New website, www.stoptheitax.com, and online campaign to “save the music” and stop Governor Paterson’s scheme to tax digital downloads.
Assembly Republican Leader James Tedisco (R,C,I-Schenectady-Saratoga) today launched a new online campaign to stop the iTax from becoming law in New York or anywhere else in the country. The new interactive website, www.stoptheitax.com, features a special YouTube message from Tedisco and enables users to help “save the music” by signing an online petition and telling Governor David Paterson directly to stop his iTax on downloads.
The Governor’s proposed state budget calls for many new painful taxes and fees, including a tax on electronic downloading of music and movies. This tax dubbed the “iTax” will add an 8 percent cost increase to each item downloaded.
This means New Yorkers will have to pay $1.07 to download a song from iTunes, up from 99 cents.
“Whether you’re a fan of rock n’ roll, jazz, classical, country, big band, or hip-hop, the prospect of being taxed to download music should leave music fans singing the blues,” said Tedisco.
“Downloading music and content from iTunes and other digital services has become as American as apple pie. However, if the iTax passes, it’ll be the day the music died,” said Tedisco. “We need to stop the iTax from becoming law here in New York or this terrible tax could be taken up in the other 49 states.”
“Politicians in Albany need to first cut wasteful spending before they impose even more excessive taxes on hard-working families. The iTax is just one of 137 destructive new taxes totaling $3,875.48 that middle class families will have to pay annually if the Governor’s budget passes,” said Tedisco.
“Governor Paterson needs to hear our voices loud and clear – that we won’t stand for fiscal irresponsibility or an iTax. My Assembly Republican colleagues and I are going to fight the iTax tooth and nail to help save the
music for all New Yorkers,” said Tedisco.
“We should be known as the Empire State: New York. Not the Empire State: New Taxes,” concluded Tedisco.
In addition to the stoptheitax.com website, Tedisco also unveiled a companion Stop the iTax page on Facebook.