On May 6 the Senate passed S 763 – the Marketplace Fairness Act by a vote of 69-27. The legislation would give state and local governments the option to collect taxes on remote sales, which are already owed to them under current law. Despite the broad bipartisan approval of the measure in the Senate, the legislation has languished in the House and faces an uncertain future without significant engagement by state and local government officials and other supporters. The GFOA is working with our state and local government coalition partners to encourage House action on the Marketplace Fairness Act, but we need your help to get the House to consider this important legislation!
What Can You Do?
GFOA’s Federal Liaison Center has developed a suite of advocacy materials to assist you in your outreach to your federal elected leaders to request their support for the House version of the Marketplace Fairness Act (HR 684). These materials include:
Talking points to help you in your discussions with your members of Congress on the bill.
http://www.gfoa.org/downloads/GFOAMFATalkingPoints.doc
A factsheet discussing the inaccuracies of many of the arguments being used against Marketplace.
http://gfoa.org/downloads/GFOADRAFTMFAMythbusterFactsheet.pdf
A draft letter to send to your members of the House of Representatives to request their cosponsorship of the bill (HR 684).
http://gfoa.org/downloads/GFOADRAFTCosponsorMFALtr.docx
A draft thank you letter for you to send to your members of Congress if they are already a cosponsor of the bill.
http://gfoa.org/downloads/GFOADRAFTMarketplaceTYltr.docx
A draft Op-Ed for you to send to your local paper to continue to increase awareness for the need to enact this important bill.
http://gfoa.org/downloads/GFOADraftOPEDMarketplaceFairnessAct2013.docx