Business

Republicans take another shot at FairTax

Republicans on Capitol Hill are taking another crack at replacing the income tax with a national sales tax.

{mosads}Sens. Jerry Moran (Kan.) and David Perdue (Ga.) have introduced legislation to install the so-called “FairTax,” arguing that a national sales tax would be more efficient and fairer.

The sales tax would replace income taxes on both individuals and corporations, payroll taxes, capital gains taxes and other levies from the government, essentially rolling back the duties of the IRS.

“The FairTax would place all taxpayers on equal footing, protect Americans from government intrusion by the IRS, boost business growth, and incentivize savings and investment – all while collecting revenue at levels similar to those of our current mess of a tax code,” Moran said in a statement.

A group of GOP lawmakers have for years sought to get a national sales tax implemented, and have hoped that anger at the IRS’s Tea Party controversy would give them a boost.

But neither Democrats nor GOP leaders have shown much interest in the idea, with Democrats opposing the idea as regressive.

Rep. Rob Woodall (R-Ga.) has released FairTax legislation in the House, which has already gained dozens of sponsors. Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.), who Perdue replaced this year, was a longtime sponsor of the measure.