Cities Warn Congress of Cost of Inaction on Marketplace Fairness on One Year Anniversary of Senate Passage

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May 08, 2014, 11:50 ET

WASHINGTON, May 8, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On the one-year anniversary of the U.S. Senate passage of the Marketplace Fairness Act, National League of Cities (NLC) President Chris Coleman, Mayor of Saint Paul, Minn., today issued this statement:

"One year ago this week, the Senate passed the bipartisan Marketplace Fairness Act, taking a decisive step in the decades-long fight to ensure that online retailers play by the same rules as local brick and mortar retailers when it comes to collecting sales taxes. Thanks to the support of the 69 Senators who voted in favor of the legislation, main street retailers are one step closer to a level playing field, and state and local governments are one step closer to a stronger tax base to fund vital services like public safety and infrastructure.

"We applaud the recent efforts by Chairman Goodlatte (R-VA) and members of the House to develop principles and draft legislation that will finally solve the issue of e-fairness. However, the cost of further inaction is too great for our local businesses and communities; the time is now to pass this common sense legislation. Our local business and communities are counting on it. "

The National League of Cities (NLC) is dedicated to helping city leaders build better communities. NLC is a resource and advocate for 19,000 cities, towns and villages, representing more than 218 million Americans.

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SOURCE National League of Cities