Dear Members of Congress:
The current U.S. federal tax system is out of date and desperately in need of an overhaul. Current U.S. policies were formulated in the 1980s at a time when manufacturing and trade in tangible goods were the predominant forms of economic activity. The last three decades have witnessed revolutionary changes in business methods, products and assets, and a global economy that is increasingly driven by growth in sectors not even imagined 30 years ago.
Unfortunately, those tax rules have not kept pace with these new global market realities for business, the increasingly complex way small business owners file their taxes, or the economic challenges individuals and families face.
Businesses now operate more freely across borders with business location and investment decisions being more sensitive to tax considerations than ever before. As new market access has increased, nations’ tax systems have become a greater factor in the success of global companies. While most of our major trading partners have reduced their corporate tax rates, nothing has changed in the U.S., resulting in the U.S.
having the highest tax rate in the world. Being a glaring outlier discourages investment in the U.S., reducing growth and limiting job and economic opportunities.
Additionally, small businesses and individuals see some of the highest rates and most complicated tax laws. As the backbone of America, small businesses should be afforded every opportunity for a fair and simple tax code, saving them significant accountant and legal fees to ensure compliance with a growing and complex code.
Considering that many small businesses and their owners have to file under individual tax rules, it is even more important to work to alleviate some of the same problems that face larger businesses. Over the decades individuals have faced an increasingly complex, labyrinthine tax code that few understand. Such complication by its very nature is unfair, often more heavily burdening those least able to shoulder the extra load.
While some issues may be complicated, the overall immediate necessity is clear: The U.S. needs a coherent, simpler, fairer tax code for individuals, small business, and corporations as part of a broad national strategy to ensure long term competitiveness. The 114th Congress was elected to govern, and the American people expect results. We encourage Congress to roll up their sleeves, get to work, and make their primary goal to reform the U.S. tax code for everybody.
Jim Martin, Chairman, 60 Plus Association
Hon. Dan Greenburg, President, Advance Arkansas Institute
Phil Kerpen, President, American Commitment
Lisa Nelson, CEO, American Legislative Exchange Council
Matt Robbins, President, American Majority
Dan Weber, President, American Small Business Solutions
Gary L. Bauer, President, American Values
Stephen DeMaura, President, Americans for Job Security
Grover Norquist, President, Americans for Tax Reform
Lindsay Boyd, Director of Policy, Beacon Center of Tennessee
Richard Evans, Professor, Brigham Young University
Rea Headerman, Executive VP, Buckeye Institute (Ohio)
Kristin Fecteau, President, Campaign to Free America
John Andrews, Director, Centennial Institute of Colorado
Andrew F. Quinlan, President, Center for Freedom and Prosperity
Jeff Mazzella, President, Center for Individual Freedom
Jim Backlin, President, Christian Coalition of America
Col. Francis X. De Luca USMCR (Ret.), President, Civitas Institute (North Carolina)
Debbie Brown, Executive Director, Colorado Woman’s Alliance
Richard Viguerie, CEO, ConservativeHQ.com
Annette Meeks, CEO, Freedom Foundation of Minnesota
Ike Brannon, Fellow, George W. Bush Institute
William Keli’I Akina, Ph.D., President & CEO, Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
Gary Wolfram, The Simon Professor, Hillsdale College
Mario Lopez, President, Hispanic Leadership Fund
Kimberly Fletcher, President & Founder, Homemakers for America
Tim Kane, Research Fellow, Hoover Institute
Laura Carno, Founder, I Am Created Equal
Tim Slaper, Director of Economic Analysis, IBRC
Wayne Hoffman, President, Idaho Freedom Foundation
John Tillman, CEO, Illinois Policy Action
John Caldara, President, Independence Institute (Colorado)
Sabrina Schaeffer, Executive Director, Independent Women’s Forum
Heather Higgins, President & CEO, Independent Women’s Voice
Andrew Langer, President, Institute for Liberty
Tom Giovanetti, President, Institute for Policy Innovation
Ernie Adkison, Political Director, Iowans for Tax Relief
J. Robert McClure III, President & CEO, The James Madison Institute (Florida)
Brett Healy, President, John K. MacIver Institute for Public Policy (Wisconsin)
Nena Whitfield, Executive Director, Ladies of Liberty Alliance
Colin A. Hanna, President, Let Freedom Ring
Seton Motley, President, Less Government
Gregory T. Angelo, President, Log Cabin Republicans
Michael Reitz, Executive Vice President, Mackinac Center (Michigan)
Matthew Gagnon, CEO, Maine Heritage Policy Center
Andrew Hanson, Associate Professor of Economics, Marquette University
Dee Hodges, President, Maryland Taxpayers Association
Brent Mead, Executive Director, Montana Policy Institute
Lt. Col. Allen B. West U.S. ARMY (Ret.), Chairman, National Center for Policy Analysis
Pete Sepp, President, National Taxpayers Union
Jerry Cantrell, President, New Jersey Taxpayers Alliance
Kevin Kane, President, Pelican Institute for Public Policy (Louisiana)
Andrew Moylan, Executive Director, R Street Institute
Paul Gessing, President, Rio Grande Foundation (New Mexico)
Karen Kerrigan, President, Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council
Teri Christoph, Co-founder, Smart Girl Politics
J. Scott Moody, CEO, State Budget Solutions
David Williams, President, Taxpayers Protection Alliance
Judson Phillips, Executive Director, Tea Party Nation
Jenny Beth Martin, Co-founder & National Coordinator, Tea Party Patriots
Zack Hawley, Professor, Texas Christian University
Niger Innis, Chairman, TheTeaParty.net
Michael Gorman, Professor, University of Dayton
Tony LoSasso, Professor, University of Illinois Chicago
Mark Perry, Professor, University of Michigan (Flint)
John Heywood, Distinguished Professor of Economics,University of Wisconsin Milwaukee
Victoria Cobb, President, Virginia Family Foundation
Carol Platt Liebau, President, Yankee Institute for Public Policy (Connecticut)