Pennsylvania House Finance Committee Passes Digital Ad Tax On Big Tech
HARRISBURG – After more than 500 Pennsylvanians flooded the Capitol this week as part of a two-day action in support of the tax on Big Tech, the Pennsylvania House Finance Committee voted today to advance the digital ad tax bill (H.B. 1678) to the House floor.
H.B. 1678 has 55 co-sponsors and is prime sponsored by Representatives Fiedler, Inglis and Abney. The Senate companion bill (S.B. 1199) is prime sponsored by Senator Lindsey Williams and has 8 co-sponsors, including bipartisan support.
The bill would generate around $500 million in new, recurring revenue, paid entirely by the world’s wealthiest tech corporations including Google, Meta, Amazon and TikTok. The tax on Big Tech is the cornerstone of the Tax Billionaires, Fund PA plan to bring in new revenue and shield working people from the devastating impacts of federal budget cuts.
The committee vote comes at a critical moment. Pennsylvania lawmakers have until the end of June to finalize a state budget, and working people are facing a compounding crisis – federal budget cuts are slashing healthcare, food assistance and essential services, and a structural funding gap in Pennsylvania cannot be closed by cutting programs working people depend on.
Ray Murphy, co-leader of Pennsylvanians for Accountability from Yass, Billionaires and Corporations (PAYBAC), said:
“The corporations building data centers, driving up utility bills, and profiting off our data have to pay their share. With budget negotiations in their final stretch, passing the digital ad tax would bring in $500 million in new revenue from Big Tech, helping to close the budget gap right now – without raising costs for working people. There’s no excuse to leave that money on the table. We urge all members of the House to vote yes on H.B. 1678, and for the Senate to advance its companion bill, S.B. 1199.”
The digital ad tax is one pillar of the Tax Billionaires, Fund PA revenue plan, which would raise nearly $6 billion in new revenue for the state by closing corporate tax loopholes, taxing billionaires' unearned income, and requiring Big Tech to pay taxes on the digital ads that profit off Pennsylvania consumers' data.
The campaign has secured the support of 48 Pennsylvania legislators and is backed by a growing coalition of unions, community organizations, and advocates across the Commonwealth.
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Pennsylvanians for Accountability from Yass, Billionaires and Corporations (PAYBAC) Table is a coalition of state-wide organizations that lead the All Eyes on Yass and Tax Billionaires, Fund PA campaigns.
Tax Billionaires, Fund PA is endorsed by the Action Center on Race and the Economy, Center for Coalfield Justice, Free the Ballot, Little Sis, Make the Road PA, One Pennsylvania, PA United, Pennsylvania Stands Up, PA Local Progress, PA Working Families Power, SEIU State Council, SEIU 32BJ, SEIU 668 and SEIU Healthcare PA.
Additional supporters include: 1Hood, 215 People’s Alliance, American Federation of Teacher Local 2026, Asian Pacific Islander Political Alliance (API PA), Healing Communities PA, High School Democrats of Philadelphia, Philly Black Worker Project, Pennsylvania Immigration Coalition, Philadelphia Neighborhood Networks, Philadelphia Unemployment Project, Reclaim Philadelphia, Transit for All PA!, UUJusticePA and VietLead.
The PAYBAC Table Steering Committee includes ACRE Campaigns, PA Working Families, POWER, PA Stands Up, OnePA, Free the Ballot, Make the Road Action PA and more.
