November 13, 2014 – ARLINGTON, VA – Today, 46 members of the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) board of directors – representing the entire breadth of the food wholesale and retail industry – called on the U.S. Congress to complete work on e-fairness legislation this year.
The letter to U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) states, “We urge you take up and pass e-fairness legislation as part of your efforts to extend and renew the internet tax moratorium before Congress adjourns. These two proposals are complementary and fulfill the important public policy goal of promoting a fair and balanced playing field for consumers, online businesses and brick and mortar retailers.”
FMI argues that e-fairness is about creating a level playing field for all retailers. Under the current system, brick and mortar retailers that are required to collect and remit sales taxes are being forced to compete at a disadvantage against online-only retailers who do not have to meet the same sales tax requirements.
The letter concludes with a call-to-action: “The Senate has already voted in support of the Marketplace Fairness Act, but now it has the opportunity to push the e-fairness legislation over the finish line and get it signed into law. We urge you to use every means at your disposal – including pairing it with the internet tax moratorium – to complete work on e-fairness before Congress adjourns.”
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Food Marketing Institute (FMI) conducts programs in public affairs, food safety, research, education and industry relations on behalf of its nearly 1,250 food retail and wholesale member companies in the United States and around the world. FMI’s U.S. members operate more than 25,000 retail food stores and almost 22,000 pharmacies with a combined annual sales volume of nearly $650 billion. FMI’s retail membership is composed of large multi-store chains, regional firms and independent operators. Its international membership includes 126 companies from more than 65 countries. FMI’s nearly 330 associate members include the supplier partners of its retail and wholesale members. www.fmi.org
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