Shopping Center Industry Urges Passage of the Marketplace Fairness Act of 2015
Support for eFairness Legislation Gets Big Bipartisan Boost from Senate
WASHINGTON, March 10, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) applauded the introduction by Senators Mike Enzi (R-WY), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) of the Marketplace Fairness Act of 2015 in the 114th Congress. This legislation marks an ongoing commitment of the upper chamber to take decisive action to end the special treatment afforded online-only sellers at the expense of brick-and-mortar retailers. The legislation tracks closely with legislation that the Senate passed by an overwhelming, bipartisan majority in 2013.
Joining as original cosponsors of the Senate bill are Sens. Roy Blunt (R-MO), Jack Reed (D-RI), Bob Corker (R-TN), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Angus King (I-ME).
"The shopping center industry would like to thank Senators Mike Enzi (R-WY), Dick Durbin (D-IL, Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) for their steadfast support and tireless work to ensure that online-only sellers compete with brick-and-mortar retailers on price, service and convenience – now without a tax advantage," said Michael P. Kercheval, president and CEO of ICSC.
The Marketplace Fairness Act of 2015 will get the government out of the way, restore the free market and close the loophole that has given an unfair advantage to online-only sellers like eBay and Overstock for over a decade.
"The Senate sponsors have initiated the process to ensure that the market, not the government, determines winners and losers," said Betsy Laird, senior vice president of Global Public Policy for ICSC. "With 60 votes in the Senate, it is now up to the House to move forward with legislation. We believe that this is the year they will finally stand up for local businesses that create jobs and support our communities."
ICSC has promoted efairness for over a decade, advocating that a "sale is a sale" regardless of whether the purchase takes place on Main Street, at shopping centers, or over the Internet. For more information about efairness and how the current sales tax system is unable to support the 21st century retail marketplace, please visit efairness.org.
About ICSC
Founded in 1957, ICSC is the premier global trade association of the shopping center industry. Its more than 68,000 members in over 100 countries include shopping center owners, developers, managers, marketing specialists, investors, retailers and brokers, as well as academics and public officials. For more information, visit www.icsc.org.
SOURCE International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)
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