January 3, 2006
Please contact members of Senate to oppose advertising tax
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives has passed a property tax relief bill that would broadly expand the current 6% sales tax to cover advertising and a number of other business services. The bill (Senate Bill 854) is now pending before the Senate. The Senate Special Session Committee on Legislation will hold a public hearing tomorrow on the bill. ANA is working closely with member companies and other industry groups in Pennsylvania to kill the legislation in that chamber. We will be contacting members of the Senate to explain why a tax on advertising is a bad idea.
It is critical that legislators hear from marketers about the negative impact of a tax on advertising. Please contact the leadership and other members of the Pennsylvania Senate to express your company’s opposition to any tax on advertising. Contact information for the Senate is available at www.legis.state.pa.us
As passed by the Senate in October, Senate Bill 854 was a brief bill on medical savings accounts. On December 20th, the House amended the bill into a property tax relief bill that increases the personal income tax rate and extends the sales tax to a number of business services, including advertising, management consulting, public relations and many others. The bill, which passed the House on a 103-92 vote, now returns to the Senate. The Senate can vote to concur in the House amendments or reject those changes.
It is very important for marketers to contact members of the Senate and urge them to not concur in the House amendments, including the tax on advertising.
Click here for some talking points you may wish to use in your contacts with members.
If you have any questions or more information about the tax situation in Pennsylvania, please contact Keith Scarborough, ANA Vice President for State Government Relations at kscaborough@ana.net or (202) 296-1883.
Thank you for your assistance.