GW: An interesting angle to tax some outdoor gear…
The Archery Trade Association’s Dan Forster recently authored a letter, with support from 53 other conservation organizations, to the leadership of the Senate Finance Committee and House Ways & Means Committee that encourages them to take corrective action against federal excise tax slippage. FET Slippage is a relatively new issue that affects ATA members and the entire conservation community. In short, millions of federal excise taxes are lost each year through online marketplaces where non-U.S. companies sell products to U.S. consumers.
Because the online process doesn’t recognize internet marketplace facilitators as importers who would otherwise be responsible for paying the federal excise taxes on these transactions, these funds are slipping through the cracks. Unfortunately, that oversight puts American archery manufacturers at an 11% tax disadvantage and hurts state wildlife agencies that rely on FET dollars to conduct necessary habitat restoration, hunter education, wildlife research and other conservation projects.
Forster was instrumental in gathering signatures and rallying community support from industry partners. Fishing products, including rods, reels, and tackle, are also affected by slippage so the ATA teamed up with the American Sportfishing Association to gain support from the sportfishing community. The coordinated effort was a success. Forster was pleased with the response and is confident that the strong endorsements will leverage the robust Capitol Hill work done so far. He hopes to see legislative movement on the issue soon.
“This level of support from such a broad array of state and conservation partners is inspiring and certainly gives Congress more incentive to prioritize this issue and find a solution to FET Slippage,” Forster said. “While we don’t have corrective language for a bill yet, we have identified a slate of potential bipartisan sponsors and are getting closer to introduction.”
Additionally, Tony Wasley, president of the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies, signed a letter on behalf of all state wildlife agencies to Jeff Poole, ATA’s president & CEO, and Glenn Hughes, ASA’s president & CEO, in support of the archery and sportfishing industry’s FET contributions and work to combat the FET Slippage issue. The ATA appreciates the letter of support and written commitment from state agencies to find a solution that ensures foreign-based entities are subject to the same taxes as companies in the United States. Click here to read the full letter.
If you have questions, please contact Dan Forster, ATA’s vice president and chief conservation officer, at (507) 233-8143 or danforster@archerytrade.org.
