Tune in to MPT’s Your Money & Business program Thursday, December 6 at 7:30 p.m. on MPT to learn more about the recently passed sales tax expansion to computer services and what the Maryland Chamber is doing about it.

The Show’s host Jeff Salkin will be joined by Maryland Chamber Vice President of Government Affairs Ron Wineholt and Allan Cohen, CPA, Managing Partner of Naden/Lean, LLC and Director of Next Level Technology.

The Maryland Chamber will seek to repeal the computer services tax before it takes effect July 1, 2008.

• Maryland is a small business state. Expanding the sales tax to professional services hurts these small and growing companies the most. Large companies hire employees to perform many of the services outlined in the bill. Small businesses are more likely to hire outside companies to perform these services, and therefore would be more likely to pay the proposed sales tax.
• Computer service companies did not have an adequate opportunity to oppose this expansion during public hearings. These companies deserve the opportunity to voice their opposition and educate lawmakers on the consequences of enacting this misguided policy.
• Computer services are the backbone of the technology economy of the 21st century. Entire industry segments rely on computer services in providing their own products and services. The technology sector is a part of the economy that Maryland is trying to grow, not discourage.

Stay tuned. We’ll have a lot more on this topic next week.