April 28, 2004
The Honorable William Frist
Majority Leader, U.S. Senate
S-230 U.S. Capitol
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Majority Leader Frist:
Thank you for your leadership in the Senate on issues critical to Colorado and the United States. As you continue this work, I write to offer my support for a permanent ban on all types of Internet access taxes.
Access to the Internet continues to grow in the United States and around the world. In fact, a recent report by the Pew Internet and American Life project found that the number of Americans with access to high speed Internet connections increased by 60 percent in the last year alone. As you know, greater Internet access means more buying power for consumers, new markets for small businesses, and a stronger American economy.
This rapid growth is due in large part to the federal moratorium–a policy that keeps the hand of government from taxing the “onramp” to the Information Superhighway. As our economy continues to rebound, it makes sense to encourage small business owners, as well as rural and urban consumers, to use the Internet–not burden them with new taxes and barriers to economic prosperity.
In Colorado, I enacted a permanent moratorium on state and local Internet access taxes four years ago, and I hope that the Senate will do the same. In the event that the Senate cannot reach consensus on a permanent ban, I urge you to enact the McCain compromise amendment, preserving the longest moratorium possible.
Sincerely,
Bill Owens
Governor of Colorado
