A Statement By 60 Plus Association President James L. Martin

Arlington, VA – Sales tax. Property tax. Telephone tax. Vehicular tax. Toll bridge tax. Real estate tax. Capital gains tax. Fishing license tax. Death tax. On and on and on. Do you see a pattern here? It seems like everything under the sun is a taxable experience…and as a Floridian, I’d not be surprised to soon see a suntan tax!

Now comes consideration for an Internet tax. Seems the tax dragon just can’t be sated!

The 60 Plus Association is foursquare against a tax on internet access. Internet access is becoming a more and more vital manner of commerce and communication for the elderly all across America. Taxing cyberspace for today’s seniors (and the swell of Baby Boomers that will make up tomorrow’s) is wrongheaded and frankly, discriminatory.

Senior citizen’s more and more are learning how to transact commerce, gain education and stay in touch via the internet; throwing yet another tax at them — many on fixed incomes — is an impediment that must be stopped, and stopped now!

While senior citizens still rely primarily on “snail mail” they are becoming increasingly familiar and comfortable with “e-mail” and thus will be actively buying and trading more and more on the Net, unless they’re taxed too much.

I call on the U.S. Senate to do the right thing: pass S.150 and oppose S. 2084…and do so without strings attached. Do it now, do it for seniors and do it to vitalize this marvelous new tool we have all come to rely upon. Keep the Internet tax-free!

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