NCIBA, SCIBA, & ABA Urge Support of E-Fairness Provision in CA's Proposed Budget

This week, the American Booksellers Association, Northern California Independent Booksellers Association, and Southern California Independent Booksellers Association reached out to their respective California members in support of an e-fairness provision in California's proposed budget. The groups urged their bookseller members to contact their lawmakers and to ask them to support the sales tax fairness provision.

This week, the American Booksellers Association, Northern California Independent Booksellers Association, and Southern California Independent Booksellers Association reached out to their respective California members in support of an e-fairness provision in California's proposed budget. The groups urged their bookseller members to contact their lawmakers and to ask them to support the sales tax fairness provision, which, if enacted, would require out-of-state online retailers to collect California sales tax on sales to California residents.

"The fight for e-fairness in California has reached a critical juncture, and it is very important that booksellers in the state contact their lawmakers to urge their support," said ABA CEO Oren Teicher. "Opponents of sales tax equity are lobbying aggressively against this sales tax equity provision, and we believe their efforts will only increase. A strong message from independent booksellers to their elected officials will make clear how important this issue is to the health of in-state businesses and job creation. Without California booksellers' previous efforts, sales tax fairness would not be in the budget right now. However for the affiliate nexus provision to have a chance we need booksellers to continue their effective advocacy."

To make the process easier for booksellers, ABA, NCIBA, and SCIBA have created a number of templates: a sample letter [1] that booksellers can adapt and e-mail to their lawmakers. NCIBA, SCIBA, and ABA also ask that booksellers notify David Grogan [2], ABA Senior Public Policy Analyst, after they have contacted their legislators. This will help ABA compile information to support this lobbying effort.

Teicher stressed that booksellers e-mail or call their lawmakers, whichever is most convenient for them. If they call, they can simply use the template letter for talking points.