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PRESS RELEASE FROM AMERICANS FOR TAX REFORM
Contact: Christopher Butler ( cbutler@atr.org or 202-785-0266)

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2/19/02

KANSAS LEGISLATORS CONSIDER INTERNET TAX GRAB

WASHINGTON - Americans for Tax Reform (ATR) strongly opposes any and all efforts to impose a sales tax on Internet commerce. State legislators and government officials in Kansas who support creating an inter-state sales tax structure will inhibit tax competition, stifle entrepreneurship, and disable the growth of an emerging marketplace.

Any claim of "simplicity" by legislators who support the idea of cross-border Internet sales taxes cannot be taken seriously. Government officials participating in a multi-state agreement to consider taxing Internet commerce will further complicate state and federal tax structures, burden state taxpayers with the cost of supporting another government bureaucracy, and slow the progress of one of the most important technological innovations in modern history: the Internet.

"By proposing to join any inter-state commission to study new means of taxation, state legislators and government officials in Kansas betray the best interests of taxpayers," said Grover Norquist, President of ATR. "These government officials manipulate political rhetoric to soften the real impact Internet taxation will have on the American economy. They use words like 'simplify' and "study" to describe their intention to tax Internet commerce. I would warn all taxpayers in Kansas to cast a critical eye to any proposal by government officials to join such a commission," concluded Mr. Norquist.

Americans for Tax Reform is a non-partisan coalition of taxpayers and taxpayer groups who oppose all federal and state tax increases.  For more information or to arrange an interview with Mr. Norquist please contact Christopher Butler at (202)785-0266 or by email at cbutler@atr.org.