ASTA is gearing up to fight a proposed tax on travel advisors in
Connecticut.
Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont, a Democrat, last week
introduced his proposed budget for 2020-2021,
which proposes a tax on "travel arrangement and scenic transportation."
Lamont proposes to tax a number of other services, including
legal, accounting and veterinary.
"We are eliminating exceptions and bringing our tax
code into the 21st century by extending the sales tax broadly to services,
which make up a growing share of the economy," the budget states. "Specifically,
since 1950 services have grown from 39% to 69% of personal consumption, which
has led to a significant reduction in the sales tax base."
ASTA said it will soon provide Connecticut ASTA members with
details about how to help fight the proposed tax.
The Society has successfully fought proposed taxes on
advisors in a number of states.
In 2017, ASTA said its successful efforts helped saved agencies in Illinois,
Maine, Ohio and Pennsylvania over $62.6 million per year collectively in new
taxes.