Southwest Conference of Mayors

Marketplace Fairness Act

The Southwest Conference of Mayors supports a level playing field between out-of-state sellers and traditional local retailers.   The Internet retail sales tax loophole costs the State and local governments hundreds of millions in lost tax revenue while placing traditional retailers at a competitive disadvantage.  The SCM supports authorizing states to collect taxes from out-of-state sellers while promoting simplification and fairness in the administration and collection of sales and use taxes.  The Southwest Conference of Mayors urge Congress to vote for the Marketplace Fairness Act in 2016 so that all retailers are on even footing and this tax loophole is closed.  This bill will modernize our Nation’s outdated sales tax collection process and allow states to enforce existing sales tax law.

Transportation

The Southwest Conference of Mayors supports programs and policies, which provide funding for various transportation and infrastructure projects.   The SCM encourages the General Assembly to pass a Capital Bill that allocates funding and select priority projects that are cost-effective.  The State should remove all unnecessary hurdles such as lengthy reviews of project agreements, which adds costs to the delivery of projects. The SCM supports, in particular, the projects / issues listed below and requests the support of the Governor and General Assembly:

· Harlem Avenue Corridor Project

· Cicero Avenue Corridor Project

· 95th Street Corridor Project

· Ridgeland Avenue Corridor Study

· Reconstruction of the original exit ramp of I-294 north of 88th Avenue

· Expanded service on Metra's Southwest Service Line

· Expanded service on Metra's Heritage Corridor Line

· CREATE Freight Rail Plan

· An interchange at Wolf Road and I-80