The Michigan Municipal League encourages you to contact U.S. Senators Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow TODAY to urge their support of the Marketplace and Internet Tax Fairness Act. At stake is more than a half billion dollars that could have a significant impact on Michigan communities.

Here are details from the National League of Cities: The NLC asks Michigan municipal officials to contact Senators Levin and Stabenow TODAY to urge their support of S. 2609. Without this bill, Michigan is expected to lose $650 million in remote sales (mainly internet sales) in fiscal year 2014, according to the Michigan Department of Treasury. But if this bill is approved, even with likely exemptions for small sellers, the Michigan treasury department estimates that our state would gain $450 million to $500 million. This amount would presumably increase each year. This additional revenue could have a profound impact on state revenue sharing to local units and other programs that impact municipalities.

Please contact Senators Levin and Stabenow today. A quick phone call from you would be most effective. Senator Levin’s number is (202) 224-6221; Senator Stabenow’s is (202) 224-4822. After reaching out to them, please contact NLC at [email protected] to let them know how the conversation went.

Here is some additional information from NLC about this issue:

Tell Your Senators: Support the Marketplace and Internet Tax Fairness Act

Before Congress adjourned for its August recess, a bipartisan group of Senators introduced the Marketplace and Internet Tax Fairness Act (MITFA), S. 2609. MITFA combines a major priority for NLC – leveling the playing field for online and brick-and-mortar retailers – with a temporary extension of the current moratorium on internet access taxes.

According to reports, the Senate may consider this legislation as early as September, so we need you to contact your Senators now to ask them to co-sponsor and support passage of MITFA.

With most Senators returning to their home states this month, and the potential for a vote on MITFA in September, now is the time to meet with your Senators. If your Senator is not already a co-sponsor of the legislation, contact them and urge them to co-sponsor and support passage of the legislation. If your Senator is already a sponsor, please call and thank them for their support.

Call or visit your Senators, and ask them to co-sponsor and support passage of MITFA. Let them know the legislation:

• Is good for local retailers and creates a level playing field. Main Street retailers currently operate at a 5-10 percent disadvantage because they are required to collect sales taxes while remote sellers are not.
• Is not a new tax. The Marketplace and Internet Tax Fairness Act simply allows states and local governments to enforce existing sales tax laws. The bill does not create new taxes or increase existing ones.
• Is good for our residents and communities. By allowing local governments to collect an estimated $23 billion in uncollected sales taxes on remote sales that are already owed, cities can better provide services to residents at no cost to the federal government.
• Allows Congress the flexibility to respond to the changing communications services industry by recognizing the moratorium on Internet access taxes should not be made permanent in the midst of enormous technological changes.

Please, call your Senators now or schedule a meeting. Click here to tell us how the conversation went, or email [email protected].

For more information, contact Julia Pulidindi, Principal Associate for Federal Advocacy, at [email protected] or 202.626.3176, or Priya Ghosh, Principal Associate for Federal Advocacy, at [email protected] or 202.626.3015.

Matt Bach is director of media relations for the Michigan Municipal League. He can be reached at [email protected] and (734) 669-6317.