WHAT: The Advisory Commission on Electronic Commerce, a Federal commission charged with debating the controversial issue of Internet taxation, held its historic first meeting in Williamsburg, Virginia on June 21 and 22, 1999 at the College of William and Mary. Following its administrative meeting on the 21st, the 19-member panel met the next day to individually address the committee with three-minute summations of their respective views, in accord with the commission agenda. Several guest speakers provided presentations, including:

• Donald Abelson from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, "Duty-Free Cyberspace: What It Means, Why It Is Important"
• Dr. William Fox of the University of Tennessee, "Sales Taxes as Revenue Sources and Cyber Economy"
• Dr. Austin Goolsbee of the University of Chicago School of Business, "The Impact of Taxation on Internet Sales"
• Walter Hellerstein, J.D., of the University of Georgia School of Law, "The Law of Sales Taxes in a Cyber Economy"
• Charles McClure, Hoover Institute, "Achieving Neutrality between Electronic and Non-Electronic Commerce"
• Peter Merrill, PricewaterhouseCoopers, "Taxing E-Commerce in a Global Economy: Old Issues, New Media, New Opportunities"

These presentations, as well as the transcripts from the meeting, are now available to the public and media on the commission web site.

WHERE: http://www.ecommercecommission.org/press.htm

MEDIA CONTACT:

Debbie Neville O'Keeffe & Company, Inc. (703) 883-9000, x104 dneville@okeeffeco.com

Mark Miner Press Secretary Office of the Governor of Virginia (804) 692-3110 mminer@gov.state.va.us

ABOUT THE COMMISSION: Created by Congress in October 1998 as part of the Internet Tax Freedom Act, the 19-member Commission, has been charged with studying the impact of federal, state, local, and international taxation and tariffs on transactions using the Internet and Internet access. Central to the examination of these issues is the fact that the Internet knows no geographical boundaries, and, by its very nature, violates those geographical boundaries that hinder other forms of commerce. The commission is also expected to analyze the implications for personal privacy implicit in the taxation of Internet purchases. Recommendations are due in to Congress no later than April 21, 2000.