Posted on May 21, 2009
Wisconsin’s economy over the past decade has appeared successful and healthy, but the state government has worked against a structural budget deficit and now faces a multibillion dollar shortfall. As in other states, policymakers and citizens have considered a variety of alternatives to bring expenditures and revenues into balance. This report warns against adoption of a damaging policy direction that has been discussed in some quarters: the extension of the sales tax to include greater coverage of advertising services
Read: Report for the Wisconsin Advertising Industries Coalition
Posted on May 19, 2009
Source: American Advertising Federation – Madison Chapter
The call for an ad tax always raises the issue of how to define advertising. Newspapers, magazines, television, direct mail and outdoor usually come the minds of legislators. However, baseball caps, t-shirts, matchbook covers, blimps and sponsored sporting events are forms of advertising subject to tax. The Federal Trade Commission has never been able to define advertising and Florida failed in 1987. How will other states define advertising?
Three states have imposed an ad tax (Arizona, Iowa, Florida) and each repealed it. The economic dislocation resulting from the application of sales and use tax to the service of advertising was quickly demonstrated in 1987 when over 200 new auditors hired by Florida could not administer the sales tax placed on a wide range of services, including advertising. Read more »
Posted on May 15, 2009
Source: Wisconsin Society of Architects
The AIA believes taxing architectural services would significantly hurt the design industry by encouraging clients to turn to unlicensed designers for services, seriously eroding protection of the public’s health and safety. Taxing architectural services would put the architectural profession at a competitive disadvantage with unlicensed individuals and would hurt small businesses most. The AIA believes taxing architectural services would have an adverse impact on the state’s revenue, economy, and public welfare and health.
Read: AIA Sales Tax Issue Brief
Posted on May 13, 2009
Source: Wisconsin Institute of Certified Public Accountants
Wisconsin’s budget problems have been widely publicized, and the current economic environment will create additional fiscal challenges for the State. Comments from legislators and articles indicate that additional sales taxes are certain to be considered next year.
Although the WICPA has helped defeat prior attempts to impose a sales tax on services, Wisconsin’s poor fiscal health will make such a tax more appealing now than in the past. It is therefore very important that CPAs inform their legislators about the adverse consequences of a sales tax on services: Read more »
