Lamar! Alexander fights proposal to prohibit Internet taxes | Tennessean

[Ediacara]

Alexander fights proposal to prohibit Internet taxes
$360 million would be kept from state under plan

By LARRY BIVINS
Tennessean Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON — Sen. Lamar Alexander is engaged in a fierce fight over a proposal that could prevent Tennessee state government from collecting $360 million in revenues from the Internet at a time when the state is struggling to balance its budget.

President Bush is backing the proposal, which would prohibit all types of taxes on Internet access. Bush and other supporters of the measure contend such taxes would restrict the availability of the Internet, especially in rural and low-income areas.

Meanwhile, a coalition of consumer advocates, Internet providers and telecommunications companies said the industry ''is willing to invest billions more in high-speed broadband Internet access, but taxes that impede consumer demand for access and the inconsistent application of state taxes on new technologies are a roadblock to those new investments.''

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[Eric J in MN]

1. I prefer taxes on the rich to taxes on internet access.

I prefer taxes on the rich to taxes on internet access.

Let states raise their income taxes on wealthy individuals to raise revenue, instead of taxing middle class people who opted for a high speed connection they can barely afford already.