Thursday, July 28, 2011
Sales Tax Hearing Follow Up
Members of the Senate Budget & Taxation Committee made it clear during this week’s hearing on sales tax issues that the hearing’s purpose was to educate committee members, not map out a plan to expand the sales tax to business services and Internet sales. However, Maryland Chamber President and CEO Kathy Snyder testified before the committee to outline the Chamber’s opposition to sales tax expansion and urged Chamber members to remain vigilant.
Snyder said that expanding the sales tax to services and taxing Internet sales would hurt Maryland businesses. She urged the committee to think about the small businesses that would suffer. “Maryland would lose businesses to the surrounding states, who do not have these taxes,” Snyder says.
The Maryland Chamber urges business people to visit this site often to stay informed as the 2011 special session and 2012 General Assembly session approaches. We will also email members updates this fall.
Here is the briefing paper, presented to the committee by the Department of Legislative Services. Here is the Maryland Chamber’s testimony.
News Coverage of the Hearing
- CNBC: Md. analysts present sales tax extension options
- MarylandReporter.com: Assembly staff presents $1 billion in sales tax hikes on services, Internet
- Baltimore Sun: Senate budget committee gets lesson in sales tax options
- BBJ: Maryland lawmakers discuss expanding sales tax to online retailers
