Leading Maryland lawmakers seeking a way to help pay for a $4 billion, 10-year education plan came up with what they consider an innovative idea of where to get the cash: deep-pocketed internet companies.
The Democratic proposal would tax Facebook and Google for every ad the companies run on the computer screens of Maryland residents visiting their sites. If passed, the plan would make the Old Line State the first in the nation to raise revenue by taxing online advertising.
“Massive technology corporations have ballooned in size and influence over the last two decades,” wrote Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson, a Democrat, in an email to Stateline. “This legislation starts to make sure that these corporations pay their fair share in contributing to building our state’s core educational institutions.”
A Nebraska bill would sweep internet ads into overall sales tax. New York policymakers would take a different approach to the same goal: taxing internet companies on the personal information they collect from any state resident who visits their sites. Many other states may follow suit if they see a new source of money opening to pay for needed services.