Booksellers Asked to Contact Candidates Re Sales Tax Fairness

Last week, the American Booksellers Association launched the latest phase in its sales tax fairness campaign. ABA is asking 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.

Though ABA does not endorse any candidates, it is critical that those who do take office in January 2011 understand how the current sales tax inequity is hurting their states' businesses and stifling job creation. The association is urging booksellers to bring this to the attention of political candidates at every level.

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 to adapt the letter and to send it to key candidates in the upcoming elections. The more that businesses reach out to candidates, the more powerfully the message will be communicated.

Booksellers are asked to contact Senior Public Policy Analyst David Grogan at dave@bookweb.org or (800) 637-0037, ext. 6662, when they have sent letters, or if they have questions.