April 7, 2000

Dear Governor Leavitt,

American taxpayers are coping with the highest tax burden since the end of World War II.  State and local governments, as well as the federal government, continue to take in billions of dollars in tax overpayments while too often stubbornly refusing to return those overpayments to the people.  Meanwhile, government continues to spend taxpayer money in foolish ways.

Perhaps the most foolish use of taxpayer money taking place today involves the National Governors Association, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the National Conference of State Legislatures, and other taxpayer-subsidized groups waging a lobbying and public relations campaign which, if successful, will result in more money for government, and less for taxpayers.

As you are well aware, the NGA receives the bulk of its income from state and local taxpayers through grants and appropriations.  For a government-funded organization such as yours to continue expending taxpayer resources to lobby for expanded power to tax consumers and businesses constitutes a vicious circle that victimizes every American taxpayer.

Worse, the American people do not support the NGA's plan for a national sales tax collection scheme for the Internet.  I was pleased to see you abandoned your risky "trusted third party" tax scheme because it would obliterate consumer privacy, but I am afraid this retreat has been in name only, for your taxpayer-subsidized lobby continues to push for vague "technological solutions" that may compromise consumer privacy in the same way.

Not only is the NGA using taxpayer subsidies to campaign for expanded taxing power, it is doing so without the support of the public.  In effect, the NGA and its taxpayer-subsidized brethren are forcing all Americans, regardless of their beliefs on this issue, to contribute to the advancement of your pro-tax point of view.

I call on you to return the tax dollars spent by the NGA to lobby for higher taxes on the Internet and to open the NGA's books for public audit so that taxpayers can be assured that never again will their tax dollar be used for welfare for lobbyists for tax increases.

Sincerely,

Americans for Tax Reform