ANNAPOLIS, MD (February 9, 2021) – Marylanders For Tax Fairness, today announced that over the past three weeks more than 22,000 emails have been sent from Marylanders to legislators encouraging them to sustain Governor Hogan’s veto of House Bill 732. These legislative contacts come from every corner of the state, including every state senate district, and represent the strong opposition that exists to enacting a $250 million digital ad tax while COVID-19 continues to devastate small businesses and local communities.
Marylanders For Tax Fairness is comprised of over 200 businesses, organizations, and individuals who have joined together to fight against unfair taxes thrust upon the state’s leading job creators in the middle of a worldwide pandemic and the worst possible time in modern history. More than 8,000 Marylanders signed the Marylanders For Tax Fairness petition supporting the governor’s veto.
“With a vote fast approaching, legislators have a simple choice to make – listen to the thousands of Marylanders pleading with them to change course or ignore their constituents and pass a tax hike in the middle of a pandemic,” said Marylanders For Tax Fairness spokesman Doug Mayer. “Either you care about the small businesses and employees in your district, or you don’t. It’s that simple. Our coalition of Marylanders will continue to fight against this regressive tax until it’s defeated.”
At the very end of the 2020 Maryland legislative session, the General Assembly rushed HB 732, a very shortsighted and deeply flawed bill, to the floor where it passed along party lines. The COVID-19 pandemic cut short the regular legislative session, and public input was limited. The outcome was a bill that will raise taxes on every person and business that advertises online. By overriding the governor’s veto, Maryland would have the notorious distinction of being the only state in the country to enact a digital advertising tax.
Launched in mid-November, Marylanders For Tax Fairness has been working to persuade the Maryland General Assembly to allow Governor Hogan’s veto of HB 732 to stand during the 2021 legislative session. The non-partisan Department of Legislative Services (DLS) has estimated that HB 732 will cost Maryland taxpayers $250 million every year.
About Marylanders For Tax Fairness:
Marylanders For Tax Fairness is an independent coalition of Marylanders and Maryland businesses of all sizes dedicated to ensuring that taxes enacted by the General Assembly do not place an unnecessary and undue burden on the state’s entrepreneurs and job creators. Specifically, Marylanders For Tax Fairness is actively working to sustain Governor Larry Hogan’s veto of House Bill 732 - the $250 million Digital Ad Tax. If allowed to become law, it would raise taxes on any person or business that uses digital advertising.
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Media Contact:
Doug Mayer
doug@marylandtaxfairness.org