eBay Inc.’s Government Relations team would like to wish you and your family a very Happy Hanukkah! May you be surrounded by friends, family and the joy of the season.

Happy Hanukkah!

Last week, The News-Herald (AZ) published an editorial expressing opposition to the Marketplace Fairness Act. The writer explained that although Speaker of the House, John Boehner (R-OH), has promised to not move the legislation through the House this Congress, if the bill did pass, it would hurt taxpayers.

New Hampshire news outlet, The Keene Sentinel, recently published an editorial that argued the Marketplace Fairness Act would be unfair to New Hampshire because the state does not have a sales tax and would gain nothing by forcing its businesses to collect for other states.

Last week, the Michigan Senate passed legislation 21-16 that requires online retailers to charge Michigan's sales tax on Internet purchases from residents in the state. Under current law, online retailers only have to charge the tax if they have a physical presence in the state, like a storefront. However, the legislation changes current law by clarifying that physical presence in Michigan also includes things like warehouses, storage spaces, or contracting with installers or repair personnel.

On Thursday, December 11^th, the House of Representatives passed a government spending bill prior to departing for the holiday season. Included in the spending bill was a short term extension of the Internet Tax Freedom Act (ITFA), a very important measure that prevents state and local governments from imposing new taxes on Internet access and prohibits any multiple or discriminatory taxes on e-commerce.

In a recent Politico article, Senator Wyden (D-OR), Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, announced that the current government spending bill did include an extension of the Internet Tax Freedom Act. Expiring on December 11th, ITFA would make permanent the law that prevents state and local governments from imposing new taxes on Internet access and prohibits any multiple or discriminatory taxes on e-commerce.