Byron Dorgan: “virtually every Governor, or 45 Governors in this country believe strongly we ought to do this, give the States the…”

“virtually every Governor, or 45 Governors in this country believe strongly we ought to do this, give the States the ability to develop a compact to dramatically simplify their revenue systems. Then, with that compact, we would allow or require the remote sellers to collect the taxes owed. I am introducing the legislation on behalf of myself, Senator Breaux, and Senator Hutchison, that would extend until June 30 the moratorium that now exists. Between now and June 30 I believe Congress has a responsibility to solve this problem. I don't want there to be and will not support punitive or discriminatory taxes on the Internet. I don't believe we ought to be taxing access to the Internet, and it would not matter to me if we shut it off even for the grandfathered States. The issue of extending the moratorium is not a problem with me. But we must not extend the moratorium and ignore the other significant problem that exists; and that is, the erosion of billions and billions of dollars that are expected to come in to our State and local government coffers to support our schools. That erosion, to the tune of what is expected to be $54 billion in the year 2011 is a very serious problem and serves no purpose for people to talk only of extending the moratorium and not about the other problem. Let's solve both problems at once on behalf of America's kids and on behalf of remote sellers. I happen to think the growth of the Internet is a wonderful thing.…”