E-Fairness: 10 New State-Specific Fact Sheets Available

Ten new state-specific fact sheets were added this week to the E-Fairness Action Kit (E-FACT) on BookWeb.org, ABA's member website. Over the next month, the American Booksellers Association will add fact sheets for each of the states that collect sales tax but do not yet have e-fairness laws. ABA launched E-FACT in January to provide booksellers with a wide array of state-specific tools to help them in their e-fairness outreach efforts.

New fact sheets are now available for:

• Arizona
• Colorado
• Florida
• Georgia
• Illinois
• Louisiana
• Minnesota
• Ohio
• Pennsylvania
• Texas

There are also fact sheets available for:

• California
• Connecticut
• Massachusetts
• Maine
• New Mexico
• Tennessee

The fact sheets provide legislators with hard data about the economic value that independent booksellers as a whole bring to their state. By combining the data from these facts sheets with anecdotal, frontline information about how the current sales tax inequity is negatively affecting their businesses, booksellers have the ammunition to make the case to their legislators for sales tax fairness. In addition, the fact sheets are great "leave behinds" following face-to-face meetings with elected officials or their staff.

The fact sheets provide general economic data on independent bookselling in each state. This includes:

• Estimated overall annual sales for the state's ABA bookstore members;
• Estimated total sales tax collection;
• Number of ABA bookstore locations in the state;
• Approximate number of people employed by independent bookstore members; and
• Estimated overall payroll.

Importantly, the aggregate numbers in each state's fact sheet do not reveal any individual store's financial information.

For booksellers in the 42 states that collect sales tax but do not have e-fairness legislation, E-FACT provides state-specific template letters to state legislators and the governor calling for e-fairness. Booksellers can simply go to E-FACT and navigate to their state's materials, where they will find the relevant documents that can be adapted and then e-mailed to the appropriate person. In the coming weeks and months, E-FACT will also include op-ed pieces, FAQs, relevant articles, and practical suggestions for advocating on behalf of e-fairness.

Booksellers who have questions, need assistance, or want more information on ABA's e-fairness efforts should contact Senior Public Policy Analyst David Grogan at (914) 373-6662 or via e-mail at dave@bookweb.org.