This week eBay Inc. CEO John Donahoe sat down with Ireland Taoiseach (Prime Minister), Enda Kenny to discuss eBay Inc.’s investment in Ireland and to thank him for his close partnership.  Last year, eBay Inc. was honored to have the Taoiseach open the new eBay Inc. international operations center in Dundalk, Ireland, marking the company’s continued growth.  Today, eBay Inc. employs over 2,000 people in Ireland who help businesses and consumers take advantage of seamless shopping online, on mobile and on the high street.  That growth continues today as eBay Inc.

Rick Courtemanche, resident of New Hampshire, recently submitted a letter to the editor of Seacoast Online that thanked Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) for opposing the Marketplace Fairness Act.  Courtemanche wrote that “there is little fairness in the Marketplace Fairness Act, and its implementation would place an unfair burden on New Hampshire retail businesses.”  In addition, he explained that with over  9,000 taxing authorities in the United States, requiring a small business to purchase and maintain computer software and the corresponding staff to support it is n

Jessica Melugin, adjunct fellow with the Competitive Enterprise Institute, recently wrote an opinion piece in the Oklahoman that argues policymakers should consider an origin-based tax system for Internet sales instead of the Marketplace Fairness Act.  Melugin explains that although states and municipalities believe the Marketplace Fairness Act will fill their budget gaps, the returns will not be what they expect and, in turn, will hurt businesses in their own communities.  “Municipal officials are turning to the Marketplace Fairness Act (MFA) to fill budget gaps.

Earlier this week, Members and staff of the House Judiciary Committee visited eBay Inc.’s Commerce Innovation Center in New York City.  The Commerce Innovation Center was created to highlight how innovations in technology can empower consumers and businesses.  The global retail market is rapidly transforming and companies like eBay Inc. are connecting commerce all across the world.  At the Innovation Center, visitors learn how eBay Inc.

Jon Goldberg and David Haugrud, owners of International Marketing Systems in Fargo, North Dakota, recently expressed their concern with the Internet sales tax bill that was passed in the Senate last May.  Goldberg and Haugrud operate an online store on eBay called Outdoor Bunker, which sells outdoor recreation equipment.  The Marketplace Fairness Act, currently pending in the House, would mandate that all small businesses selling over $1million in sales per year to essentially become tax collectors for every sales tax jurisdiction across the country