Today’s Gazette of Politics and Business features a story detailing what some lawmakers are saying about the recently enacted sales tax on computer services. Read the full story here.

Sen. Robert J. Garagiola (D-Dist. 15) said, “I think we should repeal it outright.”

Sen. Roma Kramer (D-Dist. 14) said, “I think it needs to be looked at, and it needs to be reconciled. I am hearing from businesses everywhere that if we had been able to have a full hearing on the bill, we would have heard how detrimental this tax would be.”

Sen. Jim Brochin (D-Dist. 42) said, ”There is a quiet debate within the majority party. There’s a belief the legislature went too far. What we did to the computer services sector is ridiculous. It needs to be repealed.”

The Maryland Chamber opposed this tech tax from the moment it was hastily inserted into the Senate tax bill without a public hearing. Computer service companies were not given sufficient notice nor adequate opportunity for input. The Maryland Chamber was one of the few advocates who were given one minute to oppose the tax during a House Ways & Means Committee hearing of the Senate tax bill. The tax was removed from the House tax bill only to be reinserted as budget negotiators worked through the differences between the House and the Senate bills.

In the next couple weeks, you’ll be hearing a lot more from the Maryland Chamber on this issue. For now, read more about the tech tax below:

• MD Chamber: Repeal Maryland’s Computer Services Sales Tax
• Do You Have Questions About the Computer Services Sales Tax?
• Wash Post: Business Leaders: This Tax Does Not Compute
• Franchot: Reject Sales Tax on Computer Services
• How They Voted: Sales Tax Expansion to Computer Services
• Maryland’s Computer Service Tax Includes Web Design
• Tech Council of Maryland Vows to Work for the Repeal of Computer Services Sales Tax
• Greater Baltimore Technology Council