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JA supports 'Sales Tax Fairness' bill

May 24, 2007

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New York—Throwing its support behind a measure it believes will level the retail tax playing field, Jewelers of America (JA) has encouraged the swift passage of the "Sales Tax Fairness and Simplification Act," a bill that promises to help states collect sales and use taxes currently not required from remote sellers such as catalog- and Internet-based retailers.

Republican Sen. Mike Enzi of Wyoming introduced the bill in the Senate on Tuesday.

"For 15 years, the Internet and other remote retailers have had an unfair tax advantage that has harmed both consumers and traditional business owners," JA president and chief executive officer Matthew A. Runci said in a statement. "We don't believe consumers should be punished because they would rather shop on Main Street than in cyberspace."

According to Enzi, the legislation would streamline the country's more than 7,500 diverse sales tax jurisdictions. It permits states that become voluntary members of the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement (SSUTA) to require remote sellers to collect and remit sales and use taxes. At this point, 15 states have changed their tax laws and implemented the requirements of the SSUTA. It is designed to harmonize states sales and use tax rules, bring uniformity to the definitions of items in the sales tax base, reduce paperwork for retailers and incorporate new technology to modernize administrative procedures.

"The states have acted. It is now time for Congress to provide states that enact the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement with the authority to require remote retailers to collect sales tax, just as Main Street retailers do today," Enzi said.

JA is actively supporting the bill. It joined the E-Fairness Coalition, a large group of businesses, associations, labor unions and state and local governments working to get the "Sales Tax Fairness and Simplification Act" enacted. The association has been working on the issue since 2002, and is committed to its passage into law. The group will closely monitor hearings and other action on the bill.

The association urges retail jewelers to write to their state's senators expressing support for the bill. Jewelers can also send letters to Sen. Enzi's office: 379A Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C., 20510.

For more information about Jewelers of America, visit its Web site, Jewelers.org.
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