Spencer Cox: “It is vital, with only a few days remaining before the expiration of the 3-year-old moratorium on special multiple and…”

“It is vital, with only a few days remaining before the expiration of the 3-year-old moratorium on special multiple and discriminatory taxes on the Internet, that we extend it; that we not let a lapse occur. Because, honestly, my colleagues, if we do that, all hell may break loose. And people may then ask us, when they are not focused on other issues, where we were and how we let this happen. Back in 1996, when Senator Ron Wyden and I first began drafting the Internet Tax Freedom Act, which is now the law on the books that we are seeking to extend, our interest was to ensure that the Internet, which is not just a national but a global medium, not fall victim to the tyranny of the parochial. My colleague, the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Delahunt), is exactly right when he says the Governors and the State legislatures are not out to tax the Internet. But we should not kid ourselves, many, many, many special tax districts, utility commissions, regulatory agencies, and excise bureaus, 30,000 of them, are lying in wait ready to pounce.”