ABA Launches New Phase in Its Sales Tax Fairness Campaign

These may be the lazy days of summer for many people, but for those state candidates vying for their first term in office or for re-election, they are anything but. At present, both gubernatorial and state legislative candidates -- banking on a victory come November -- are setting their policy agendas right now.

With that in mind, a wide array of associations, led by ABA, will begin reaching out this week to gubernatorial candidates about the need for sales tax fairness. Importantly, ABA also is asking its member booksellers in the states that collect sales tax but that do not currently have e-fairness laws to urge both gubernatorial and state legislative candidates to make sales tax fairness a part of their agenda as they take office.

"Now is the time to reach out to incumbents and first-term candidates alike to bring up the issue of sales tax fairness so that it will be on their docket in 2011," said Oren Teicher, ABA CEO. "While we do not endorse any candidates, it is critical for us to make sure that those who do take office understand how the current sales tax inequity is hurting their states' businesses and stifling job creation in their states. We are urging booksellers to bring this to the attention of their candidates at every level."

According to Bloomberg Businessweek, of the 37 states with gubernatorial elections coming up in November, 22 of those states do not feature incumbents. This means contacting candidates is all that much more critical this year, Teicher added.

To help booksellers in this important advocacy outreach, ABA has prepared a template letter that can be adapted and e-mailed to candidates for the state legislature and/or for governor. The letter can be found under the booksellers' specific state in the E-FACT materials on BookWeb.org.

In addition, ABA is asking booksellers to encourage their retailing neighbors also to adapt the letter and to send it to the key candidates in the upcoming election. Obviously, the more that businesses reach out to candidates the more powerfully the message is communicated.

Please contact Senior Public Policy Analyst David Grogan at dave@bookweb.org or (800) 637-0037, ext. 6662, when you have sent your letter, or if you have any questions.

The following associations are joining ABA in reaching out to candidates: CBA, the Association for Christian Retailers; Great Lakes Independent Booksellers Association; Midwest Booksellers Association; Mountains & Plains Independent Booksellers Association; National Bicycle Dealers Association; New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association; New England Independent Booksellers Association; Northern California Independent Booksellers Association; Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association; San Francisco Locally Owned Merchants Association; Southern California Independent Booksellers Association; and the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance.