Page 284 – Taxpayers Protection Alliance

Taxes, Regulations, and the Emergence of the Sharing Economy

Post author:Taxpayers Protection Alliance
Post published:June 1, 2016
Post category:Congress Regulation Sharing Economy Taxes

Morgan Reed is the executive director for ACT | The App Association. Last week, I testified before the House Small Business Committee at its hearing, “The Sharing Economy: A Taxing Experience for New Entrepreneurs.” The discussion focused on how labor laws and tax policy should evolve to better reflect the American workforce of today. As executive director of ACT | The App Association, I represent the interests of more than 5,000 app makers and connected device companies across the country. Our members leverage the connectivity of smart devices to create innovative solutions that make people’s lives better. Some of our members are part of the growing sharing economy, which is characterized by peer-to-peer exchanges of goods both digital and physical.

TPA Signs International Coalition Letter to World Health Organization Opposing Plain Packaging

Post author:Taxpayers Protection Alliance
Post published:May 30, 2016
Post category:Intellectual Property International Michi Iljazi Plain Packaging Taxpayers Protection Alliance

Governments around the world are continuing the assault on taxpayers, business, consumers, and intellectual property (IP) by moving towards passage/implementation of plain packaging schemes. The Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) continues to urge nations not to follow Australia’s lead here, as their plain packaging initiative has been an absolute failure. The results have been a mix of lost revenue, rise in illicit activity, and increases in consumption. With that in mind, TPA was honored to sign onto an international coalition letter led by the Property Rights Alliance addressed to Margaret Chan Fung Fu-chun, Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO). The letter puts forth a reasoned and substantive response to plain packaging tobacco control measures, and similar initiatives that have been announced or may be in the early planning stages. Click 'read more' below to see the full letter

Veterans Affairs Department Still Not Living Up to Promises of Reform

Post author:Taxpayers Protection Alliance
Post published:May 28, 2016
Post category:Congress Healthcare Michi Iljazi Taxpayers Protection Alliance

VA Secretary Robert McDonald, with President Obama This weekend is Memorial Day, a day to remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation. The Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) is grateful to all of those in the United States Armed Forces who put their lives on the line so that America can be a safer and freer place. Memorial Day is also a reminder of the shameful treatment U.S. veterans are receiving at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) clinics and hospitals.

Senate Brings Repeal of Wasteful USDA Catfish Inspection Program One Step Closer

Post author:Taxpayers Protection Alliance
Post published:May 27, 2016
Post category:Catfish Government Accountability Office Michi Iljazi Senate Taxpayers Protection Alliance

It’s rare that taxpayers get a victory, but the Senate moved towards a very important goal this week on getting rid of the wasteful and duplicative United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) catfish inspection program. The Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) has been trying to get rid of this program for years. We are a step closer. The Senate voted this week to eliminate the program. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has now targeted the unnecessary and duplicative bureaucracy created by this program a record ten times! The USDA spent $19.9 million to develop and study the catfish inspection program then told GAO it would cost the federal government an additional “$14 million annually” to run the program. This after GAO found the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) currently spends “less than $700,000 annually to inspect catfish.” TPA sent a coalition letter this week urging support for the resolution that the Senate ultimately voted to approve, SJ Res 28, sponsored by Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) and co-sponsored by Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Jeanne Shaeen (D-N.H.). It’s time for the House to move on repealing this wasteful program and we hope they will take that up soon. Read the letter below. Senator Kelly Ayotte 144 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510

Veterans Affairs Department Still Not Living Up to Promises of Reform

Post author:Taxpayers Protection Alliance
Post published:May 25, 2016
Post category:Congress Healthcare Michi Iljazi Taxpayers Protection Alliance

VA Secretary Robert McDonald, with President Obama This weekend is Memorial Day, a day to remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation. The Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) is grateful to all of those in the United States Armed Forces who put their lives on the line so that America can be a safer and freer place. Memorial Day is also a reminder of the shameful treatment U.S. veterans are receiving at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) clinics and hospitals.

Court Ruling Puts Spotlight on Plain Packaging in United Kingdom

Post author:Taxpayers Protection Alliance
Post published:May 24, 2016
Post category:Intellectual Property Michi Iljazi Plain Packaging Taxpayers Protection Alliance

The Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) has been exposing the truth about why governments mandating the plain packaging of tobacco products is a bad idea for consumers, taxpayers, and the myth that plain packaging will reduce smoking. TPA has even submitted comments to both the Australian and Singapore governments warning them of the dangers of plain packaging policies and the implications for the economy, crime, taxpayers, and consumers. Even though plain packaging happens on a country-by-country basis, the United Nations (U.N.) has been pushing these policies globally. This is especially troublesome considering the U.N. receives $600 million (or 22 percent of their budget) from U.S. taxpayers. This means that U.S. taxpayers are paying to promulgate plain packaging regulations.

Fight for $15 Means Fight to Stay Employed

Post author:David Williams
Post published:May 23, 2016
Post category:Minimum Wage

This article originally appeared in Townhall.com on May 18, 2016 It’s a well-established fact that drastic minimum wage hikes are a job killer. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) admits it and leading economists have warned against it. But unfortunately, that hasn’t stopped liberal states like New York and California and the national “Fight for $15” movement from advocating for a $15 minimum wage – to the detriment of low-wage workers and small business owners. Government shouldn't be dictating wages, the free market should.

TPA Uncovers $11 Billion in Earmarks in Defense Appropriations Bill

Post author:Taxpayers Protection Alliance
Post published:May 19, 2016
Post category:Appropriations Congress Defense Earmarks Government Accountability Office House Michi Iljazi Taxpayers Protection Alliance

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Earlier this week, the House released their initial markup for the fiscal year 2017 Defense Appropriations Act that will spend more than $500 billion. TPA combed through the report and found 235 earmarks totaling $11.1 billion (click here to see the full list) that were not requested by the Pentagon and inserted by members of Congress. These earmarks show that Congress’ self-imposed earmark ban is nothing more than a lie to taxpayers. There were many familiar wasteful projects on the list, including the F-35, the Littoral Combat Ship, and the Abrams Tank. All of these programs have been notorious for their waste and abuse of taxpayer dollars and have not been requested by the Pentagon.

TPA Joins Coalition Supporting OCO Amendment to FY2017 NDAA

Post author:Taxpayers Protection Alliance
Post published:May 19, 2016
Post category:Congress Defense Earmarks House Michi Iljazi Spending Taxpayers Protection Alliance

Last night the House of Representatives passed H.R. 4909, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017, by a vote of 277-147. The issue of Pentagon spending is important to the Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) and making sure that elected officials are working with the Defense Department to put forward the best policies to provide for the national defense is critical. Unfortunately, wasting taxpayer money is not something that is in the best interests of national security. Time and again TPA has exposed billions of dollars in earmarks buried in defense spending, we continue to call for an end to wasteful programs like the F-35 and Abrams Tank, and there is also the issue of budget gimmicks like the Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) Account. Yesterday, TPA joined a broad coalition letter led by Taxpayers for Common Sense supporting an amendment to the FY 2017 NDAA that “codifies criteria developed by the Office of Management and Budget in 2010 to clarify when military spending should be designated as contingency operations and properly be part of the Overseas Contingency Operations budget.” The bipartisan amendment was sponsored by Reps. Mick Mulvaney (R-SC), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Barbara Lee (R-CA), and Mark Sanford (R-SC) and adopted in a voice vote with several other amendments. TPA will continue to keep an eye on defense spending related bills, including the coming Defense Appropriations bill, which is likely to include more earmarks, as it has in years past. Click 'read more' below to see the full letter

SunEdison Bankruptcy Three Times Bigger than Solyndra

Post author:David Williams
Post published:May 17, 2016
Post category:Energy Green Energy Solar Taxpayers Protection Alliance

This article originally appeared in Morning Consult on May 10, 2016 Does this sound familiar? A shiny new solar company comes onto the scene, satisfying the cries of the solar panel-obsessed clean energy fanatics. Somewhere along the way, Barack Obama and Congress indiscriminately award the solar company millions in taxpayer funds. A few years pass, and a slow but largely ignored descent into financial ruin ends in scandal. You may be thinking of the famed Solyndra debacle. Unfortunately for taxpayers, SunEdison, the self-proclaimed “largest green energy company,” filed for bankruptcy protection in late April. Even after becoming the 13th-most subsidized company in the United States, SunEdison misused taxpayer funds and lied, resulting in a recent Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing.