For Immediate Release March 27th, 2013 Contact: Garrick Taylor: 602-248-9172 or Kevin McCarthy: 602-253-9121

Arizona business owners and taxpayers come together to form Save AZ Taxpayers Urge lawmakers to pass sales tax simplification. (Phoenix, AZ) Arizona business owners and taxpayers have come together to form Save AZ Taxpayers in an effort to urge lawmakers to pass transaction privilege tax or sales tax simplification this legislative session. House Bill 2111 outlines a new and easier to use tax-collection system that would not affect the general sales-tax rate, but would change the method and rate on the construction sales tax, saving taxpayer money and creating new efficiencies. Currently, Arizona has over 90 different sales tax systems that businesses big and small must comply with that damages growth, kills jobs, and wastes hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars each year. HB2111 would make the rate uniform and streamline the tax reporting process for businesses across Arizona. Arizonas outdated system which hasnt been updated in over 50 years creates a nightmare scenario for businesses that distracts from what is important. Linda Stanfield of Ben Franklin Plumbing outlined the problem perfectly: A small business owner shouldnt have to have multiple licenses, multiple tax returns, multiple state and local tax bases, and be subject to multiple audits of their small business just to operate in Arizona. Taxpayers and small business shouldnt have to carry the administrative cost of several governmental agencies on a simultaneous basis. Added Farrell Quinlin, Arizona State Director of the National Federation of Independent Business: "Arizona's sales tax system is such a disgrace no one actually tries to defend it on the grounds of fairness, ease of compliance or efficiency in collecting revenue. Let's at least simplify the sales tax system and give our small businesses a fighting chance to compete and create jobs here in Arizona. A partial list of those already signing on in support of the effort to urge lawmakers to move Arizona from one of the most complicated and wasteful sales tax collection systems in the country to a job growth and business friendly model are: Kevin McCarthy, Arizona Tax Research Association Lisa Rigler, Small Business Alliance of AZ Bas Aja, Arizona Cattlemens Association Glenn Hamer, Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry

Michelle Lind, Arizona Association of REALTORS Francis McAllister, Arizona Mining Association Courtney LeVinus, Arizona Multihousing Association Michelle Allen Ahlmer, Arizona Retailers Association Steve Chucri, Arizona Restaurant Association Rick Murray, Arizona Small Business Association Richard Usher, Arizona State Contractors Coalition Steve Zylstra, Arizona Technology Council Greg Turner, Council on State Taxation (COST) Todd Sanders, Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce Tom Franz, Greater Phoenix Leadership Connie Wilhelm, Home Builders Association of Central Arizona Tim Lawless, Chapter President, NAIOP Farrell Quinlan, National Federation of Independent Business Ronald E. Shoopman, Arizona Leadership Council Scot Mussi, The Free Enterprise Club Michael DiMaria, CenturyLink Molly Greene, Salt River Project Ann Seiden, Southwest Gas Steve Barela, Arizona Public Service Michelle Bolton, Cox Communications (Partial List)

The coalition will work with both lawmakers and voters to urge the passage of HB 2111. Visit www.saveaztaxpayers.com to learn more and join the coalition, and follow the effort on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/saveaztaxpayers. Save AZ Taxpayers has major support from the Arizona Business Coalition. Lets get Arizona back to business and simplify the state sales tax to grow small business, create jobs, and save taxpayer dollars.

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