    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1998, Book I)]
    [March 19, 1998]
    [Page 404]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Statement on the Agreement on Internet Taxes
    March 19, 1998

        In my recent speech on the future of the Internet, I called for a
    short-term moratorium on new and discriminatory taxes that would slow
    down the growth of the Internet and a search for long-term solutions to
    the tax issues raised by electronic commerce. We cannot allow 30,000
    State and local tax jurisdictions to stifle the Internet, but neither
    can we allow the erosion of the revenue that State and local governments
    need to fight crime and invest in education.
        I believe that the agreement reached by groups representing State
    and local elected officials is an important and constructive step toward
    a long-term solution. I particularly want to thank Governors
    Leavitt and Romer
    for their bipartisan leadership on this important issue. I look forward
    to working with all parties with a stake in this issue to enact
    legislation this year.

    Note: In the statement, the President referred to Gov. Michael O.
    Leavitt of Utah and Gov. Roy Romer of Colorado.