Important Testimony

2011 House Judiciary Subcommittee Hearing

On April 13, 2011, the House Judiciary, Courts, Commercial and Administrator Law Subcommittee held a hearing on HR 1439.

Panel One:

Panel Two:

Corey Schroeder, Vice President and CFO, Outdoor Living Brands, Inc. (Richmond, VA), on behalf of the International Franchise Association
Joseph Henchman, Tax Counsel and Director of State Projects, the Tax Foundation (Washington, DC)

Read the written testimony

Read the hearing report

2008 House Small Business Committee Hearing

On February 14, 2008, the House Small Business Committee held a hearing titled Business Activity Tax and Its Impact on Small Businesses.

Panel One:

Hon. Nydia Valazquez (D-NY) (opening statement available in hearing report)
Hon. Steve Chabot (R-OH) (opening statement available in hearing report)

Panel Two:

David Rolston, President and CEO, Hatco Corporation (Milwaukee, WI), on behalf of the North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers
Barry Godwin, Controller, Stingray Boat Company (Hartsville, SC)
Stephen Joost, CFO and Principle, Firehouse Restaurant Group Inc. (Jacksonville, FL)
Michael Petricone, Senior Vice President, Government Affairs, Consumer Electronics Association (Washington, DC)
Peter Johnson, Ph.D., Vice President and Senior Economist, Direct Marketing Association (testimony available in hearing report)

Read the written testimony

Read the hearing report

Quick Links
Latest News

A Tax Grab in Ohio (by Wisconsin)

I’m the chief financial officer of Marco’s Franchising, a company founded and headquartered in Ohio that franchises Marco’s Pizza stores across the country. We don’t own the 300-plus stores that operate under our name nor do we pay their employees. So why should we be asked to pay corporate income taxes – in Wisconsin?

That’s a question I’ve been mulling since early this year when Wisconsin told us that we owed it back taxes. Its reasoning was bizarre. Because a single employee of ours visited the single store we franchise – but don’t own – in the state for less than 24 hours, Wisconsin says we must pay corporate taxes there.

Continue reading…

Revenue-hungry states target out-of-state businesses

With Congress seemingly paralyzed by partisan gridlock, it’s good to see a Republican and a Democrat from a battleground state working together to promote the common good. That’s what Virginia Reps. Bob Goodlatte, R, and Bobby Scott, D, did last year when they co-sponsored the Business Activity Tax Simplification Act. The purpose of the bill is to prohibit states from imposing corporate income taxes on companies with no physical presence within their borders. It is intended to protect businesses from tax grabs by 30 revenue-hungry states.

Continue reading…