[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 50 (Thursday, April 24, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E752]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            IT'S TIME FOR BILLBOARDS TO PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE

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                            HON. JOHN LEWIS

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 24, 1997

  Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing the 
Billboard Fair Share Act, legislation that would levy a 15 percent tax 
on the revenue from billboards and direct that money to help pay for 
our transportation system.
  The billboard industry benefits as much as any other industry from 
our National Highway System. In fact, the industry even charges 
customers according to the number of cars that pass by the billboard on 
a given day. Despite its reliance on taxpayer-funded roads, the 
billboard industry contributes nothing to the construction and 
maintenance of our Nation's roads. It is time that the billboard 
industry paid its fair share.
  The Billboard Fair Share Act would levy a tax on each billboard of 15 
percent of gross revenues generated from the billboard. This is the 
same amount that billboard companies usually pay a property-owner for 
the right to construct and maintain the billboard on the property-
owner's land. The revenue generated from this tax would be divided 
between surface transportation and funding for enhancement projects 
under ISTEA. In both cases, it would be used to improve our national 
system of roads.
  As Congress works to reauthorize ISTEA while balancing the budget, it 
is important that we ensure that all road users contribute to providing 
transportation funding. While the billboard industry may not be a 
traditional road user, it is equally clear that they directly benefit 
from road construction. In fact, the billboard industry is entirely 
dependent upon roads.
  All highway users must be willing to help build and maintain our 
Nation's roads. It is time for billboards to pay their fair share.

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