Independent Coalition Dedicated To Sustaining Governor Hogan’s Veto Of House Bill 732 Releases New Radio Ad

ANNAPOLIS, MD (December 8, 2020) – Marylanders For Tax Fairness, an independent coalition of Marylanders, businesses of all sizes, and pro-economic growth advocates, will be advertising on Washington, D.C., and Baltimore talk news radio programs beginning this week. This radio campaign is part of its efforts to sustain Governor Larry Hogan’s veto of House Bill 732, the Digital Advertising Tax. The coalition contains over 100 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. Thus far, more than 3,300 Marylanders have signed the Marylanders For Tax Fairness petition supporting the governor’s veto.

As recently reported in The Wall Street Journal, “Small-to-midsize businesses in particular have flocked to digital advertising during the pandemic …”, further highlighting the wisdom of Governor Hogan’s veto and the need for the legislature to allow it to stand.

The radio ad can be accessed in the link below:

“With COVID-19 raging and small businesses doing everything they can just to keep their doors open, this tax couldn’t be happening at a worse time,” said Marylanders For Tax Fairness spokesman Doug Mayer. “As Senate President Ferguson said himself in Senate testimony, the reality of the system is that Maryland businesses will pay these taxes and costs. The Maryland legislature needs to be working on ways to make life easier for Marylanders, not harder. This is a bad time for bad idea.”

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 their services 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 when the 2021 legislative session begins in January. The non-partisan Department of Legislative Services (DLS) has estimated that HB 732 will cost Maryland taxpayers $250 million every year.

Transcript:

Meet Pat and Tim. They own a small business in Maryland. It’s a towing service. And they advertise on the internet. Because as the Wall Street Journal reports, quote, “small-to-midsize businesses in particular have flocked to digital advertising during the pandemic…” Enter the Maryland legislature. Many of the same people who thought taxing the rain was a good idea. Last year, they were taxing digital ads, like Pat and Tim’s. Fortunately, Governor Hogan said no to this tax increase. But the legislature just doesn’t get it. They want to overturn the Governor’s veto. At a time when COVID-19 is spiking and many small businesses are failing, they would impose a new two hundred- and fifty-million-dollar tax. It’s a bad idea. So, stand with Governor Hogan and many other small businesses like Pat and Tim’s. Tell your state legislator-Stop the digital ad tax. It’s a bad time for a bad idea. Take action at marylandtaxfairness.org Paid for by Marylanders For Tax Fairness.

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Media contact:
Doug Mayer
doug@marylandtaxfairness.org