Shaheen, Hassan Introduce Resolution to Push Back Against Nationwide Internet Sales Tax Collection Requirement
**Senators Stand with Small Businesses and Oppose Marketplace Fairness Act**
(Washington, DC) – This week, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) took a stand against a nationwide online sales tax collection requirement. Shaheen and Hassan joined Senators Jon Tester (D-MT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR), all representing states without a sales tax, to introduce a resolution opposing a bill that would require businesses selling products or services over the internet to collect sales tax for other states, even if the seller is located in a state without a sales tax.
“Mandatory Internet sales tax collection would do great harm to New Hampshire’s small businesses and economy,” said Senator Shaheen. “That’s why I am strongly opposed to efforts in Congress that would disproportionally hurt our state, forcing small companies with no experience collecting sales taxes to cut through new red tape and navigate constantly changing tax rates, holidays, and jurisdictions in order to collect sales tax for 46 states across the country. I will continue to work across the aisle to fight this misguided effort by some in Congress and the Trump administration that would hurt New Hampshire.”
“New Hampshire’s small businesses are critical for our economic success, and I am strongly opposed to any law that would mandate Granite State businesses collect internet sales tax,” Senator Hassan said. “This proposal would force a complex web of red tape upon New Hampshire businesses that would see no benefit from the increased tax revenue pocketed by other states. People in New Hampshire and in many states across the country agree that this backward policy would only hinder economic growth, and I will continue to work on behalf of Granite Staters to ensure that this proposal never comes to pass.”
“Passage of the Marketplace Fairness Act would harm the economy of the United States and place burdensome and bureaucratic policies on small businesses and entrepreneurs,” the resolution reads. “It should not be the role of small businesses and entrepreneurs to help shore up the finances of states and localities through an online sales tax.”
New Hampshire is one of five states that does not collect a sales tax and would see no benefit from the proposed legislation. Instead, the bill would impose new red tape on New Hampshire businesses that have grown by utilizing the Internet.
“The Marketplace Fairness Act would overwhelmingly benefit larger corporate entities at the expense of small businesses and entrepreneurs,” the resolution continues.
Under the so-called Marketplace Fairness Act, small businesses and retailers that sell their products or services online would be forced to collect sales taxes for nearly 10,000 other states, cities and municipalities.
The text of the resolution can be found HERE.
