Coalition For Tax Competition Praises Congressman's Tax Fight

by Mike Godfrey, Tax-News.com, Washington

25 September 2003

The Center for Freedom and Prosperity along with more than thirty of America's free-market orientated organisations have united in their support for Congressman John E. Sweeney (R - NY) who is championing the country's opposition to international tax harmonisation schemes proposed by institutions such as the OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development).

In a letter to Mr Sweeney written by the members of the CFP, the organisation expressed their support for the Congressman's cause: "Recent events have demonstrated that international bureaucracies often are hostile to US interests," stated the letter.

It continues: "We believe the tax harmonization and global taxation plans of the OECD and UN are bad tax policy – and we also believe that American taxpayers should not subsidize their statist agendas. If these bureaucracies insist on pursuing anti-free market tax policies, they should do so without any financial assistance from the United States"

Andrew Quinlan, president of the Center for Freedom and Prosperity, highlighted the apparent contradiction in the fact that the United States contributes around 25% to the budgets of the OECD and the United Nations, yet both organisations appear to be "pursuing initiatives that are contrary to US interests."

Consequently, the group supports the efforts of Sweeney for introducing HR 1206, legislation that will seek to cut off funding to international organisations that pursue tax agendas detrimental to the interests of the US, which Quinlan describes as "a shot across the bow to both multinational bureaucracies."

Meanwhile, Veronique de Rugy of the Cato Institute expressed her oganisation's support for Sweeney's campaign. "Uncompetitive welfare states like France and Germany have the right to impoverish their own citizens by maintaining bad tax laws, but they should not be allowed to enlist international organizations in a campaign to undermine tax competition," said de Rugy.

Amongst the other organisations who are supporting John Sweeney and the Center for Freedom and Prosperity are: The Heritage Foundation; Discovery Institute; Independent Women's Forum; Institute for Research on the Economics of Taxation; National Center for Policy Analysis; and the National Taxpayers Union.

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