across the state don’t need Washington telling Montana how to conduct our business. Congress should be championing policies that allow for growth and create jobs, not impose more taxes. “

Tester wrote President Trump, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY.) to double down on his opposition to the Marketplace Fairness Act that would require small businesses to collect sales tax on behalf of other states and local governments when selling products over the internet. Small businesses would then be forced to act as tax collectors for others states and remit those sales tax revenues to the state or locality in which the customer resides. This bill also opens the door for other state and local governments to summon small businesses from Montana to their jurisdictions for unnecessary audits.

Tester’s letter was praised by Montana small businesses.

“Small businesses across rural America use the internet to compete and grow, a tax on internet sales will only hurt the little guy,” said Lance Trebesch, CEO of Ticketprinting.com in Bozeman. “Creating more bureaucratic red tape for small businesses and yet another tax will not help our rural communities. As a small business owner, I stand with Senator Tester against an internet sales tax because it will hinder job growth in Montana.”

“Small businesses can’t be focused on growing jobs in Montana if they’re shouldered with the burden of serving as a tax collector,” said Sarah Calhoun, CEO/Owner of Red Ants Pants in White Sulphur Springs. “I appreciate Senator Tester’s work to continue to fight this legislation.”

Tester’s letter can be found HERE.