Shopping Center Industry Welcomes Introduction Of Marketplace Fairness Act

Sales Tax Fairness One Step Closer with Bipartisan Legislation

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) today welcomed the introduction of bipartisan companion Senate and House bills – the Marketplace Fairness Act – which will grant states the authority to compel sales tax collection on online purchases made by consumers in their state. It will also end the competitive advantage that online sellers currently enjoy by not charging sales tax and improve the sales tax system to better reflect the realities of the 21^st century marketplace.

"The shopping center industry would like to commend Senators Mike Enzi (R-WY), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), and Representatives Steve Womack (R-AR), Jackie Speier (D-CA), Peter Welch (D-VT) and John Conyers (D-MI) for their steadfast leadership on this issue," said Michael P. Kercheval, president and CEO of ICSC. "Closing the online sales tax loophole so that all retailers can compete on a level playing field is sound public policy and will protect the economic health of states, cities and neighborhoods," added Kercheval.

The legislation is designed to grant states the power to set up a simple and fair system to collect taxes on remote sales, giving them the ability to collect revenue they are already owed at the point of purchase. It will also give brick-and-mortar retailers a chance to compete in a free market, protect jobs that are badly needed to support American families, keep communities economically healthy and provide states with much needed revenue. To promote the legislation, ICSC together with the Retail Industry Leaders Association, National Retail Federation, National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors and the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts, is spearheading the Marketplace Fairness Coalition, which is dedicated to advancing the Marketplace Fairness Act.

"The debate over online sales tax collection has gone on for more than two decades. The only sensible solution to this issue is to enact federal legislation," said Betsy Laird, senior vice president of global public policy of ICSC. "We are encouraged by the broad, bi-partisan support in both the House and Senate for the Marketplace Fairness Act and are optimistic that this legislation will pass in 2013," added Laird.

ICSC has promoted sales tax fairness for over a decade, advocating that a "sale is a sale" regardless of whether the purchase takes place on Main Street, at shopping centers, via mail-order or over the Internet.  For more information about sales tax fairness and how the current sales tax system is unable to support the 21^st century retail marketplace please visit www.21stcenturyretail.org.

About ICSC
Founded in 1957, ICSC is the premier global trade association of the shopping center industry. Its more than 55,000 members in over 90 countries include shopping center owners, retailers, developers, managers, marketing specialists, investors, and brokers as well as academics and public officials. As the global industry trade association, ICSC links with more than 25 national and regional shopping center councils throughout the world. For more information, visit www.icsc.org.

SOURCE International Council of Shopping Centers